The seven tissues (dhatus)
The seven tissues are:
- plasma or cytoplasm (ras), which contains nutrients from digested food
- blood (rakata), which governs oxygenation
- muscles (mamsa), which maintain the physical strength of the body
- bone and cartilage (asthi), which give support to the body
- bone marrow and nerves (majja), which fill bony spaces and facilitate
communication - fat (medas) responsible for body bulk
- the sex hormones and immune system (shukra).
Each of the dhatusdepends on its predecessor for good health, and for
good health all must function correctly.
The three waste products (malas)
These are sweat (svet), faeces (poorish) and urine (mutra). They must be
produced in appropriate amounts and eliminated through their respective
channels.
Indian ayurvedic medicine | 201Characteristic Pitta Vata Kapha
Body size Medium Slim Large
Body weight Medium Low High
Eyes Sharp, bright, grey–green Small, sunken, black or brown Big, blue
Nose Long, pointed Uneven shape Short, round
Skin Oily, smooth, warm Thin, dry, cold Thick, oily, cool
Teeth Medium, tender gums Protruding, thin gums Healthy
Strong gums
Appetite Strong Irregular, scant Slow, steady
Digestion Quick with burning Irregular with wind Prolonged with mucus
Taste preference Sweet, bitter Sweet, sour, salty Bitter, pungent
Emotions Anger, jealousy Anxiety, fear Greedy
Intellect Accurate Quick, careless Slow, exact
Finance Spends on luxuries Poor, wastes money Thrifty, astuteTable 7.1Examples ofpakriticharacteristics