Hindu Medicine c8.202

c8.202

Metabolism (Su. I, 14) sustains the vital constituents and components (dhātu) of the organism through a gradual self-transformation and refinement of the primary matter of digested food. Food, when duly digested, turns into a "very subtle essence" (parama-sūkṣma sāra), called "sap" or chyle (rasa); its nature is "fiery energy" (tejobhūta).