Neck Massaging (Left) and Web Massaging (Right) by Yogaguru Suneel Singh. Image Courtesy – Vijay Gautam.
Thyroid disorders are very common in people of all ages, all across the globe. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), they claim that thyroid disorders exceed the number of diabetes cases, by more than 40%. There are many different types of thyroid disorders that are known to affect people.
Some of the most common thyroid disorders include –
Thyroid disorders like Hypothyroidism or, under active thyroid where the thyroid gland does not produce adequate quantity of the thyroxin hormone.
On the other hand, Hyperthyroidism or, overactive thyroid, in which the thyroid gland produces excessive amount of thyroxin hormone.
Some of the signs of thyroid disorders include –
Excess weight gain or weight loss
Fatigue
Mood swings
Pain in the joints and muscles
Sleeping problems
Water retention
Very often thyroid disorders occur due to an underlying health condition. In case you are using yoga for thyroid disorders, do bear in mind that this practice only alleviates the symptoms of the condition and speeds up the recovery process.
Read: How Yoga helps to treat chronic pain?
Yoga for thyroid problems
Many of the thyroid disorders occur due to excessive stress. Yoga can help alleviate stress and anxiety to a great extent. This practice is also useful in maintaining the right balance between the mind and the body. Some of the other benefits of yoga include –
Massaging and stimulating the thyroid gland
Improving circulation all over the body
Reducing stiffness
Strengthening the neck, torso and shoulders
There are a few poses in yoga, ‘kirya’ and ‘pranayama’ that improve the functioning of the thyroid gland as well as regulate your metabolism. A few of the poses in yoga for thyroid disorders include.
1. Massaging the front of the neck:
Rub your hands together, till they become hot. Now wipe down the neck with your right hand from chin to the bottom of the throat. Use alternate hand and wipe down your neck again. Also massage the front of the throat including the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Do it at least five times with each hand.
2. Massaging the web:
Warm your hands press the fleshy area between your thumb and your index finger. It is near to the index finger but you should massage around the area until you find the most painful point. Massage in a circular motion until the pain dissolves or you can’t take it anymore.
Benefits: Practicing both these subtle ‘kriyas’(processes) will improve your power of speech, increase self confidence, improves your heart rate, good for thyroid and parathyroid glands.
3. Jalandhara Bandha:
Sit in same ‘Mudra’ as above. Now close eyes and take a slow deep breath and hold it. Now bend neck a little forward and drop chin to chest. Hold this position, for as long as it is comfortable for you. Then bring chin slowly up and breathe out through nose. Then relax for few seconds and repeat the same ‘kriya’(process) 10 times.
Precautions: People suffering from Cervical Spondylosis, Heart problems and high blood pressure should avoid this ‘kriya’.
Jalandhara Bandha (Left) and Om Manntra (Right).
4. Om Mantra:
The word ‘dhyan’ has been derived from the Sanskrit grammar ‘Dheya Dhatu’, which means to think, to meditate and to concentrate.
Procedure: For practicing ‘OM MANTRA’ take position in ‘Padmasana’ or ‘Sukhasana’. Close your eyes and bring both the hands in ‘Gyan Mudra’ and touch the tip of thumb with the tip of index finger. Back and the neck should be straight. Mind should be stable and face in a peaceful posture. Keep all the muscles of the body relaxed. Body should be in a still position. Take deep breath and without giving pause pronounce ‘OM’. Concentrate on pronouncing ‘OM’. At the start practice it for five minutes and then increase it from 20 to 25 minutes.
Benefits and Affects: This cures High blood pressure, Tension, Constipation, Gas, Indigestion, Mental Tension, Heart (attack) ailments, madness, sedate habits and angers of an individual. By practicing ‘OM Mantra’, the problems of stammering are also cured, and the pronunciation and the speech improve. In this ‘kriya’, the thinking process comes to a hold and the mind is given full rest. By doing this, the knowledge sector is opened up and the individual starts knowing himself. The chanting of ‘OM Mantra’ improves the internal brightness.
Note: Slowly, by keeping your eyes open, you will become habitual in chanting this Mantra, and then practice it with your eyes closed and keep your hands in ‘Gyan Mudra’. Remember this by your inner soul and mind and try to listen to its eternal sound.
Read: Yoga for a good sleep
5. Surya Bhedi Pranayam:
Sit down in ‘Padamasana’ or ‘Sukhasana’ keeping the neck and spine erect, close your eyes gently. Now make ‘Pranayam Mudra’ (placing the two forefinger of the right hand in the root of thumb, close the left nostril with the ring finger). Inhale deeply, through the right nostril so much so that its impact is felt from the toe to the top of the crown. Now close the right nostril with the thumb and exhale very slowly through the left nostril and relax. This is one round of ‘Suryabhedi Pranayama’. To begin with 5 Rounds are enough. Increase the rounds gradually.
Suryabhedi Pranayama (Left) and Shavasana (Right).
Benefits: It heals up the ailments of throats, tongue and voice. It warms our body. It cures several diseases from our body, especially for obesity. It destroys the intestinal worms, removes the impurities of blood and cures skin disease. Gastric fire is augmented.
Precautions: People suffering from high blood pressure should avoid this pranayama. Patients of heart disease and Asthma should practice this pranayama under the guidance of a yoga guru.
6. Shavasana (Corpse pose):
Lie flat on the back. Keep the legs straight on the floor, with both the feet apart as shoulder width. Toes should be turned outward as far as possible. Let the fingers curl up slightly. The Head and the Spine should be in a straight line. Relax the whole Body and stop all physical movement. Close your eyes gently. Now mentally, watch your Breathing and allow it to become rhythmic and relaxed.
Benefits: This asana relaxes the whole Psycho-physiological system. Whole body completely relaxes. This asana is very good for stress management in the body, reducing the Body’s energy loss, lowering the respiration and pulse rate with resting the whole system. This asana is also known as ‘Mritasana’.
