Thyroid disorder has become common like cough and cold. You are either a person having some issue with your thyroid gland or you know at least a half dozen of women in your social circle with thyroid problem. Even men can have issues with their thyroid but women are more prone to it than men. Why thyroid is so rampant today? Medical specialists believe that this is a by-product of our wrong lifestyle and habits. The blame, off course, has to put on sedentary lifestyle and poor food choices.
Thyroid is a very important endocrine gland that regulates our both physical and mental health. This butterfly shaped gland, located in front part of the neck, secretes T3 and T4 hormones which regulates our metabolism and also secretes important brain chemicals like endorphins, dopamine and adrenaline. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, situated in the brain, control the thyroid. Pituitary gland, in turn, produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). The thyroid gland and TSH shares an inverse relationship—the high level of TSH results in an underactive thyroid gland (Hypothyroid—the gland produces too little hormones) that slows down the process of metabolism resulting in weight gain among people suffering from it. And the lower level of TSH induces hyperactivity in the gland (Hyperthyroid—the excess secretion by the gland), means extreme weight loss.
Hypothyroid is more prevalent than hyperthyroid. Along with weight gain, a person with hypothyroid may have accompanied symptoms like hair loss, dry and brittle hair, joint and muscle pains, water retention, depression and menstrual disorder.
The problem in thyroid gland can have adverse impact on your energy center too, particularly in throat chakra (Visudhha Chakra). The major seven chakras are associated with our endocrine system. Thyroid Glands represent the fifth chakra Visudhha. This energy center takes care of vital functions like communication and expression. A problem in expressing and communicating, thoughts and feelings, may dampen your self-confidence and a person may slip into a depression mode too.
A very easy treatment is available today. You can take thyroxin orally every day and set your problem. But this is not a solution. You may have to continue these pills for your lifetime. The dependency on pills may be so much that if you miss your doses for few days, your body and mind will start showing off all critical symptoms again. But discontinuing your medicine is not going to take anywhere. Yoga can definitely help you to reduce your dependency on medicine. There are many cases that many people have put their thyroid glands on balanced modes with yogic practice without medication. But such a decision must be taken always in consent with your physician or endocrinologist.
A person with hypothyroid can maintain a normal level of TSH by adapting a healthy lifestyle and practicing yoga regularly along with proper medication. Yogic practice is not limited to asanas. You have to work on four major pillars of yoga; Ahar (Diet), Vihar (recreation, asana practice, rest, and relaxation), Achar (Routines & Discipline) and Vichar (Constructive thoughts, change in mentality) to get the best for your thyroid.
Here are few crucial guidelines for food choices and yogic postures which can put your Thyroid glands in a corrective mode.
As the food, so the mind
Underactive thyroid may create some vitamin and mineral deficiencies in your body according to nutritionists. So observing food vigilance will give you surprising benefits in the long run. Yoga believes, “As the food, so the mind and as the mind, so the man.” Follow some simple food guidelines given below mindfully, not blindly. Always rely on locally grown seasonal food.• Iodine plays a significant role in functioning of thyroid. It can be taken through water, iodized salt, sea vegetables, mushrooms, spinach, and garlic.
• Thyroid glands cannot utilize iodine without vitamin B. Vitamin B is found in dairy products, seeds, brown rice and bananas.
• Zinc is needed to convert T4 into T3. You can get enough zinc through walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, spinach, kidney beans, flax seeds, lima beans, peanuts, brown rice and the dark chocolate.
• You can rely on dried figs, dates, dark leafy green vegetables, nuts and whole grains for adequate intake of iron.
• Vitamin A is available in plenty in all orange colored fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, red pumpkin, papaya, dried apricots and beet root.
• You can strengthen your immunity with vitamin C through citrus fruits like orange, lemon, sweet lemon and Indian gooseberry.
• Avoid soya products as soya is high in isoflavones, which are goitrogens—food that doesn’t allow thyroid glands to function properly.
Feel Body, Experience Healing
How can yoga help your sluggish butterfly gland to fly high? Some of these asanas put a gentle pressure on your thyroid while few increases blood flow to thyroid and pituitary glands—induces more hormone secretion by these glands.
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| Arzoo Bansal, Mumbai |
Limitations: spinal disorder, cardiac problems, severe arthritis, piles, varicose veins, hernia
Instructions:• Sit down in vajrasana.
• Place palms on the ground near your feet.
• Breathe in and slowly lift the pelvis, push your buttocks up, form arc of your body throwing head backwards.
• Remain in this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Come back to the normal position breathing out.
Marjarasana (Cat Cow Pose)
Limitations: Avoid in case of severe knee pain or knee injury.
Instructions:
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| Ketaki Poddar Sule |
• Knee down on all fours. Keep your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees directly beneath your hips.
• Inhale and push your waist and push your torso up. Look up.
• Exhale and curl your back and tuck your chin to the chest.
• Repeat it 4-6 times.
Simhasana (lion pose)
Limitations: Avoid sitting in Vajrasana in case severe knee pain, injury or recent surgery.
• Sit on the mat in Vajrasana with some gap between your knees.
• Rest your palms on the floor in front of you.
• Set your gaze between your eyebrows.
• Inhale through and simultaneously open your mouth wide while stretching your tongue out with ‘haa’sound.
• You should feel that your tongue is coming out from your throat.
• Exhale and take your tongue inside. Close your eyes and palm them for few seconds.
• Repeat 2-3 times.
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| Abhilasha Kale, Mumbai |
Limitations: Avoid in case of neck injury.
Instructions:
• Lay flat on the floor with your hands resting by side.
• Inhale and lift your chest up off the floor towards the ceiling. Rest on the crown of your head to extend the position.
• Keeping breathing normal, balance on your crown. And hold the posture for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Breathe normally and release your neck and shoulders.
• Traditional matsyasana is performed in padmasana.
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| Dhanashree Arolkar, Mumbai |
Limitations: Avoid if you are suffering from serious back pain or back injury.
• Lay flat on the stomach with your forehead resting on the mat; bring your palms close to your chest.
• Inhale and push your palms down. Raise your chest off the floor and look up. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Exhale, and release your asana. Breathe normally. And then repeat 2-3 times.
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| Vasanti Gada, Mumbai |
Urdhva Dhanurasana/Chakrasana (Wheel Pose)
Limitations: Avoid in case of spinal injuries, cardiac conditions, myopia, hernia, piles and abdominal inflammation.
Instructions:• Breathing normally, lay flat with knees bent and feet as close as possible to your hips. Keep your feet in line with your hips.
• Place your palms beside your head facing down and fingertips facing towards your feet.
• Inhale, and lift your head and rest crown on the floor. Now raise your shoulders, chest, lower back and hips as high as you can.
• Straighten your arms. Breathe normally, and hold for as long as you can.
• Exhale. Slowly rest your crown on the floor first and then your shoulders, chest, lower back and hips.
• Relax and breathe deeply.
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| Olaf Verbeek |
Limitations: Avoid if you are pregnant. Don’t practice in case of neck injury or severe neck pain, menstruation, and diarrhea.
Instructions:
• Lay on your back on the mat. Let your arms rest on the floor alongside your body.
• Give hand support to your buttocks and push your body straight up in the air. Keep your shoulders on the floor. Try to keep your body perpendicular to the floor. Breathe normally in the final posture and stay in the pose from 5 seconds to 2 minutes as per your capability. You can hold this position longer as you progress in your practice.
• To exit from the pose, just exhale and bend your knees and softly rest your feet on the ground.
Halasana(Plow Pose)
Limitations: Avoid if you are pregnant. Don’t practice in case of neck injury or severe neck pain, menstruation, and diarrhea.
• This pose usually done after Sarvangasana. From shoulder stand go into halasana slowly. In sarvangasana bend from your hip joints slowly and put your toes on the floor and beyond your head.
• Keep your legs straight and together. And your upper body should be perpendicular to the floor.
• Keep giving support to your back torso with your hands. When you get comfortable in the position, ou can release your hands and stretch them behind on the floor.
• Stay in this posture from 5 seconds to 2 minutes as per your capacity.
• When you are coming out of asana give hand support to your lower back and slowly bend your knees and gently land your upper body on the floor.
PS: Please note that some of the yogic postures described in this post are intermediate ones. So those who are new to Yoga should practice under the supervision of a trained Yoga Teacher.
that s a lot of yoga information...
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