Dhatu / Channels

Body Tissues (Dhatu)

The body is composed of Tissues or Dhatus that are responsible for stabilizing & maintaining metabolism & the immune system. These tissues are directly related to the 3 bodily intelligences and their nourishment & elimination of wastes as well as their normal metabolic function.

Disease only arises in the body when one of these intelligences gets aggravated and hampers the normal function of individual tissues, preventing their proper nutrition.

According to Ayurveda, the food we consume is “cooked” in the stomach to become Rasa. All the other tissues in the body derive their nourishment from Rasa.

The 7 body tissues are:

Plasma (Rasa) - Nourishes all the other tissues & organs in the body

Blood (Rakta) - Carries oxygen to all tissues, strengthening muscle tissue & maintaining the optimum function of the skin and other sense organs.

Muscle Tissue (Mamsa) - Gives strength & stability to the body & covers and protects all internal organs.

Adipose Tissue (Meda) - Lubricates all parts of the body. Provides nutrition to tendons, ligaments & bones.

Bone Tissue (Asthi) - Supports the body and protects delicate nerve tissue.

Nerve Tissue (Majja) – It stabilise the nervous system and also cerebrospinal fluid in our brain

Reproductive Tissue - Sperm (Shukra) & Ovum (Artava) are responsible for the generation of new life.

Channels (Srotas)

The body is composed of Channels or Srotas that provide pathways for the nourishment of tissues and the removal of waste products associated with metabolism. For the body to function properly it is necessary that these channels remain open so the process of metabolism can continue without interruption.

Disease can arise when these channels become obstructed, not only affecting the delivery of nutrition to the tissues and the removal of waste products but preventing effective communication between different tissues and organs.

There are 15 channels - 7 relate with the body tissues, 3 provide nourishment to the body through air, water & food, 3 remove waste products through urine, faeces and sweat, 1 channel for the mental processes & 1 channel for lactation in women:

Digestive System (Annavaha) - Responsible for ingestion & digestion of food, separation & absorption of nutrients and separation of waste products

Water (Ambuvaha) - Carries water & regulates water metabolism

Respiratory System (Pranavaha) - Responsible for respiration

Lymphatic System (Rasavaha) - Carries nourishment to all remaining tissues.

Hemopoietic System (Raktavaha) - Production & maintenance of red blood cells

Muscular System (Mamsavaha) - Supplies nutrients to muscle tissue & removes waste products

Adipose System (Medovaha) - Supplies nutrients to fat tissue & removes waste products

Skeletal System (Asthivaha) - Supplies nutrients to bone tissue & removes waste products

Nervous System (Majjavaha) - Supplies nutrients to nerve tissue & removes waste products

Reproductive System (Sukravaha/Artavaha) - Supplies nutrients to reproductive tissue & removes waste

Excretory System (Purishavaha) – Remove solid waste products from the body

Urinary System (Mutravaha) – Removes waste products from the body

Sweat System (Svedavaha) – Regulates body temperature & remove waste products

Mind (Manovaha) – It controls the functioning of all the channels.

Lactation System (Stanyavaha) – Regulates production of breast milk in women

Digestive Fire (Agni)

Agni in Sanskrit means fire and is used to describe all metabolic functions in our body. All metabolic activity, including digestion, is ruled by Agni.

The digestive power and immune system depends on the proper functioning of Agni. Agni takes the essence of nourishment from food, helps to carry out the metabolic reactions of the body and helps the immune system by destroying harmful organisms and toxins (Ama).

The state of the digestive fire is one of the most important concepts of Ayurvedic approach to health & wellbeing. It doesn’t matter how organic is the food you consume, if the body cannot metabolize it properly, then it is unable to access the nutrients that the food contains.

When Agni is well balanced, there will be proper digestion, excellent circulation of nutrients & proper elimination of waste products, maintaining a state of good mental and physical health!

To maintain balance of our Agni we have to develop a healthy life style including: