The Ayurveda Experience Blog
The Srotas (Channel of Circulation)
The srotamsi or channels in the body act like paths or roadways transporting blood and sensory information, absorbing nutrients and expelling waste products from the body. Vata, pitta, and kappa doshas move from one part of the body to another along the srotamsi (srotas) channels, both physical and energetic. There are many small srotamsi and they come together to create a larger srotas.
The body has many forms of srotamsi. A srotamsi is a passage, path, road, or highway. In addition to the gastrointestinal tract, other main highways include the respiratory, cardiovascular, auditory, nasal, and optic tracts. There are a total of seventeen srotamsi. Three of these srotas receive, seven nourish and maintain the body and three to eliminate. The srotamsi channels are Anna, Prada, Ambu, Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Meda, Asthi, Majja, Shukra, Artava, Rajah, Stanya, Purisha, Mutra, Sveda, Mano. Of these, this article is written on the meda Srota.
Each srotas has…
- mula (root)
- marga (passage)
- mukha (mouth or opening)
Four Main Types of Imbalances (Sroto Dushti)
- Antipravrutti : When there is excess or overflow, for example, diarrhea or vomiting.
- Sanga : When there is stagnation of fluid due to an accumulation of toxins, bodily wastes or excess tissues. For example, constipation, blood clots, atherosclerosis, lymphatic congestion.
- Sira granthi : When there is dilution, growth, or swelling. For example, tumors or diverticulosis.
- Vimarga gamanam : When the flow goes in the wrong direction and even out the wrong channels. For example, bleeding of the nose, lungs or gums, pleurisy, hematoma, fistula or perforation.
Meda Srotamsi
The Meda Srotamsi is the channel that carries nutrients to the fat tissue, which relates to the adipose system.
Did you know?
- Fat stores excess calories so that you can use them when you are hungry and fat releases hormones that controls metabolism. Overweight women have higher levels of male hormones, which increases their risk of heart disease. Those hormones also cause male pattern balding, some excess facial hair, and acne.
- There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat so you need to burn 3500 calories to burn one pound of fat!
We need the right amount of fat – it gives us healthy skin and hair and helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E and K through our bloodstream. Consuming the right oils such as ghee is not only important, it is vital to the functioning of the meda srotamsi.
Functions of Meda Srotamsi
- Lubrication (sneha)
- Personal Love
- Beauty
- Srotas Insulation
- Bulk to body
Maintenance
- Proper doshic Diet
- Lifestyle
- Sufficient exercise
Locations of Meda Srotamsi
- Mula (root) – The omentum (abdominal lining – peritoneum that drapes over the stomach and intestines like an apron where fat accumulates) and adrenals
- Marga (passage) – subcutaneous fat tissue
- Muka (opening or mouth) – sweat glands
Meda Srotamsi And Doshas
- Governing Dosha : Kapha
- Sub-Doshas : Kledaka Kapha (Stomach, Gastrointestinal), Avalambaka Kapha (Lungs, pleural cavity, heart, lower respiratory tract, spine, chest).
Imbalances of Meda Srotamsi (Sroto Dushti)
- Causes : Sedentary life, sleeping in the daytime, slow metabolism, excess intake of heavy, rich and fatty foods.
- Signs/symptoms : Profuse sweating (anti Pravrutti – excess), obesity (sanga- stagnation), pre-diabetic conditions (Sira granthi – dilution of insulin), excess thirst (vimarga gamanam – wrong direction), and lethargy (sanga – stagnation) after meals.
Did You Know? The more weight you carry, the faster your metabolism is likely running.
Surprised? It’s true. The more weight you carry, the faster your metabolism is likely running. The extra weight causes your body to work harder just to sustain itself at rest, so in most instances, the metabolism is always running a bit faster. That’s one reason it’s almost always easier to lose weight at the start of a diet and harder later on.
An Ayurvedic lifestyle is the most important thing we can do for our health. It is small, simple changes done consistently over time that makes huge differences.
