We all know that food is required
for life. The way in which food actually feeds the body,
however, is often not understood. Ayurveda identifies
seven vital tissues that provide nourishment, growth,
and structure to the entire body. These tissue layers,
called dhatus, are strikingly similar to the
major tissues identified by modern science. Ayurveda
expands upon modern interpretation, however, by also
including tissues in liquid form. The 7 dhatus are:
1. Plasma (Rasa)
2. Blood (Rakta)
3. Muscle (Mamsa)
4. Fat (Meda)
5. Bone (Asthi)
6. Bone marrow and nerve (Majja)
7. Reproductive fluid (Shukra)
Once food is fully digested, the building of tissues
commences. Beginning with plasma, the tissues form
sequentially, with each layer building upon the layers
that come before it. An imbalance within any tissue
will, therefore, affect all subsequent tissues. Unhealthy
plasma, for example, will affect all layers.
Proper diet and digestion ensure excellent tissue
renewal. Plasma is rich in digestive nutrients and
actively transfers these nutrients to subsequent tissue
layers. In this way, even the deepest and most complex
tissues are nourished by the foods we eat. Ojas is
the ultimate “essence” of each dhatu.
The most effective way to improve the health of the
dhatus is to increase ojas. Improper diet and digestion,
on the other hand, will lead to ama formation in each
tissue layer.
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