There goes the Kerala sadya too! Last weekend, we were at a beautiful, sweet Malayali wedding. Everyone took their places at the hall for the sadya – might as well admit that it is the biggest draw at any Hindu wedding in Kerala! There came the side dishes, numerous types of pachadi (gourd and tempering in curd), upperi (banana chips or even sauteed vegetables with scraped coconut), but alongside the usual options, came fried fish and chicken too! We looked at each other, knowing fully well what this would mean for everyone’s gut post-lunch that day.
A sadya as such is heavy. While traditionally it is vegetarian, the sheer number of dishes means the stomach has the task of having to digest a heavier load than usual. Now you know why that yearning for a nap after a sadya is inevitable – unless you eat it in the order we do. More on that below.
But the combination of lentils (parippu), ghee, papad, then sambar, and then these new additions such as the fish and chicken, and then the payasam…that’s virudhahaar – a strict no-no as per Ayurveda. Even otherwise, what we do to avoid the food coma post a feast is to have the payasam first, letting the sweet taste ignite our digestion or agni and then move onto the other dishes, finishing off with buttermilk for the astringent flavours to ensure that digestion is aided effectively.
But this isn’t about sadyas or afternoon naps. We’re alarmed at the way food combinations are being introduced, with existing ones over the last many decades already cringe-inducing to the Ayurveda-inclined. This solely has to do with what the impact of such combinations will be on the gut – inflammation or ama (build-up of toxins) if this is a habit, brain fog, skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema, joint pain, IBS, constipation, lethargy, the list is endless. Virudhahaar takes a toll on work performance, a person’s mood and response – both nature of the response and time.
What are we without clarity of senses? How do we bring our best to the table everyday if it is the food that controls our priorities first and foremost? Ayurveda has laid out the most simple rules to follow for a clean and healthy gut. It does not call for extreme diets or fasts. A few pointers that you need to keep in mind will hold the body in good stead:
- Satmya ahara – Eat food that is staple, seasonal, locally available, fresh and warm
- Astamya ahara – Don’t make food that is exotic a regular part of your diet
- Atibhojana – Eat when hungry – avoid snacking for recreation
- Eat fruits by themselves and not in combination with meat or dairy.
- Don’t mix dairy with meat, egg or seafood.
- Avoid savoury snacks with milk tea/coffee. Opt for sweet tasting snacks instead.
- If you like to have a raw vegetable salad, don’t mix it with cooked food.
- Include ghee and nut oils local to your region for a healthy brain and strong bones
- Eat on time to avoid acidity
Don’t believe us? We encourage our patients to explore these food combinations to know the difference.
Anywhere from three weeks onwards, the mind, skin and hair responds positively because the gut has already started feeling relieved. Think about it. Otherwise, it is constantly engaged in digesting food, whether it is needed or not. Smoothies with yoghurt/milk and fruit, vada with chai, meat/fish curry and curd – these are now normalised to the point that we don’t know that the way we feel is because of the damage caused by these combinations to our guts.
Eat to satiate your hunger, fully present with your food and its flavours. That is when it becomes a truly enjoyable process.