Thyroid imbalance can be cured

Hypothyroidism affects around 30 per cent women who're over 40 years of age.

Hypothyroidism is a low functioning of thyroid, the tiny butterfly shaped gland at the base of your neck. Once you reach menopause, you've nearly doubled your chances of such a diagnosis. To understand why hypothyroidism causes so many different problems, it's important to understand what the thyroid does. Think of this gland as the 'metabolism manager.' When it does its job, we have good energy, adequate warmth, and normal bowel function; when it malfunctions, we feel sluggish, cold and constipated. When it speeds up too fast - a condition called hyperthyroidism - we feel restless, overheated, and prone to diarrhea.
But the thyroid does more than regulate energy, temperature, and digestion. It basically affects every function in the body. A healthy thyroid improves your skin, hair, muscles, bones, joints, nerves, heart, and mood. So, yes, you can blame your weight gain, muscle and joint pains, and depression on your sluggish thyroid. Hypothyroidism has also been linked to nerve entrapment (such as carpal tunnel syndrome), menstrual irregularities, high cholesterol, and heart disease. It can even cause swelling in the face, ankles, and neck.

What's your alternative?
While your doctor may very well prescribe synthetic thyroid hormones to replace what's missing, alternatives do exist. Plenty of people have successfully decreased their medication and many have gone off completely by making dietary and lifestyle changes. Here's how to get started:
Get your iodine and selenium levels checked. The goal is to take in a minimum of 150 mcg of iodine and upto 1,000 mcg a day. But don't overdo it- too much iodine can shut down T4 to T3 conversion. Along with an iodine supplement, fortify your diet with sea vegetables like Kombu and Nori, or take a seaweed supplement-Kelp (Laminaria sp.) all of which contain large quantities of iodine, as well as zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium.
The recommended dietary allowance for selenium is 55 mcg a day,
Support thyroid health with herbs: Coleus forkohlii, a member of the mint family, is an ayurvedic herb shown in modern studies to stimulate thyroid hormone production. The usual dosage is 50 to 100 mg daily in two divided doses. Similar effects can be gained from taking 10 mg of forskolin, the active ingredient of coleus, instead of the whole-herb extract.
Make sure you eat well. Foods high in antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E), B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids all support the thyroid and its functions.
Eat a wide range of whole foods - from beans, veggies, grains, fish, nuts, seeds to nutritional yeast. Manage your stress levels. Practicing deep, slow diaphragmatic breathing everyday for five to 10 minutes helps your nervous system know how to get from the 'fight or flight' state to the 'rest and digest' state. Regular practice (not just when you feel overwhelmed) makes that relaxed state more accessible and can prevent a major crisis. Meditation and yoga also help.

Practise specific yoga poses
Yoga therapists recommend poses that emphasise flexion and extension of the neck to treat thyroid problems. Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) and its counter-pose fish (Matsyasana) bring increased blood flow and energy to the throat centre. Add camel pose (Ushtrasana), bridge pose (Setu bandhasana) and Serpents Pose (Bhujang).
Learn to express yourself. From a holistic standpoint, I like to encourage my hypothyroid patients to literally and figuratively find their voice. According to the subtle anatomy of yoga, the throat (the fifth chakra) is the center of creativity and expression. Since the throat centre is also the nexus between the head and the heart, you can move toward a more harmonious balance here by contemplating the authenticity in your life. Ask yourself Questions like, Am I doing the work in the world that I truly want to do?

Eat well
Make sure you eat well. Foods high in antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E), B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids all support the thyroid and its functions.

--Vineeta Gogia
Yoga, meditation and weight
loss consultant
M: 9810084240