Ayurveda - The Beginners Guide

Body tissues are called "Dhatus" in Ayurveda and give shape and form to our body. There are seven Dhatus per Ayurveda:

• Plasma / Lymph (Rasa)
• Blood (Rakta)
• Muscle (Mamsa)
• Fatty Tissue (Meda)
• Bone (Asthi)
• Marrow (Majja)
• Reproductive Fluid (Sukra)

The Dhatus like the doshas are made of the 5 elements. Food is the main component of their formation and maintenance. During Digestion Food separates into two main versions. One is the Nutrient portion - Called "Adhara Ras" and the Other is the Waste portion called "Mala"

When our doshas are in a state of imbalance, they relocate into our Dhatus and impact them. Ayruvedic selfcare involves maintaining good quality of body tissues so that they cannot be polluted by doshas. 

Recognizing the root cause of disorder and fixing it is the only way we can be in a state of  Good Health.

 

Proper digestions and assimilation of food is key to maintaining and nourishing our Dhatus.

When we have a week Digestion - this lead to creation of toxins in our system called "Ama"

Ama weakens all our dhatus, our metabolic energy and our digestive fire....thereby impacting weakening not only digestion, absorption, assimilation and all our body tissues due to lack of nutrition.

The essence of all Dhatus is a life-energy called "Ojas". Ojas stabilizes our dhatus and provides them strength and vitality. The absence or exhaustion of Ojas is Death.

Characteristics of a person when Ojas is high and Ama is low:

• Calm and relaxed mind
• Enhanced willpower, determination, discrimination and mind power
• Glowing skin, youthfulness and attractive physique

The only way we can maintain high Ojas and Low Ama in our system is by focusing on our Digestive System. Maintaining a strong digestive fire allows for proper digestion and assimilation of nutrition, good quality of ojas and no formation of ama.

Srotas are the transportation channels, responsible for carrying food everywhere in the body. They transport physical elements - Doshas, Tissues, Wastes, Food and Nerve impulses and signals across our body.

Ama (created from improper digestion) causes blockage of these channels and prevents and interrupts efficient transportation impacting our health adversely. 

Fasting help clear channels and improve digestion. If the digestion is good, ama will not form and accumulate in the channels. Timely excretion of waste (stool, urine and sweat) and regular physical exercise are also important to keep the body's transportation channels clear and operating efficiently.