Chyba każdy zna kogoś u kogo zdiagnozowano niedoczynność tarczycy. Ostatnio to chyba jedna z najpopularniejszych dolegliwości, przynajmniej takie mam wrażenie po liczbie osób, które się do mnie z tym problemem zgłaszają. Problem jest jak zwykle wielowątkowy, a źle funkcjonująca tarczyca to po prostu koniec reakcji łańcuchowej. Wyobraź sobie, że układasz dłuuuugie domino – tarczyca może być ostatnią, która upadnie, ale proces rozpoczął się zdecydowanie wcześniej. Aby naprawić tarczycę, musisz zacząć od początku. 

– bhujangasanę

– setu bandha asanę

– dhanurasanę.

Pamiętaj, że pozycje, które wskazane są dla osób z niedoczynnością tarczycy a tym samym pobudzające jej pracę nie mogą być stosowane w jej nadczynności!

ZREDUKUJ STRES: 

Ja wiem, że to wcale nie należy do najłatwiejszych zadań. Ale jest tyle możliwości od masaży relaksacyjnych, po techniki oddechowe, mindfullnes, medytację czy zwykły spacer. Znajdź metodę rozładowania napięcia, która najbardziej przypada ci do gustu i staraj się ograniczyć wpływ destrukcyjnego stresu na twoje życie. Będzie ci za to wdzięczna nie tylko tarczyca…

I think everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Recently, it’s probably one of the most popular ailments. The problem is, as usual, multithreaded, and a badly functioning thyroid is just the end of the chain reaction. Imagine that you are arranging a long domino – the thyroid may be the last one to fall, but the process started much earlier. To repair the thyroid, you have to start from the beginning.

CAUSES:
In the hypothesis of conventional medicine, hypothyroidism, a disease caused by a lack of hormones produced by the thyroid gland, has various causes:

– if the hormone deficiency is caused by damage to the thyroid gland – it is the primary hypothyroidism.

– the most common cause is thyroiditis, and in particular Hashimoto’s disease, with a strong autoimmune background, triggered by own antibodies

– the second cause is constant stress and resulting constantly increased level of cortisol, which causes that the tissues do not react to the thyroid hormone signal anymore. This phenomenon is known as thyroid resistance. It may cause an increase in the level of the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), while T4 and T3 are in the normal range.

– if the abnormalities result from reduced pituitary stimulation (less production of the TSH hormone), so-called secondary hypothyroidism.

– tertiary hypothyroidism is much less frequent, resulting from too little hormone produced by the hypothalamus

– it may have a cause in a small amount of iodine in the body

– may result from the use of certain medicines (medicines-induced hypotension)

– may appear after pregnancy

– results from the removal of thyroid

SYMPTOMS:
Among the symptoms of hypothyroidism we can find, among others: slow pulse, fatigue, hoarse voice, slowed speech, goiter (caused by thyroid edema), sensitivity to cold, high weight gain despite maintaining proper diet and activity, constipation, dryness and flaking of the skin, thick rough hair, numbness of fingers or hands, depression, headaches, menstrual problems, muscle and / or joint pain. In children: sluggish growth, delayed teething and slowing of mental development.

The western approach to treatment is primarily taking of hormones (eg, thyroxine, eg in the euthrox medicine) which „replace” those secreted by the thyroid gland. Often, these hormones are taken for  whole life!

WHAT AYURVEDA SAYS:
Translating all of this into Ayurveda, you can analyze the process of creating this ailment on several levels:

– physical

1. Look carefully at the symptoms and associate their occurrence with symptoms of excessive kapha energy.

2. Oxygen feeds the fire of your metabolism. No oxygen = reduced metabolism. It seems obvious, but we allow that oxygen in the blood is lacking under certain conditions. And when oxygen is lacking, the thyroid responds: it will naturally go into a state of reduced activity.

3. Are you the type of owl? A good night’s sleep is a dream between 22 and 6 am; functioning at night disturbs the metabolism of the body and contributes to changes in the functioning of the thyroid gland. The worst is if you miss your sleep at night and make naps during the day.

– mental 
dissatisfaction, frustration, bitterness of failures, depression – all this, surrounded by other factors, causes a decrease in energy (ojas), and thus the immune system starts to work improperly, attacking primarily the thyroid gland and causing exhaustion of its functions and reducing the body’s metabolism

– emotional/spiritual

1. pay attention to the correlation of the functioning of the fifth (Vishudha) chakra with the thyroid gland – if you have a deficiency in the energy of this chakra, of course, it will affect the work of the thyroid gland; from the front of the thyroid body corresponds to marma points: Neela and Manya

2. many people with hypothyroidism of all types also suffer from the syndrome of exhausted adrenal glands. The order is that first, due to the reason of chronic stress, poor diet, physical or emotional injury, release unnecessary stress hormones, the adrenal glands become exhausted. It’s consequences is hypothyroidism.

You see how many factors (and these are just a few) work on the thyroid. To work with this gland, you need to correct a lot of habits, not just nutritional ones, although they may come to the first place.

DIET:
Constantly loaded with undigested residues and toxins, the immune system stops working properly. Over time, various pathologies of the immune system arise, as a result of which the body begins to attack its own tissues. The stimulated and aggressive immune system most often attacks the organs of the digestive system, in particular the intestines and joints or the thyroid, damaging their structures and disrupting proper work. The inflammation that occurs within them causes a series of symptoms from lack of energy and fatigue to strong diarrhea or vomiting. While the autoimmune attack on other organs is not the result of intolerance of any characteristic substance, hypothyroidism can be directly related to gluten and its intolerance. This is due to the presence of the problematic protein in the gluten composition: gliadin, whose molecular structure resembles the structure of the thyroid gland. When gliadin gets through the leaky gut into the bloodstream, the immune system will immediately start attacking and try to destroy it. At the same time, the same antibodies will attack thyroid cells due to the similarity in construction!

Try to avoid gluten if you suspect that your thyroid is not working properly.

Additionally, gradually eliminate from the diet and use:

– processed carbohydrates

– sweeteners, sugar and its substitutes – sugar promotes autoimmune attack!

– coffee, tea, alcohol

– fruit juices – they have a high concentration of fructose and are deprived of most nutrients

– dairy in all forms – it not only increases inflammation, it also increases kapha

– flavor enhancers, preservatives, scavengers, flavors and all products that contain them

– trans fats

– canned and frozen products

– food additives like ketchup, sauces, mustards and others – all contain hidden sugar and chemicals and have no nutritional value

– products containing genetically modified substances

– medicines

– products containing hormone derivatives, antibiotics and steroids (e.g., meat from farms)

– chemical cosmetics, fluoridated toothpastes, cleaning products, pesticides, air fresheners, etc.

– of course, eliminate from the diet products you have intolerance or allergies

Products that should be present in your menu:

– build a daily menu on fresh fruits and vegetables (but watch out for the cabbage, broccoli, the solanaceae family, mushrooms – all of them contain anti-nutritive substances, so-called goitrogens)

– hot water with ginger and lemon

– broth

– unprocessed meat: eg turkey, chicken, beef, veal, rabbit, goose, venison, lamb in cooked, roasted or scalded form.

– fatty fish (beware of fish for breeding, but I’m afraid that in the present times, when the fish feed on plastic it is not the best solution …) eg. pacific salmon

– vegetable oils rich in omega-3, e.g. evening primrose oil, flax oil, linseed or sacha inchi. Healthy fats are the building blocks of all hormones.

– detoxifying green vegetables – the best detox for the liver. Green vegetables, especially those with a bitter taste, increase prana, making you feel fresh and vital 🙂

– yolks

–  sea algae

– an avocado

– coconut milk and coconut fat – although they contain saturated fatty acids do not accumulate in adipose tissue like other fats, they do not require a large share of bile in digestion; thanks to their construction they are quickly converted into energy

– bitter herbs and vegetables, stimulating the flow of bile, e.g. arugula, chicory, botwin

– silage, fermented products that are a natural source of probiotics

– red, yellow and other colorful fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants

– Jerusalem artichokes, tiger nuts, inulin – natural prebiotics

– fruits with a low glycemic index, e.g. berries, strawberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries, currants

– herbs and spices to stimulate digestion: ginger, black pepper, turmeric,

– dandelion, nettle, mint, sweet flag and a herb and ayurvedic mix (https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/symptom/Hypothyroid/434):

* punarnava

* trikat

* gotu kola

* siberian ginseng

* guggulu

BREATH AND EXERCISES

In Ayurveda, air is a carrier of prana, subtle life energy. Pranayama, breathing exercises not only provide oxygen for the functioning of the organs of the body, but above all their task focuses on providing a large amount of prana. The best pranayama techniques to help maintain a healthy thyroid are ujjayi, brahmeri, kapalabhati and bhastrika.

Physical exercise is another way to improve your metabolism. Like pranayama, moderate exercises, non-binding muscles, such as a quick walk, improve circulation, strengthen muscles and oxygenate the blood. Asanas through appropriate mechanical action, i.e. pressure, auto-massage or stretching, have the ability to restore a lost hormone balance. Good thyroid asanas focus on opening the chest and position in which the beard gently presses against the throat or the top of the sternum.
It is therefore recommended:

– all kinds of sarvangasana,

– halasana (plow)

– pavanamuktasana

– matsjasana

– viparita karani

– surya namaskar

– ustrasana

– bhujangasana

– setu bandha asana

– dhanurasana.

Remember that items that are indicated for people with hypothyroidism and thus stimulating its work can not be used in its hyperthyroidism!

REDUCE STRESS:
I know that it is not the easiest task at all. But there are so many possibilities from relaxation massages to breathing techniques, mindfullnes, meditation or just a walk. Find a way to relieve the tension that suits you best and try to limit the impact of destructive stress on your life. You will be grateful not only for the thyroid …