Dhatu in Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, human body is made up of tridosa*, Sapta Dhatus (seven tissues) and trimalas (three types of waste products-sweat, urine and faeces). The Sapta Dhatus are Rakta dhatu (blood), Rasa dhatu (plasma), Majja dhatu (bone marrow), sukra dhatu (reproductive elements) and mamsa, medo and asthi dhatu (muscle, fat and bone tissues respectively).
Dhatus are the body’s basic components that give it its strength and shape. Under the influence Dosha, Dhatus and malas get vitiated, resulting in negative effects on the body.
According to Ahtanga Hridyam, Rakta dhatu (blood) supports life; Rasa dhatu (plasma) supplies nourishment, mamsa dhatu covers the body; medo dhatu lubricate the body; asthi dhatu maintains the body, Majja dhatu fills the voids in bone and sukra dhatu aids in childbirth.
Rasa dhatu (plasma), Rakta dhatu (blood), mamsa dhatu (muscle), medo dhatu (fat tissues), asthi dhatu (bone tissues), Majja dhatu (bone marrow), and sukra dhatu (reproductive elements), in that order, provide fuel for succeeding tissues and support the entire body. According to Ayurveda, the indigested food is converting into Rasa dhatu (plasma) after digestion is completed.
Each dhatu has three parts: first part helps it to develop its own cells, second part supplies nutrition to the next dhatu, and third part is the waste product.
Dosha, dhatu and mala undergoes vridhi (increase) or ksaya (decrease) depending on the type of food consumed. There are some types of equilibrium exist between Dosha, dhatu and mala. Depending on dravya (substance), guna (quality) and karma (action) there are three types of increase and decrease dhatu, dosha and mala experiences: dravya, guna and karma samanya and dravya, guna and karma visesa.
One of the fundamental principle in Ayurveda is Samanya (similarity) and visesa (difference). According to Samanya- visesa sidhanta (principle), the food we eat affects the state of dhatu — dosha-mala equilibrium, and non-equilibrium indicates disease. Samanya indicates dravya/guna/ karma’s similarity to the nature of dhatus/dosha and visesa denotes dravya, guna and karma’s dissimilarity to the nature of dhatus/dosha. Ayurveda emphasizes maintaining dhatu — dosha-mala equilibrium in both preventive care and treatment for various diseases.
Dravya Samanya means that consuming items with comparable attributes to dravya (substance) in the body increases that dravya (substance) in the body; for example, eating meat increases mamsa dhatu (muscle tissues) in the body.
Guna Samanya says that eating foods with similar guna (quality) in the body increases that guna (quality) in the body. Sweet and heavy things, for example, increases kapha dosha. For example, milk increases Kapha due to its snigha guna^.
Karma Samanya says that engaging in activities that have the comparable properties as dhatu/ dosha can augment it. For example, exercise increases vata* (because to its moving character); anger and envy, on the other hand, increase Pita* (due to its sharp nature).
Dravya visesa says that, consumption of substances that have the opposite properties of dravya in the body reduces it. Wheat, for example, reduces mamsa dhatu (muscle tissues) in the body.
Guna visesa means consuming items with opposite attributes to dravya (substance) in the body decreases that dravya (substance) in the body. For example, consumption of Ksara (alkaline) substances reduces Kapha* Dosha.
Karma visesa says that engaging in activities that have the opposite properties as dhatu/ dosha can reduce it. Excessive exercise, for example, causes a significant decrease in Kapha.
So pay attention to what you eat. Prioritize your health over your taste buds and Maintain a healthy life style.
Reference
Ashtanga Hridaya
Foot Notes
*- https://medium.com/@rakhi.iitdhn/tridosha-is-it-really-harmful-f52906ab6a6e
^ snigha guna- functional characteristics of snigha guna are softness, malleability and oiliness.
