Ayurveda studies the human body as a whole functional unit, rather than individual ones. The human body is complex in nature which compromises of organs and tissues that function in perfect harmony with each other to ensure health. Dhatus which are the several tissues in the body are responsible for functioning and maintaining organ functions and the structure of the body. Ayurveda recognizes the following seven dhatus:
Rasa - Sap/FluidChyle.
Rakta - Blood.
Mamsa - Muscle.
Asthi - Bone
Majja - Bone Marrow
Meda – Fat, Brain and Spinal Cord
Sukra - Sperm and Ovum
These seven tissues are vital to the growth and development of the body. Each dhatu individually as well as collectively play the part in constructing the body.In Sanskrit the word dhatu means ‘to bind together’, and this is exactly what the dhatus do, they bind different parts and functions of the body to form a cohesive whole.
After the food has been consumed and digested, the digestive system releases nourishment in form of life sap or fluid, known as ‘Rasa’. Rasa is the primary source on which all other dhatus are built. As Rasa enters the blood stream, it is transformed into blood or ‘Rakta’. Rakta is the source of existence. Rakta nourishes every cell and tissue in the body. It is made up of white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma and platelets. Rakta is also responsible for blood purification due to the gaseous exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the lungs.
Rakta dhatu helps to develop, build and maintain muscles, known as ‘Mamsa’. Mamsa dhatu is attached to the skeleton, and facilitate joint movements and provides strength to the body. The fat or ‘Meda’ dhatu is derived from Mamsa. Medha functions as a body heat regulator and is responsible for lubrication of the muscles. Meda dhatu is distributed all over the body in uneven quantities, defining the shape of the body. It also protects the body from the impact of external injury. The bones or ‘Asthi’ dhatu is developed from Meda. It is the skeleton which is made of bone tissues and cartilage. The Asthi dhatu supports all other dhatus as it works as the basic structure that holds all the organs. It also defines the shape and size of the body. The Asthi dhatu is responsible for the formation of ‘Majja’, also known as bone marrow.
However some of the basic bone functions include storing of crucial nutrients, minerals and lipids, producing red blood cells for the body, protect the organs such as heart, ribs and the brain, aide in movement and also to act as a buffer for pH. With the differences in all of the bones there are four things that remain the same in each bone, their cells. Bones are made up of four different cells; osteoblasts, osteoclasts, osteocytes and bone lining cells. Osteoblasts produce and secrete matrix proteins and then transport the minerals into the matrix. Osteoclasts are responsible for the breaking down of tissue. The osteoblasts and osteoclasts are both responsible for remodeling and rebuilding of bones as we grow and age. The production of osteoclasts for resorption is initiated by the hormone, the parathyroid hormone. Osteocytes are the mature versions of osteoblasts because they are trapped in the bone matrix they produced. The osteocytes that are trapped continue making bone to help with strength and the health of the bone matrix. The bone lining cells are found in the inactive bone surfaces which are typically found in
oxygen out of the blood and uses it in the body's cells. The cells use
The system of the body that consists of bones, connective tissues, and cartilage is known as the skeletal system. Some major functions of this system are as follows:
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that treats people by insertion and handling of solid, usually thin needles into the body. Through its beginnings, acupuncture has been deep-rooted in the notions of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Its general theory is based on the idea that bodily functions are synchronized by the flow of an energy-like entity called qi. Acupuncture tries to right inequities in the flow of qi by stimulus of anatomical locations on or under the skin called acupuncture points, most of which are linked by channels known as meridians. Scientific study has not found any bodily or organic correlate of qi, meridians and acupuncture points, and some modern practitioners needle the body without using an academic structure, instead choosing points because of their tenderness to pressure (Acupuncture: An Introduction, 2011).
The roots of the practice of acupuncture can be traced back to about 2000 years in Chinese medicine where it was used as a major traditional healing method (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). It is classified as an alternative medical system that involves the use of imperceptible networks/channels all through the body. Along with acupuncture, other forms of alternative medical systems include Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and traditional Chinese medicine. These networks are referred to as meridians, by which energy streams through the body (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). The energy is referred to as Qi (pronounced “chee”). It is believed in traditional Chinese culture that Qi holds a dynamic life force, and when there an imbalance of this energy; illness as well as symptoms cultivates.
The musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissue that supports and binds tissue and other organs together. Each muscle is a discreet organ constructed of skeletal muscle tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. Did you know there are roughly 600 organs that make up the muscular system? They include the cardiac muscles, smooth muscles, and skeletal muscles to name a few. The heart is the cardiac muscle. Smooth muscle are the tissues that line blood vessels and organs, such as the stomach and intestines. The skeletal muscles, which are the most well known and familiar of the muscle organ system, helps hold the skeletal frame work together. They make up bout 40 percent of the
They have no nuclei or mitochondria in human cells, which means their small size can fit through very small capillaries. They are produced in the bone marrow (since they cannot reproduce as they have no DNA from mitochondria and nucleus). They contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein, which attracts oxygen. This makes it easy for red blood cells to obtain oxygen, and then transport it to the tissue in the body through the bloodstream. They also pull out carbon dioxide from the blood stream, and transport it to the lungs to be breathed out.
Some common health traditions based on my culture include the use of Unani Medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga, Naturopathy and Homeopathy in daily use in rural villages as well as urban low cost clinics. The treatment however is highly individualized. Unani medicine is ancient Greek medicine that was based on the concept of balancing body humors. They either fell out of balance, which might yield diseases (depending on circumstances), or were restored to balance to heal diseases. Unani systems involve these four elements: earth, air, water, and fire; along with four natures: cold, hot, wet, and dry; and four humors: blood (which is hot/wet), phlegm (cold/wet), yellow bile (hot/dry), and black bile (cold/dry). Ayurveda is mainly based on herbs, plants, flowers, fruits, vegetables and all vegetation that grows around us in plenty. It is our native system based on the peculiar Indian conditions. Ayurveda begins when everything fails and when the treatment is uncertain a...
There has been a growing trend over the past few years in health care using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) or also known as Eastern medicine. The new and emerging type of health care has been around for thousands of years, but in recent years have been more accepting in Western culture. CAM is described as, “a wide range of practices, technologies and treatments not traditionally associated with the medical professions or medical curriculum” (Solomon & Adams, 2015). There are many different types of CAM health care. Some of the more popular practices include acupuncture, massage therapy, aromatherapy, reflexology, chiropractic and herbal remedies. Each of these therapies are used in different ways to help with the overall
This consists mainly of bones from the upper and lower parts of the limbs. The bones of the upper part are the humerus bone, the fore arm bones, hand bones and this is connected to the shoulder bones. This allows eating, drinking and holding things. The lower limbs are the femur bone, the shaft bones, the foot bones and these are connected to the pelvic bones. This allows a person to walk, run, stand and carry the body.
Western medicine has recently discovered the powerful affects of meditation, by allowing doctors to treat the body and the mind. In reality, the mind is a very misunderstood and unexplored region of the human existence. Modern science knows more about the composition of the earth than it does about the mechanics of the human brain. Yet, meditation thwarts all notions of modern medicine with its shocking ability to to take obscure visualizations and create physical responses in the body. Mahayana Buddhism, found mainly in the autonomous region of Tibet, has become the main reference and standard for meditation practices in the west. Tibetans have used meditation for centuries as treatment for illness, and now, modern medicine of the western world is just beginning to reap the benefits of this unique and unconventional treatment for a variety of physical and mental ailments. Once a practice reserved strictly for Buddhist monks, meditation has become a worldwide phenomenon. Simply enter “Buddhist meditation” into the any Inter...
As human beings we are very active creatures. It is very rare we sit absolutely still with no movement at all, in fact to do so would be considered strange in most social contexts. These movements are not however sporadic, they are in fact highly controlled, practiced skills. Even when remaining relatively still, for example, to rest or sleep, we have still been taught the required skills to do so, whether it’s how to sit on a chair or lay on a bed, these are very ordinary, everyday techniques that we take for granted and perceive as something natural, but often they are technique’s we have been taught to do.
...e, Pranayama or proper breathing, proper diet, and Dhyana or positive thinking and meditation” (History of Yoga).
How can Yoga and Meditation help shape our future life? Most of us are looking for fulfillment in our lives. We are living in a world that conditions us to believe that outer subjects can give us what we want. Yet again and again our experiences show us that nothing external can completely fulfill the human’s need within for "something more." Most of the time, however, we find ourselves dreaming about something, which always seems to lie just beyond our reach. We are caught up in doing rather than being in action and awareness. It is hard for us to imagine a circumstance of complete calmness and repose in which thoughts and feelings cease to dance in eternal motion. Yet it is through such tranquility’s circumstance that it is impossible to achieve a level of joy and understanding we can feel. Yoga is a simple process of reversing the ordinary outward flow of energy and consciousness, but it requires Meditation in order to practicing. In this paper will be written about concept of yoga and meditation, purpose of yoga and meditation, and benefit of yoga and meditation.
People admire good health and want to stay healthy throughout their lives. Every individual of every race and culture look for the easiest methods to be healthy and if they get sick, they start looking for the alternate ways to regain their health. Holistic health is an alternate approach to acknowledge that health depends on the wellness of the whole body, mind and spirit. In holistic health, a person is the responsible for her own treatment depending on his or her choice and belief. Holistic health would increase the further steps to approach the prevention and healing process of the illness in current health care system and will be effective to provide the better treatment for the patients.