7 Dhatus in Ayurveda: A guide to the Human Tissues

Understanding our bodies is a lifelong journey. Ayurveda, the world’s oldest holistic health system, can be a helpful guide in this process. Ayurveda teaches that the body is made up of seven dhatus, or tissues, that need to be in balance for optimal health. Each dhatu represents a stage of transformation from one form of energy to another.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of healing that seeks to bring balance to the body, mind, and spirit. As part of this, it recognizes seven distinct dhatus, or human tissues, that form the foundation of health. From the muscles and bones to the reproductive tissue and marrow, the dhatus are an integral part of the Ayurvedic system and provide insight into maintaining balance and wellness.

In this overview, we’ll look at the seven dhatus and their role in maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health. We’ll also explore how the dhatus can be affected by lifestyle choices and how we can use Ayurvedic practices to help keep them balanced. By understanding the seven dhatus, we can gain a deeper understanding of our health and how to maintain it.

The 7 Dhatus:

The dhatus are the seven fundamental tissues that form part of the human body. There are seven dhatus in Ayurveda, which are – This information is often used to determine what type of body constitution a person has and what their health challenges may be.

Rasadhatu: Rasadhatu is the most external tissue of the seven dhatus. It is responsible for the skin, hair, nails, teeth, and secretion glands. The rasadhatu dhatu also includes the sense organs, such as vision, hearing, and the sense of taste. The elements in the rasadhatu dhatu are earth and water.
Raktadhatu: The raktadhatu dhatu is responsible for the formation and nourishment of the blood. It is also responsible for the lymph fluid, the fluid of the brain, and the formation of the reproductive fluid. The elements in the raktadhatu dhatu are water and fire.
Mamsadhatu: The mamsadhatu dhatu is responsible for the formation of the tissues of the muscles and bones. It also forms the marrow that is present in the bones. The elements in the mamsadhatu dhatu are fire and water.
Medodhat: The medodhatu dhatu is responsible for forming the liver, spleen, and vascular tissues. It also forms the blood-forming and blood-purifying cells. The elements in the medodhatu dhatu are water and earth.
Asthidhatu: The asthadhatu dhatu is responsible for the formation of the tissues of the nervous system, such as the brain and spinal cord, and the formation of sperm in the male and the ovum in the female. The elements in the asthadhatu dhatu are space and air.
Majjadhatu: The majjadhatu dhatu is responsible for forming the tissues of the endocrine glands. It also forms enzymes and hormones, such as digestive enzymes and hormones associated with the reproductive system. The elements in the majjadhatu dhatu are space and earth.
Shukradhatu: The shukradhatu dhatu is responsible for forming the tissues of the blood-forming cells and forming the red blood corpuscles. The elements in the shukradhatu dhatu are space and water.

The Role of the Dhatus in Maintaining Health

Ayurveda recognizes the importance of maintaining balance among the dhatus. When they are balanced, the body functions optimally, reducing the risk of developing certain diseases. When one or more dhatus become imbalanced, it can lead to reduced digestive function, joint pain, and skin issues. It is up to us to maintain the dhatus by following a balanced lifestyle that includes a healthy diet, exercise, rest, and stress management. When diet and lifestyle choices create an imbalance in one or more dhatus, it’s often referred to as a “dhatu-roga”. Roga is the Sanskrit word for disease. It is helpful to understand the connection between diet and lifestyle choices and the dhatus to recognize imbalances and take steps to correct them.

How Lifestyle Choices impact the Dhatus

Diet and lifestyle choices play a significant role in determining which dhatus are predominant in the body. For example, if you eat a lot of meat, which is predominantly a water-based food, it will increase the amount of water in your body, and the rasadhatu dhatu will increase, while other dhatus will decrease. The dhatus are interconnected and influence each other, so they can shift due to diet and lifestyle choices. This can lead to an imbalance in one or more dhatus. Here are some examples of how diet and lifestyle choices impact the dhatus:

Eating a lot of carbohydrates, such as rice and pasta, increases the amount of water in your body. It also increases the fire in your body and the mamsadhatu dhatu. Carbohydrates are fire-based foods.
Eating a lot of dairy products increases the amount of water and earth in your body. Dairy is earth-based, so it increases the amount of earth in the body.
When you eat a lot of spices, such as pepper, it increases the amount of fire in your body and the amount of water in your body. Spices are fire-based foods.

How to Balance the Dhatus with Ayurvedic Practices

Ayurvedic practices, such as a daily routine of yoga poses, eating a diet that supports the dhatus you want to increase, and avoiding foods that can create an imbalance in the dhatus, can help you to maintain an optimal level of each dhatu. However, it should be noted that these practices can take time to show results. It can take weeks or even months to notice differences in the dhatus, but these practices should be part of your lifestyle for lasting benefits. Some practices that can help you to maintain an optimal level of each dhatu include: –

A daily routine of yoga poses that help to nudge the dhatus in the direction you want them to go.
Eating a diet that supports the dhatus you want to increase.
Avoiding foods that can create an imbalance in the dhatus.

Conclusion

Ayurveda recognizes the importance of maintaining balance among the dhatus. When they are balanced, the body functions optimally, reducing the risk of developing certain diseases. When one or more dhatus become imbalanced, it can lead to reduced digestive function, joint pain, and skin issues. It is up to us to maintain the dhatus by following a balanced lifestyle that includes a healthy diet, exercise, rest, and stress management. When diet and lifestyle choices create an imbalance in one or more dhatus, it’s often referred to as a “dhatu-roga”. Ayurvedic practices, such as a daily routine of yoga poses and eating a diet that supports the dhatus you want to increase, can help you to maintain an optimal level of each dhatu.