Role of dhatu in health and disease

               

BLOG BY DR.HEMANGINI WAGHULADE

               Role of dhatu in health and disease

    Dosha, dhatu & mala are root factors of living body.Human physiology depends on balanced state of dosha,dhatu & mala.

              दोषधातुमलमूलम् हि शरीरम् । Su.Su.15/3

Human body is made up of infinite numbers of microscopic units i.e. cells. These units form seven important tissue elements i.e.dhatus that make the whole structure of living body.

Dhatus or tissues can be called as the stabilizing pillars of the body.

Word dhatu is derived from root -
‍‌‌‍

धृ धारयति । दधाति ।

Which means dharana, or to support the body.

Nirukti/Definition is the explanatory statement of the word. By this we can understand the structure/quality/ function of body entity.

                                         
                                                धारणात धातवः ।    
                               
                 धारयति शरीरसंवर्धकान इति धातु ।

That which supports and nourishes the body is called dhatu.

             रसासृङ्गमांसमेदोस्थिमज्जाशुक्राणिधातवः। सप्त दुष्याः। A.H.Su.1/13 ‍    

              There are seven types of dhatus such as rasa (plasma), asruk(blood),                           mamsa(muscles),meda(fat), asthi(bone),majja(bone marrow), shukra (semen)                 are the seven dhatus & are also known as dushyas(those that get vitiated by                   doshas).

To understand the concept of health & disease, one should understand the                       concept of dhatu.

             समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातुमलक्रियः ।

             प्रसन्नात्मेन्द्रियमनाः स्वस्थ इत्यभिधीयते ॥  Su.Su.15/47

The person is called as healthy, if he has balanced or equilibrium state of dhatus along with other factors.

The body is the product of nutrition. The function of dhatu is to support and nourish the body. So dhatus are not only responsible for structural architecture of the body but also support all the functions of the body and maintains homeostasis in the body.

Well nourished dhatus give strength to body & maintain health.

Dhatus indicate sustenance of body and nourishment from only sara portion of aahara rasa.

All three entities i.e.dosha,dhatu,mala sustain body in normal state and so  they are called as dhatu but doshas do not nourish any entity like dhatu.

Doshas are bioenergies or forces responsible for movement, transformation and union respectively but these forces reside and act through media of dhatus and malas.

Dhatus give rise to upadhatus and malas.

Vitiated Doshas and malas should excrete from the body unlike dhatus.

दोषदूष्यसंमुर्च्छनाजनितो व्याधिः।

Improper diet, regimen leads to dosha vaishmya.

Vitiated doshas attack on dhatus. If dhatus are in good condition,doshas cannot generate any disease but if dhatus are weak, then vitiated doshas can produce disease.

Strong and healthy dhatus provide immune mechanism to body and resists diseases. e.g.if  asthi dhatu is strong, then in  old age also vitiated vata cannot cause sandhigata vata.Similarly after 60 also if a person can read without spects ,we can say that his majja dhatu is strong.

Immunity & strength of dhatus can be improved by rasayana chikitsa.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Rasadhatu

       Diet      : Milk, Buttermilk                                                                                        :Orange,Mosambi,Pomegranate,Badara,Lemon,Matulunga,Sugarcane.

              : Kushmanda, Dudhi, Beet Root, Radish.

             : Onion, Garlic, Cumin Seeds.

             : Rice, Jvari, Wheat,Bajari.

Medicines   : Amalaka, Haritaki, Bibhitaka,  Jivanti,Pippala, Kumari,Mouktika, Pravala,Shilajatu, Shringataka   and Karpasabija

    Avoid   :    Dry Foodstuff.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Raktadhatu

Diet    : Butter Milk, Curds.

           : Mosambi, Orange, Pomegranate,Matulunga ,Lemon, Mango, Dates,   

                  Dried Black, Grapes, Jardalu, Dried Dates, Charoli, Badara

                : Radish, Onion and Garlic.

Medicines: Amalaka, Haritaki, Bibhitaka, Kasturi, Lohabhasma,  

Suvarnamakshika,  Kasis,Mandura,Kantaloha, Roupya, Shatavari,          Vidari, Pippali, Pravalabhasma, Mauktikabhasma, Chandana,                Vidanga,Arvindasava, Ashvagandharishta,         Drakshasava.

Avoid  : Groundnut,Tila,Fish,Tomato.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Mamsadhatu

Diet    : Pumpkin,Brinjal, Banana, Potato, Sweet Potato,Lady’s Finger,      Elephan’t Foots,  Snakes Gourd, Radish.

        : Mango, Dates, Jardalu,Kharika,Badara,Jack Fruit.

         : All Pulses, Meat In General, Jaggery,Garlic, Buttermilk, Amritaprasha..

Medicines:  Yashtimadhu,Kumari,Guggulu,Shilajatu, Ashvagandha,                Amalaka,  Pippali,Vidarikanda, Drakshasava,Madhumalini Vasanta.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Medadhatu

Diet:  Garlic, Ginger, Dry Fruits, Meat in General Curds, Jaggery.

Medicines    : All Snehas , Meda, Mahameda, Kakoli, Kshirakakoli, Guggulu, Shilajatu, Madhumalini Vasanti.

Avoid:     Matki

Diet And Medicines Promoting Reduction Of Medadhatu

Amalaka,Eranda,Hirakabhasma,Guduchi,Trikatu, Triphala,Mustard Oil, Bhallataka, Vidanga, Shilajatu, Drumstick, Elephant’s Foot,Cummin Seeds,

Horse Gram (Kulattha), Cow’s Urine.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Asthidhatu

Diet:        Wheat,Black Gram, Radish,Beet Root, Elephant’s Foot, Sugarcane,

                 Cow’s Colostrums, Garlic, Ginger.

Medicines:  Bhringaraja, Shankhabhasma, Pravalabhasama, Mauktikabhasma, Ushtrasthibhasma, Mrigashringabhasma, Shilajatu,Guggulu, Chandana, Arjuna, Khandira, Bilvamajja, Sinshapa,Guduchi, Lodhra, Laksha,Tiktaghrita, Mahatiktaghrita.

Diet And Medicines Promoting Healing Of Fractures

 Amalaka, Wax, Laksha And Garlic Have property of healing fractures of bone.

Medicines : Pravala, Kiratatikta.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Majjadhatu

Diet  :       Dry Fruits, Walnut, Almonda, Pista,Charoli, Grundnut, Dried Coconut.

            :       Amalaka,Seed Of Jack Fruit.

            :        Kushmanda, Lady’s Finger.

            :         Rice,Jvari, Tila.

            :         Cow’s Ghee,Curds, Cream.

Medicines   :  Haritaki, Bibhitaka, Abhraka,Raupya,Suvarnabhasma,Brahmi,        

                       Shankhapushpi,Jatamansi,Yashtimadhu,Guduchi, Vacha,Pippali, Mauktika,Pravala,Arvindasava,Brahmighrita, Suvarnamalini Vasanta,Sarasvatarishta.

Avoid              : Sprouting Cereals Pulses.

Diet And Medicines Increasing Shukradhatu

Diet                 :   Milk, Curds, Cream, Ghee, Butter.                     

                         :  Garlic,Cardamom, Cloves, Brinjal, Beet Root, Potato, Sweet           Potato, Lady’s Finger, Elephant’s Foot, Snake Gourd, Kushmanda, Onion.

                          : Chiken, Testis, Meat of Sparrow, Pig, Rat and Crab.

                        :  Sugarcane, Urada, Almonds.

Medicines       :       Ashvagandha, Amalaka, Bala,Kapikachchu,Yashtimadhu,  Abhraka, Eranda,  Kantaloha,    Karpasaki,Musali,Nutmeg, Kakoli And Kshirakakoli, Meda Mahameda, Shatavari, Makaradhvaja,    Jivanti,  Betal Leaves, Pippali,  Shringataka, Haritaki, Pushpadhanva, Talamakhana, Varahikanda

                                Chyavanaprasha, Vrishyavati,Madhumalini Vasanta, Vasantakusumakara, Trivangabhasma,Chandraprabhavati.

Avoid           :    Watermelon, Pepper.