14 Lessons from 14 Days of Dieta
Cleaning the body, mind, and soul ain’t easy - but it pays dividends
Why do we choose to take the hard path - to face difficulty and endure discomfort?
Perhaps we love the thrill of a test, the satisfaction earned through triumph, or the enhancement of status. Some might say that the universe tends to hide its ‘best rewards’ behind the steepest climbs.
I personally like the idea that through great adversity comes the most profound growth.
In preparation for some important upcoming events, I committed myself to a 35-day Dieta - a practice utilized by indigenous Amazonian tribes to connect deeply with plants and nature.
I’ve participated in dieta a number times in the past and have found it to be a wonderful and rewarding experience, despite the challenge. I’m almost half-way through this run and already have much to reflect on.
Origins of the Amazonian Dieta
There are many varieties of dietas across numerous cultures, but they generally have a common theme - purposeful restriction that yields profound changes in the body, mind, and soul.
In its most rigorous incarnation - A curandero/a (shaman / healer) would live in the jungle and observe a prolonged period of social isolation and relative fasting for months or even years at a time.
During this intense diet they would experience visions, intuition, inner dialogue, songs, and even encounter mythological beings. The dieter would receive instructions on how to use plants and sacred music to heal.
A more common practice of dieta is when people prepare to attend a healing ceremony: to help clear the body of toxins, habits, stagnation, energies and the like.
The Protocol - It’s All About the Basics
What’s encouraged?
Pure, whole, and natural foods
Fresh Vegetables
Fresh fruits
Grains - rice, millet, oats, quinoa, etc.
Salads
Eggs
Fresh fish
Chicken, turkey, fowl
Nuts & Seeds
Honey, in moderation
Salt & mild spices, in moderation
What’s restricted?
Processed or refined sugar
Red meat and pork
Aged or non-fresh meats - pickled herring, smoked meats, lox, shrimp paste
Soy products - tofu, tempeh, soymilk, soy sauce, teriyaki
Fermented foods - sauerkraut, kimchi, soy sauce, tempeh, kombucha, tofu, miso
Hard cheeses
Yeast
Vinegar
Spicy foods
Alcohol
Caffeine - coffee, maté, green and black tea
Chocolate & Cacao
Supplements
Recreational drugs - Tobacco, Cannabis, MDMA, 2CB, Ketamine, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, etc.
Pharmaceuticals - Benzodiazepines, SSRIs, MAOIs, etc.
Media - news, TV, social media, radio, any screen time not required for work
Sexual activity (with others and yourself)
Supported by
Adequate sleep - 7 or more hours per night
Proper Hydration - 2-4 liters of water per day
Physical activity - preferably outdoors
14 Lessons Learned
1. Gradual is manageable
When running a marathon, you don’t start off sprinting, or you’re screwed. I found it easier to enforce restrictions in ‘batches’, day by day. That way I didn’t shock my body or create unnecessary frustration.
This also helped me build motivation and momentum. Feeling good about what I accomplished the previous day empowered me to take the next step with confidence.
2. Rediscovering the gift of taste
The first couple days are typically rough. I immediately missed the high-sodium saltiness of the western diet, the way that oil amplifies the flavor of anything it touches, the crunchiness of bread, crackers, and chips, the delectable depth of chocolate.
The modern western diet, with copious seasonings and chemical additives designed to addict you - tends to desensitize our taste buds.
But once my palette adjusted, I came to fully appreciate the amazing taste that Mother Nature inherently provides. The sweetness of corn, the gooey fullness of a farm fresh soft-boiled egg, the creamy richness of avocado.
Fresh food is delicious!
3. Mother Nature makes her own candy
Sadly, processed sugar has zero nutritional value for us. In fact, it’s outright dangerous - contributing to obesity, depression, dementia, cancer, and all sorts of awful health problems.
Not only are berries some of the healthiest food you could possibly eat, they have wonderful sweetness that feels balanced and wholesome. It’s hard to beat the classics.
4. Advertising and subliminal messaging is everywhere
It’s a strange paradox, but in modern western society, our ills come more from overabundance and rampant consumerism than scarcity and conflict.
Dietary and media restrictions heightened my sensitivity, making me acutely aware of every unhealthy option being ‘pushed’ on me. Everywhere I looked, advertisements, special offers, branding, and captivating visuals vied for my attention.
Consumer culture drives us to indulge due to the simple economic principle: consumption equals profit.
5. Temptation is an opportunity to practice discipline
By day 7, I was daydreaming of baguettes, butter, fried chicken, fries, and all other sorts of guilty pleasures.
Cooking meals for the kids was hard enough, with the tantalizing smells of melted cheese and sauteed garlic. However, the true test arrived when navigating the cityscape, encountering restaurants with vibrant signs, eye-catching posters, and mouthwatering images of various dishes. A modern-day version of the deathly sirens' call.
Yet, each moment of desire served as a valuable opportunity for introspection. I noticed my cravings and observed the physiological responses within my body. Practicing self-discipline enabled me to recognize that I could prioritize my long-term objectives - health and growth - over temporary pleasures.
6. Shit is smooth, baby
High fiber and a happy gut make for pleasant poops.
Let me tell you, going to bathroom on dieta: 😙🤌.
Yes, I just associated bowel movements with a ‘chef’s kiss’ emoji.
I’m here all week, folks… counting the unsubscribes.
7. It gets easier
Your gut microbiome is remarkably adaptable to your diet. Typically, this transition takes between 48 hours and two weeks. This diverse ecosystem in your abdomen performs extraordinary functions, impacting your immune response, emotional wellbeing, and appetite preferences.
As you gradually incorporate whole, nutrient-rich foods into your lifestyle, the bacterial population that flourishes on processed food begins to diminish, leading to a reduction in cravings. Simultaneously, beneficial bacteria that thrive on healthful nutrients reinforce your new eating choices.
Getting over the hump is key.
8. Weight loss happens naturally
Magic happens when you stop eating crap. Your body starts recalibrating to it’s natural ‘set point’ weight. I dropped 4 lbs within the first week, noticeably tightening up my belly and face. It wasn’t my primary goal but was greatly appreciated.
9. You attune to your body and mind
Many things on the restricted list above numb our senses. It’s not just taste or smell, but the actual ‘feeling’ of our internal body. Tension in muscles, heaviness in the gut, the movement of breath.
Reducing external disturbances allows me to connect deeply with my inner physical self. As a consequence, I can see my thoughts more clearly, pinpoint the exact emotions I’m feeling.
Grounded in this condition of heightened consciousness, insight arrives and decisions are much easier to make.
10. The body still needs balance
I made the mistake of cutting out salt completely in the first week while also exercising vigorously (a combination of High Intensity Interval Training and Volleyball). I started to find myself out of breath way too quickly, cramping up, and then getting dizzy spells.
Apparently, I put myself into a mild state of Hyponatremia, as the electrolytes in my body were too low. It was pretty easy to resolve by just adding a bit of delicious salt to my meals, but it taught me to not neglect the essentials.
11. Energy and focus increases
Aside from that little ‘no salt’ snag, I found myself with increased energy and focus every day. Particularly in the mornings. I’d wake up naturally with or before the sunlight, and would be bouncing around cleaning the kitchen, cooking breakfast, singing to music, and helping the kids get ready for school.
It was easier to focus, get tasks done, write, and read.
I used to rely on coffee for this kind of energetic boost, but that created a dependency and other downstream negative health impacts. It’s lovely to be free of this.
12. An opportunity to recalibrate habits
Humans are creatures of habit, with most of our daily lives driven by these automatic patterns. For those who’ve tried, you know how difficult it is to break a habit, in large part because of how our dopamine system is wired.
But an easier path is instead to focus on forming a new, healthier habit that ultimately replaces the old one. By putting focus on this cleanse, it’s illuminated old patterns that I’ve been caught in that I realize I don’t need or want anymore.
13. No news is good news
Detoxing from the media machine is calming and liberating.
Our human biology wasn’t meant to have a perpetual stream of threat, fear, excitement, and euphoria pumped into our systems. It fucks with our nervous system, our dopamine mechanisms, and our ability to be clear headed and focused.
What’s worse, it is increasingly evident that media and news are not an accurate representation of reality anyway. Instead, it represents a selective and interpreted storyline crafted by individuals, corporations, and algorithms whose motivations may include, at least in part, the self-serving desires of money, power, and control.
By turning that shit off, I could go outside, observe the trees, wind, birds, the sights and sounds of the world. I could laugh with my children, play with my friends, embrace my beloved.
This is the slice of truth that is uniquely available to me, here and now. I don’t have to live in someone else’s imaginary nightmare.
14. Abstinence is powerful - particularly for men
This lesson alone deserves its own deep dive in another post, for there’s so much to unpack and so many benefits to be gained from understanding and embracing the sacredness of sexuality.
At a deep level, the desire for sex is a desire for reunion, connection, completion, and fulfillment.
From ‘burning in hell’ to hairy palms, from Instagram to porn, our society has distorted sex with shame, commercialization, and oversaturation. Cheapening the experience and fostering pervasive self-loathing, isolation, and loneliness.
Sexual activity and the physical production of associated bodily substances are taxing on one’s internal resources. In addition to the physical energy and resources, large amounts of mental energy and concentration can unwittingly leak out into thoughts about sex and about managing actions and relationships that could lead to sexual connection.
What if we could drop the shame and divert that energy onto other things? You’d be amazed how good we’d feel and how much we can accomplish.
Closing Thoughts
Dieta is not just a way to clean your body and lose weight, it’s a discipline capable of uncovering hidden obstacles, patterns, and addictions. When followed, it has the potential to positively transform your whole being.
Even halfway through, I’m already grateful for the benefits I’m reaping. I’m curious to see the full results when I conclude next month. I imagine there’ll be something worth writing about.
I hope you found some useful and inspiring information along this journey. Let me know if you’re interested in joining me for a round of dieta one day!
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What I’m Doing This Week
Gratitude
I’m grateful that the years have taught me how to catch the pungent smell of bullshit.
Lesson Learned
You can’t see anything clearly if you can’t see yourself clearly.
Listening to
Seeds by Yoke Lore
Watching
A testament to the quality of content you can find freely available on substack. Not only do you get a sharply edited and emotionally poignant film, but the story behind the creator as well.
’s newsletter and notes are fun and refreshing, too!Reading
’s heart wrenching story makes it all the more inspiring to see her focus on sharing a pragmatic message of hope and positivity.Self-care
Meditation, dieta, volleyball, HIIT, nature, stretching, pushups, pullups, naps, sunlight
It was quick for my taste buds to recognise the artificial taste of foods after only a fortnight of eating whole foods in keto diet. Afterwards, I ate slices of humanmade sweet foods only out of courtesy, for example, if someone baked something for me. Else, even dates or maple syrup don't taste great anymore. I slowly introduce bananas to my diet, otherwise I might unintentionally skip fruits, which are great in fibre and vitamins. Thank you for sharing your lessons and spreading the word so that more readers who haven't yet benefited from the beautiful practical elements of dieta will do.
I gave up alcohol four years ago, and sugar six months ago. My body still craves these things, but I have stayed firm. Dieta seems to cover a lot of bases, including addiction. Kudos and good times to you in the loo!