Changes

Wholesome food is vital for the nourishment of human body, the creation of healthy tissues, maintenance of health, and for the prevention of diseases. Not following a wholesome food regimen causes vitiation of ''doshas''. These ''doshas'' then reside within ''dhatus''(tissue elements), ''upadhatus''(tissues formed from the essence of ''dhatu'' during transformation process), or ''malas'' (metabolic wastes). In certain situations, the vitiated ''doshas'' get aggravated to cause diseases. The entire process is explained with clinical features of association of vitiated ''dosha'' with the respective pathogen. The causative factors for movement of ''dosha'' from the periphery to the gut and vice versa are important to understand the diseases and prescribe the appropriate purification processes. Digestion and assimilation are the most important physiological processes in the body. Any abnormality in this process results in the improper formation of the ''dhatu'' thus resulting in either deficiency or excessive formation of ''dhatus'' resulting in disorders. The causes for the movement of vitiated ''doshas'' from alimentary tract (''koshtha'') to the ''raktadi dhatu'' and skin (''shakha'') results in the occurrence of diseases. Moving the ''doshas'' back to alimentary tract (''koshtha'') and after that removing them eliminates diseases. The line of treatment of various diseases due to an abnormality in the ''dhatus'' is mentioned in this chapter. Thus, the chapter presents important aspects of food, digestion, metabolism, immunity, diseases of affected tissues, and guidelines for their treatment.

Wholesome food is vital for the nourishment of human body, the creation of healthy tissues, maintenance of health, and for the prevention of diseases. Not following a wholesome food regimen causes vitiation of ''doshas''. These ''doshas'' then reside within ''dhatus''(tissue elements), ''upadhatus''(tissues formed from the essence of ''dhatu'' during transformation process), or ''malas'' (metabolic wastes). In certain situations, the vitiated ''doshas'' get aggravated to cause diseases. The entire process is explained with clinical features of association of vitiated ''dosha'' with the respective pathogen. The causative factors for movement of ''dosha'' from the periphery to the gut and vice versa are important to understand the diseases and prescribe the appropriate purification processes. Digestion and assimilation are the most important physiological processes in the body. Any abnormality in this process results in the improper formation of the ''dhatu'' thus resulting in either deficiency or excessive formation of ''dhatus'' resulting in disorders. The causes for the movement of vitiated ''doshas'' from alimentary tract (''koshtha'') to the ''raktadi dhatu'' and skin (''shakha'') results in the occurrence of diseases. Moving the ''doshas'' back to alimentary tract (''koshtha'') and after that removing them eliminates diseases. The line of treatment of various diseases due to an abnormality in the ''dhatus'' is mentioned in this chapter. Thus, the chapter presents important aspects of food, digestion, metabolism, immunity, diseases of affected tissues, and guidelines for their treatment.

===Sanskrit text, transliteration and english translation===

===Sanskrit text, Transliteration and English Translation===

   

   

अथातो विविधाशितपीतीयमध्यायं  व्याख्यास्यामः||१||  

अथातो विविधाशितपीतीयमध्यायं  व्याख्यास्यामः||१||  

इति ह स्माह भगवानात्रेयः||२||  

इति ह स्माह भगवानात्रेयः||२||  

athātō vividhāśitapītīyamadhyāyaṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ||1||  

athātō vividhāśitapītīyamadhyāyaṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ||1||  

iti ha smāha bhagavānātrēyaḥ||2||

iti ha smāha bhagavānātrēyaḥ||2||

athAto vividhAshitapItIyamadhyAyaM  vyAkhyAsyAmaH||1||  

athAto vividhAshitapItIyamadhyAyaM  vyAkhyAsyAmaH||1||  

iti ha smAha bhagavAnAtreyaH||2||  

iti ha smAha bhagavAnAtreyaH||2||  

dhAtavo hi dhAtvAhArAH prakRutimanuvartante||3||  

dhAtavo hi dhAtvAhArAH prakRutimanuvartante||3||  

Different types of wholesome foods ingested in the form of eatables, drinkables, lickables and masticables stimulate the antaragni (digestive process) and get properly digested by respective bhutagni (specific digestion as per basic constituent or element). Further in due course of time food gets transformed into different dhatus in presence of dhatvagni (tissue specific digestion and metabolism) and vata (vyana vayu) by the process of dhatvagnipaka or metabolism, nourishes the tissues through the channels of circulation without any interruption, and produces plumpness, strength, complexion, health and longevity. The tissues are sustained by getting fed by various nourishing factors (poshaka dhatus). [3]

Different types of wholesome foods ingested in the form of eatables, drinkables, lickables and masticables stimulate the ''antaragni'' (digestive process) and get properly digested by respective ''bhutagni'' (specific digestion as per basic constituent or element). Further in due course of time food gets transformed into different ''dhatus'' in presence of ''dhatvagni'' (tissue specific digestion and metabolism) and ''vata'' (''vyana vayu'') by the process of ''dhatvagnipaka'' or metabolism, nourishes the tissues through the channels of circulation without any interruption, and produces plumpness, strength, complexion, health and longevity. The tissues are sustained by getting fed by various nourishing factors (''poshaka dhatus''). [3]

==== Metabolism, excretion, and homeostasis ====

==== Metabolism, excretion, and homeostasis ====

svamAnAtiriktAH punarutsargiNaH shItoShNaparyAyaguNaishcopacaryamANA malAH sharIraDhātusAmyakarAH samupalabhyante||4||  

svamAnAtiriktAH punarutsargiNaH shItoShNaparyAyaguNaishcopacaryamANA malAH sharIraDhātusAmyakarAH samupalabhyante||4||  

The food gets transformed into two forms i.e. prasada or essence form (ahara rasa) and kitta (the waste form). The kitta part nourishes the mala or excretory products like sweat, urine, stool, vata, pitta, kapha, excreta of the ear, nose, mouth, hair follicle, genital organs, hair, beard, body hair, nails, etc. The essence part or ahara rasa nourishes rasa (body fluids), rakta (blood), mamsa (flesh), medas (fat), asthi (bone), majja (bone marrow), shukra (reproductive elements like semen and ovum), ojas (essence of sapta dhatus), basic components of five sense organs, joints, ligaments, tendons and mucilage part in the body. All the malas (wastes) and dhatu (tissue elements) of the body are nourished by the waste part of food and essence of food or ahara rasa respectively. The rasadi dhatus and malas or waste products are nourished so that the quality is maintained according to size and age of the body. Thus, after digestion, the essence and waste of food in their normal quantity maintain the equilibrium of tissues. The tissue elements may increase or decrease due to some etiology, which can be normalized by the essence part of digested food in decreased or increased quantity. Similarly, malas can be transformed into the waste part of ahara rasa. The waste products, when in excess, can be excreted and the status of the body can be brought to an equilibrium through treatments with the therapies having opposite qualities like hot, cold, etc. [4]

The food gets transformed into two forms i.e. ''prasada'' or essence form (''ahara rasa'') and ''kitta'' (the waste form). The ''kitta'' part nourishes the mala or excretory products like sweat, urine, stool, ''vata, pitta, kapha,'' excreta of the ear, nose, mouth, hair follicle, genital organs, hair, beard, body hair, nails, etc. The essence part or ''ahara rasa'' nourishes ''rasa'' (body fluids), ''rakta'' (blood), mamsa (flesh), medas (fat), asthi (bone), majja (bone marrow), shukra (reproductive elements like semen and ovum), ojas (essence of sapta dhatus), basic components of five sense organs, joints, ligaments, tendons and mucilage part in the body. All the malas (wastes) and dhatu (tissue elements) of the body are nourished by the waste part of food and essence of food or ahara rasa respectively. The rasadi dhatus and malas or waste products are nourished so that the quality is maintained according to size and age of the body. Thus, after digestion, the essence and waste of food in their normal quantity maintain the equilibrium of tissues. The tissue elements may increase or decrease due to some etiology, which can be normalized by the essence part of digested food in decreased or increased quantity. Similarly, malas can be transformed into the waste part of ahara rasa. The waste products, when in excess, can be excreted and the status of the body can be brought to an equilibrium through treatments with the therapies having opposite qualities like hot, cold, etc. [4]

==== Channels for the nourishment of tissues ====

==== Channels for the nourishment of tissues ====