ICEERS has published a study on the impact of Ayauasca on a healthy lifestyle. Below is the entire article.
New study on the long-term impact of ayahuasca shows positive impact on public health
Barcelona – According to a newly released study published in the Journal of Pscyhoactive Drugs, ayahuasca – a tea from the Amazon Basin that has been used by over 100 tribes for generations – may help support a healthy lifestyle. The investigation carried out by researchers from the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service (ICEERS), in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Madrid, University Rovira i Virgili, University of São Paulo, and Leiden University, assessed 377 participants taking part in ayahuasca ceremonies in the Netherlands.
"Research focused on public health, such as our study, offers valuable insights into the general health state of regular ayahuasca ceremony participants and evaluate if it poses a risk to the individual and public health,"
said Maja Kohek, PhD, the study's principal investigator. “The main argument for ayahuasca’s prohibition is that it ‘poses a risk to public health,’ said Kohek. “These findings show that this is clearly not the case.”
The researchers assessed the well-being of ayahuasca ceremony participants using established governmental health indicators. Findings show that the health of ayahuasca ceremony participants is comparable, or better in some aspects, to the national average.
The authors found that most ayahuasca ceremony participants (94.7%) reported a good or very good perception of health. They also were more physically active than the general population, ate a wholesome diet, and used more herbal remedies and less prescription medicines. They reported a lower incidence of chronic diseases, diabetes, and high blood pressure compared to normative data. Most respondents disclosed no significant changes regarding the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Health is a complex construct affected by a plethora of factors,” said Kohek ”Our findings suggest that the participation in ayahuasca ceremonies is a self-care practice or stress reduction technique that people engage in to live a healthier lifestyle.”
This study echoes earlier findings from a2019 study by ICEERSon 380 long-term ayahuasca ceremony participants using health indicators published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. This study found people participating in ayahuasca ceremonies regularly in Spain have considerably better scores for health indicators such as physical exercise, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure when compared to the national average
Comentários