Understand before mocking at traditional practices

 It's becoming a trend to mock traditional practices and food philosophy by a few "Instagram-only" medical doctors and so-called food science experts.

Instead of rejecting them completely, assuming that they don't suit today's modern world, I'd advocate that we choose to take the middle path and identify those principles that work for our body and mind.

Recently I stumbled upon a video of someone criticising the idea of not storing idli/dosa batter for 10 days. Let's leave the science of refrigeration and slowing down of fermentation aside. Let's test this with our own experience.

I have observed this with myself and my husband. Whenever we consume idli/dosa/oothappam made with old batter (>5 days), we feel an increase in acidity levels, leading to indigestion and heartburn. This happens more so with millet-based idli batters than with regular rice idli batters. Based on this experience, I don't grind batter quantity that would exceed 4-5 days. At the same time, I don't go to the other extreme of ditching my fridge altogether.

I use the fridge to store the batter but I ensure the batter is used up within 4-5 days.

As always, striking the right balance according to our body's signals and our digestive abilities is a better choice, than swinging to either extreme.

As a follower of Ayurveda principles, I observed that eating cooked foods suits my body (and mind) whereas raw foods don't agree with me (in terms of taste, preference, and health). This is in direct alignment with my Vata-dominant nature as per Ayurveda. At the same time, I don't follow ALL principles of Ayurveda diligently.

Instead of asking whether a philosophy/practice/science is relevant in today's times, it is best to identify those aspects that work for you depending on your personal experience and situation. Dismissing or rejecting a system completely just because modern science is yet to catch up with it is akin to throwing the baby along with the bath water, in my opinion.

The science of Mudras is very much real and it is disappointing to see people mocking it without having any understanding.