1 in 10 Canadians suffer from a thyroid condition of one type or another! As many as 50% are undiagnosed! Thyroid related diseases are becoming more common due to our lazy and convenient lifestyles. Long hours of desk jobs, abnormal eating habits and stress can make our bodies lose the much needed hormonal balance to keep it healthy and in shape. While the dangerous effects of thyroid conditions can include heart diseases and cancer, most of us are familiar with the more common and visible symptoms. And the one which takes most of our attention is the abnormal weight gain or loss. It’s important to have a healthy and normal thyroid to look good, feel good and live an active fulfilled life, and yoga is a great remedy. A lot of doctors recommend yoga asanas to help thyroid patients improve their health. Medications are less effective when compared to some tried and tested yoga asanas.
YogaHive has compiled a list of three simple asanas that can help you keep your thyroid healthy and bring it in perfect harmony with your body. These will help you control all the symptoms of an abnormal thyroid, including those that are weight-related. And they work equally well for men, women and even kids. Even if you have thyroid issues due to a genetic disorder, yoga is powerful enough to help you control the symptoms.
Hypothyroidism
You may have hypothyroidism if you have been gaining weight and are having trouble shedding it, even with a lot of exercise. Which means you have an underactive thyroid and you need yoga to make your thyroid gland more active.
Here are 3 yoga asanas to help control hypothyroidism:
1. Shoulder Stand
The shoulder stand stimulates the thyroid gland to function properly because of the pressure effect and also helps stimulate other glands in the head region which in turn push the thyroid gland.
2. One-legged Forward Bend
This pose stretches the spine and thrusts the pelvis inwards which helps push the right buttons for your thyroid.
3. Plow pose
This pose strengthens the back and makes your body more flexible. It pushes the thyroid gland to work faster.
The Fish Pose, Cat Stretch and fast-paced Sun Salutations also work really well for losing weight and hence, indirectly impact the thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism
You may have hyperthyroidism if you have been losing weight at an abnormal pace while maintaining a regular lifestyle with no diet regulations or exercise. You have an overactive thyroid and you need yoga to slow your thyroid gland.
Here are 3 yoga asanas to help control hyperthyroidism:
1. Bridge Pose
This asana regulates your blood pressure and relaxes the nervous system which in turn helps calm the thyroid gland.
2. Child Pose
This pose is great at reducing stress and fatigue which may be causing your thyroid to over work.
3. Corpse Pose
This pose is great for relaxation and that is exactly what your thyroid gland needs.
Along with these three asanas, slow-paced Surya Namaskars (sun salutations) also work great for controlling symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
There is no health problem that yoga can’t conquer. And if done regularly, yoga can take you off those medications and bring you back to a normal healthy life. Namaste!