Bone Tissue

According to Ayurveda, asthi dhatu is a crystallization of consciousness. Within the interstitial cellular matrix of asthi dhatu, we carry seeds of past lives — desires, emotions, and unresolved hurts accumulated within the matrix of bone tissue. Though bone tissue appears to be a hard, compact, supportive mass, it is a living tissue that is sensitive to emotions and feelings.

Vedic philosophy teaches that minerals deposit in the periosteum, which is considered the mother of bone tissue. The periosteum contains thick concentrated calcium, magnesium, iron, and other minerals necessary for bone formation. Bone tissue is a rigid, hard, firm connective tissue, and severe bone disorders can indicate a great deal of unresolved and unexpressed emotions. These emotions can affect the function of the parathyroid and thyroid glands as well as formation of bone tissue.

The parathyroid gland secretes a hormone that stimulates osteoblasts to break down bone tissue and release calcium salts into the blood. An overactive parathyroid leads to increased urination, excess thirst, and may develop osteoporotic changes — the bones lose calcium, and the person can get spontaneous fractures, kidney stones, or gallstones.

Asthi dhatu provides internal structural support, giving shape to the head, face, thorax, limbs, and nose. It protects delicate vital organs — the brain, eyes, ears, tongue, heart, and lungs. The pelvic bones protect the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, colon, and prostate gland.

Asthi dhatu creates and confines cranial, thoracic, and pelvic cavities, functioning like walls that define rooms. The skull creates the cranial cavity, the rib cage creates the thoracic cavity, and the pelvic bones create the pelvic cavity. Bones serve as attachments for muscles, which are connected to bones by ligaments.

Asthi dhatu also functions as an excretory tissue, retaining unwanted molecules of toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead, which the body tries to eliminate through nails and hair. It indirectly maintains water electrolyte balance through calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium molecules. Additionally, asthi dhatu conducts sound waves that aid in hearing through bone conduction, and governs all ambulatory movement and locomotion through the joints.

Meda dhatu nourishes asthi dhatu. Immature asthi dhatu (asthayi asthi dhatu) is formed simultaneously with sthayi meda dhatu. This unprocessed dhatu is transformed into processed asthi dhatu by asthi agni, the fire component of asthi dhatu. The transformation takes place through the periosteum (asthi dhara kala), a fine membrane rich in lymphoid tissue and specialized plasma.

Purisha dhara kala in the colon absorbs minerals and directs them to the periosteum. Within the periosteum, asthi agni transforms unprocessed asthi into processed asthi. Cartilage (taruna asthi) is a specialized form of asthayi asthi dhatu. The full transformation of asthayi asthi into sthayi asthi requires 25 days — hence a bone fracture takes a minimum of 25 days to heal.

Asthi agni works in conjunction with thyroid and parathyroid hormones to maintain calcium metabolism. The thyroid gland secretes calcitonin to control calcium blood levels. Overactivity of the thyroid stimulates excess calcitonin, which reduces blood calcium levels.