Thyroid care with yoga
Patients of thyroid disorders can easily rescue themselves by performing these five easy-to-do yogasansas says Malvika Dadoo Agarwal
Even though thyroid disorders are on the rise today, there are numerous treatment options available to patients. Amongst the natural ones, yoga is of prime importance. Every treatment would take time to show results; however, as supportive therapy, yoga and meditation can help treat thyroid disorders in a natural way. So just add a few minutes of yoga practice to your regular treatment to enhance your health.
These five effective yoga poses ensure benefits for cases of hyperthyroidism as well as hypothyroidism:
Marjariasana (cat-stretch pose)
Sit in Vajrasana, with your hips resting on your legs bent backwards at the knees and the spine erect. Raise the buttocks and stand on the knees. Lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor beneath the shoulders, with the fingers facing forward. The hand should be in line with the knees; the arms and thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. The knees may be slightly separated so that they are well aligned with the hips.
Inhale while raising the head and depressing the spine so that the back becomes concave. Expand the abdomen fully and fill the lungs with the maximum amount of air. Hold the breath for three seconds. Exhale while lowering the head and stretching the spine upwards. At the end of the exhalation, contract the abdomen and pull in the buttocks.
The head will now be between the arms, facing the thighs. Hold the breath for three seconds, accentuating the arch of the spine and the abdominal contraction. This is one round. Perform five to 10 full rounds.
Ushtrasana (camel pose)
Sit in Vajrasana. Stand on the knees with the arms at the sides. The knees and feet should be together but may be separated if this is more comfortable. Lean backwards, slowly reaching for the right heel with the right hand and then the left heel with the left hand. Do not strain.
Push the hips forward, keeping the thighs vertical; bend the head and spine backward as far as is comfortable. Relax the whole body, especially the back muscles, into the stretch. Remain in this posture for as long as is comfortable. Return to the starting position by slowly releasing the hands from the heels one at a time.
Kandharasana (shoulder pose)
Lie flat on the back. Bend the knees, placing the soles of the feet flat on the yoga mat, with the heels touching the buttocks. The feet and knees may be hip-width apart. Grasp the ankles with the hands. Raise the buttocks and arch the back upwards. Raise the chest and navel as high as possible without straining while simultaneously maintaining the position of the feet and shoulders. Hold the pose for as long as is comfortable and then lower the body. Perform five to 10 rounds.
Bhramari Pranayama (humming bee breath)
Sit in a comfortable meditation pose. Close your eyes and relax the whole body. The lips should remain gently closed with the teeth slightly separated throughout the practice. Use the index or middle finger to plug the ear, or the flap of the ears may be pressed without inserting the fingers. Bring the awareness to the centre of the head and inhale through the nose. Exhale slowly and in a controlled manner, while making a deep, steady humming sound like that of a black bee. The humming should be even and continuous for the duration of the exhalation. The sound should be soft and mellow, making the front of the skull reverberate. Performing five to 10 rounds is sufficient in the beginning. Eventually, gradually increase to 10–15 minutes.
Ujjayi Pranayama (psychic breathing)
Sit in a comfortable meditation asana. Close the eyes and relax the whole body. Take the awareness to the breath in the nostrils and allow the breathing to become calm and rhythmic. After some time, transfer the awareness to the throat. Feel or imagine that the breath is being drawn in and out through the throat as if it is taking place through a small hole in the throat.
As the breathing becomes slower and deeper, gently contract the glottis so that a soft snoring sound is produced in the throat. If practiced correctly there will be a spontaneous contraction of the abdomen, without any effort being made. Practise yogic breathing while concentrating on the sound produced by the breath in the throat. The sound of the breath should be audible to the practitioner alone. Begin with 10 breaths and slowly increase to five minutes, to be benefitted.