The thyroid gland is situated in the front of the neck and produces a hormone thyroxine which plays a very important role in regulating the general metabolism of the body. When it is defective, the conditions known as myxoedema (in adults) and cretinism (in children) result. An excess of its secretion is associated with a condition known as exophthalmic goitre or thyrotoxicosis or Grave’s disease.
1. Hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis: in which the gland secretes excess of hormones. This condition is more common in women than in men whose age ranges from 30 to 50 years. Thyrotoxit individuals become tremulous, irritable, anxious and even hysterical. Because the metabolism is raised, they experience rapid heart rate and palpitation, rapid shallow respiration. Frequent bowel motions and diarrhoea, Flushing, heat intolerance, sweating, menstrual disturbance and sometimes bulging of the eyes. Such people suffer the paradoxical situation in which they feel fatigue and lack of energy and yet are compelled to move about, talk and do things. They are constantly fidgeting and the slightest remark may set off an inappropriately angry response.
2. Hypothyroidism : here the thyroid is underactive, producing too little thyroid hormone. This condition is far more common than hyperthyrodism and can be caused by iodine deficiency or thyroid failure brought on by pituitary dysfunction, inflammation, and scarring. By far the majority of cases are mild or borderline, unrecognized by the medical establishment. Yet these mild cases can be the cause of vague, but persistent, disorders such as fatigue, depression, loss of vitality, and overall hormonal imbalance. More severe problems from hypothyroid are the result of failure to develop properly, such as cretinism and juvenile myxodema. Long term hypothyroidism, such as adult myxodema, which is characterized by swelling of skin and subcutaneous tissues; dry, cold and slightly yellow skin, puffy face, loss of eyebrows, anginal pain, bradycardia, anorexia, constipation, and anemia.
To cure this, yoga and ayurveda suggests the following methods which can be followed at home.
YOGA ASANA and MANTRA for THYROID problem:
Get up early in the morning before sun rise. Sit down in PADMASANA on the floor.
Choose a pleasant place for this.
Pronounce the mantra “OM HRUM SWAHA” loudly.
Do it every day, this clears your throat.
Long before medical science ever knew about the existence of thyroid glands, yogis had devised practices, which not only maintained healthy glands and metabolism, but also were part of a system of enlightenment.
Sarvangasna (shoulder stand) is the most suitable and effective asana for the thyroid gland. An enormous pressure is placed on the gland by this powerful posture.
As the thyroid has one of the largest blood supplies of any body organ, this pressure has dramatic effects on its function, improving circulation and squeezing out stagnant secretions. After sarvangasana, we should perform matsyasana, and from sarvangasana we can practice halasana.
All these practices positively result in better health of the thyroid gland. At the same time, all these practices should be avoided in severe thyroitoxicosis, physical debility or a goitre that is enlarged very much, where medical therapy is obviously the first line of treatment to be given.
However, adding iodine once again to the diet is the first obvious step.
Other effective asanas include Surya Namskara, Pavamuktasana with emphasis on the head and neck exercises, yoga mudra, Suptavajrasana and all backward bending asanas.
The most effective Pranayama for thyroid problems is Ujjayi. It acts on the throat area and its relaxing and stimulating effects are most probably due to stimulation of ancient reflex pathways within the throat area, which are controlled by the brainstem and hypothalamus.
This practice also gives us direct access into the pranic and psychic net work, the substructure of metabolic activity. Nadi shodhana pranayama is useful in re-balancing metabolism.
AYURVEDIC REMEDY for THYROID 1:
Mix AMLA(indian gooseberry) CHURNAM(paste) with Honey and eat it early in the morning before breakfast.
AYURVEDIC REMEDY for THYROID 2:
Cow urine is an excellent remedy.
Have a small quantity of freshly collected cow urine(should be a local breed cow) early in the morning.
Drink it immediately.
Repeat this for 30-45 days nonstop till you see improvement in your thyroid gland.
AYURVEDIC REMEDY for THYROID 3:
A fine paste made of the vegetable jalakumbhi (Pistia straticies) applied over the affected part helps in reducing the swelling. The juice obtained from the jalakumbhi should be given in doses of 11 to 22 gm a day. It increases the amount of iodine, the lack of which, according to Allopathy, is one of the factors responsible for the disease.
Coconut oil offers much promise today to sufferers of hypothyroidism and slow metabolism.
It is a known fact that the fatty acid chains in coconut oil, known as medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), offer wonderful health benefits and are no where found more abundantly in nature outside coconut oil. For the hypothyroid sufferer the MCTs rev up the body’s sluggish metabolism.