Yoga in Helping Hypothyroidism

Yoga in Helping Hypothyroidism

Kimberly Cunningham

Laura Douglass

CSOCS 3542.03

Professor Laura Douglass

Yoga in Helping Hypothyroidism

INTRODUCTION

If you’re unaware of what hypothyroid is, it’s because it’s a disease that captures many quietly without much notice. Many of it’s symptoms can stand alone, alluding people to thinking it is something else. I often think that being diagnosed with hypothyroid is like having an invincible cinderblock tied to your ankle. You’re walking, and you know something is quiet not right. You feel off balance and you are unsure what’s the cause, but you keep moving forward, unable to detect the culprit, the heavy weight lagging behind you. This is my perspective on hypothyroidism. It slows you down, it begins to physically and mentally take over your life, but because the symptoms happen slowly and effect people differently, it is hard to detect what these symptoms could be a result of.

WHAT IS HYPOTHYROIDISM

Hypo is the opposite of hyper, meaning hypo could be defined as calm or relaxed. In context of hypothyroid, however, hypo is mean by low, slow, or below. Thyroid is a gland located in the neck below the larnyx. This gland releases hormones that control and regulates a person’s metabolism (A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, 2012.) Hypo when connected to the word, thyroid means that the gland is under-active. Being diagnosed with a hypothyroid means that the gland does not produce enough hormones for the metabolism to work normally.

The National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service (2012) explains the basis of 

a hypothyroid and who it affects:

Hypothyroidism is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs. Thyroid hormone regulates metabolism—the way the body uses energy— and affects nearly every organ in the body. Without enough thyroid hormone, many of the body’s functions slow down. About 4.6 percent of the U.S. population age 12 and older has hypothyroidism (NIDDK, 2012.)

This butterfly shaped gland not only controls a person’s metabolism but many other parts of the human body as well. If it is not functioning probably, well of course, the rest of the parts of one’s controlled by this gland and the hormones it produces, will not function properly as well. The two hormones that the thyroid produce are triiodothyronine (T₃) and thyroxine (T₄). According to NIDDK, triiodothyronine is created from the other hormone, thyroxine. T₃ and is the more active hormone in the thyroid gland (2012.) If these hormones are not produced enough, the body becomes out of balance, not providing the necessity of the hormones created by this gland.

According to NIDDK, There are many types of hypothyroid diseases but the three main types that are most common are, Hashimoto’s Disease, Thyroiditis, and Congenital Hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune disease is the most commonly diagnosed in America. Because Hashimoto is an autoimmune disease, a person who is diagnosed with type will find that the thyroid is inflamed due to the body fighting against the thyroid instead of working to help it. The immune system attacks and irritates the gland, inflaming it and making it unable to produce hormones properly. Thyroiditis is also involves inflammation, however, the inflammation actually causes stored hormones to leak from the gland. This causes at first, the opposite of hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, but then after a while, it leads to the thyroid becoming hypo. Thyroiditis has three components to itself, Subacute Thyroiditis, Postpartum thyroiditis, and Silent thyroiditis. The last case of hypothyroidism is Congenital Hypothyroidism. This is when a a baby is born with a thyroid that may not be fully developed or working properly. Most babies in U.S are screened for this type of hypothyroidism to prevent lack of treatment which can result in mental retardation and growth failure (2012.) 

Regardless of what type of hypothyroid disease a person is diagnosed with, it is of importance to pay attention to getting medical attention, as this one gland can produce just as much trouble as it does good to the body. Swami Satyananda Saraswati gives an in-depth speech of the importance of the gland and its affects on the human body:

The thyroid gland is responsible for or plays a prominent role in the following bodily functions: body metabolism, oxygen consumption, heat production, maintaining normal activity of the central nervous system as well as development of the nervous system in the foetus, growth and development of most body tissues, healthy skin, red blood cell level, heart rate, blood pressure, appetite, strength of muscles, gonadal function, lactation, and many other unknown activities. Therefore it plays a vital role in our lives and deserves the utmost care and respect. This small gland can help us gain the energy to do all those things we want to do in life if we look after it properly (Saraswati, 1979.)

Swami Satyananda shows just how critical this small gland truly is to the inner workings of the human body. He listed 14 functions plus unknown activities in the body that are in need of this thyroid’s production of hormones. It’s no wonder why having an under-active thyroid could cause such a variety of symptoms in a person diagnosed with this disease.

SYMPTOMS

Unfortunately. Symptoms of having a hypothyroid are not always easy to detect. In fact, many of the symptoms a person experiences from having a hypothyroid are so subtle and universal that they could be related to many other medical issues, or looked at as something that will pass with time. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research extends my thoughts on hypothyroidism’s symptoms by saying:

The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. But in general, any problems you have tend to develop slowly, often over a number of years.At first, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain, or you may simply attribute them to getting older. But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more obvious signs and symptoms (Mayo Clinic, 2010.)

Let’s not forgot however, that hypothyroidism can happen in people who are of younger age. This disease, contrary to popular belief, can affect adolescents and children. This is why I believe it is also hard for symptoms to be primarily directed to thyroid when going to the doctors, as the age range for thyroid ranges, so do the symptoms. Not every person shares the same case of affects from a struggling thyroid gland. The imbalance of the hormones to the different parts of the bodies cause different indications of what the problem might be, even if it is after all, alluding to a hormonal problem in the gland. Shikha, author of Hypothyroidism Clinical Presentation, explains the array of patients and how symptoms affect certain populations differently:

Hypothyroidism commonly manifests as a slowing in physical and mental activity but may be asymptomatic. Symptoms and signs of this disease are often subtle and neither sensitive nor specific. Classic signs and symptoms, such as cold intolerance, puffiness, decreased sweating, and coarse skin, previously reported in 90-97% of patients, may actually occur in only 50-64% of younger patients. Many of the more common symptoms are nonspecific and difficult to attribute to a specific cause. Individuals can also present with obstructive sleep apnea (secondary to macroglossia) or carpal tunnel syndrome. Women can present with galactorrhea and menstrual disturbances. Consequently, the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is based on clinical suspicion and confirmed by laboratory testing (Shikha Bharaktiya, 2011.)

The following are symptoms that a person may experience if they have a hypothyroid: weight gain, fatigue, puffy face, sensitivity to cold, dry skin, depression, forgetfulness/ impaired memory, menstrual issues, hair loss, fullness in throat, swollen throat, and lack of energy (Bharaktiya, 2011.) Any of these symptoms, as one can see, do not give direct give-away to a patient having a thyroid issue. Each symptom could also be applied to another issue or disease. A doctor can examine a patient and look for these symptoms in correlation to one another, but can only directly confirm it is hypothyroid through as Shikha(2012) puts it “laboratory testing.” 

CAUSES

What exactly is the origin of this disease? As explained earlier, congenital hypothyroid starts from birth, but this does not prove true for all cases of diagnoses in people. Many people are diagnosed with having an under-active thyroid if they have had experience with their thyroid in the past. This would include such as having been given radiation on the thyroid, chest or neck, a family history of thyroid issues, have other autoimmune diseases, have had a goiter, or thyroid surgery. These are causes that relate to either previous thyroid issues or can cause trouble in that area. More common factors are if someone is of  60 years of age or older, or are pregnant or have given birth in the past six months. Woman are also more receptive to being diagnosed with hypothyroidism than men are (NIDDK, 2012.)

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

NIDDK speaks of how hypothyroidism affects 4.6 percent of America (2012.) I am part of that percent. I was diagnosed with having a hypothyroid, in the beginning of the summer before attending college. I was sent to a local endocrinologist, but before hand, had attended my local doctors in worry of having strep due to feeling like I had a swollen throat. My pediatrician asked me several questions that I answered routinely, and then began to feel my throat. I was aware that this was not the usual procedure she would take in checking for strep, after seeing her for many years. She told me she thought that I had something wrong with my thyroid, and that it seemed to be enlarged. She said in worse case scenario it may be Hashimoto’s disease, which is what she was diagnosed with when she was younger. She said I may have to have my thyroid removed by laser all together, if the case is that I did have something off with my thyroid.

Well, when I went to the Endocrinologist, the Doctor sat me down and asked me a series of questions concerning both my physical and mental current state. All the questions he had asked related to the symptoms one may have if they are hypothyroid such as feeling sluggish, losing hair, weak/brittle nails, feelings of depression, always tired, irregular period, lack of energy, poor immune system. From what I can recall, there were only two questions I had replied to that were “no” and the ones that I have just listed are only what I can recollect from memory. After the questions I had to take a series of blood tests to see if they would come out positive for having a hypothyroid. Once it became official that I did have a slow-working gland, I was put on a small dosage of medication called Levoxyl that was supposed to regulate my thyroid to that of an average person’s metabolism. I was asked to do a follow-up to make sure the dosage was working well enough, and when I returned it had to be increased to a higher dosage. The doctor explained that working with hypothyroid patients in the beginning is like an experiment, where the levels of medication constantly fluctuate until it fits the right amount of strength needed to control the metabolism. If the medication is too high, a patient will start having hyperthyroid symptoms, but if it is too low, it isn’t doing much of anything to control the thyroid and the symptoms it carries.

The doctor told me it was necessary to follow up every six months to check on how I am doing and if the medication needs to be altered. I have been on Levoxyl for about a year and a half now and have noticed a drastic difference in my life. I have lost ten pounds, am not consistently tired and feel a huge increase in my energy and daily performance. The only problem that I have encountered while being on  this medication is my large reliance on it. If I miss a day or two, my body and mindset completely reacts to the sudden change, and I feel tired, I am often hit with bad headaches, and am overly-irritable. I tend to lose my appetite, but feel bloated, and have no motivation. I have grown tired with my dependence on medication making me feel normal. 

When I was searching for topics for this paper, I came across yoga in helping the thyroid and couldn’t help but feel excited hence why I chose this as my topic! When doing research I found an article summarizing a woman who had used yoga as her way of medication with her thyroid problem. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.  Her personal experience was refreshing and encouraging for someone like me who is tired of just being prescribed to medication that doesn’t prove permanence. In the article, the woman, Lisa, used Kripalu Yoga at the gym to help her with her thyroid. She would practice regularly, and did so four months. Lisa met a homeopathic physician Jeffrey Migdow, where she discussed with him her trouble with her thyroid and questioned him if she could be off her medication, and Jeffrey agreed with enthusiasm. He gave Lisa blood tests and put her on a homeopathic thyroid medication. When the results came back, Lisa replied in disbelief, “When I got my blood tested, all the tests were coming back normal, showing I didn't need this hormone anymore. I was shocked. At this point I was thinking, 'This is for real. It's showing in my blood” (Dunn, n.d.) Lisa’s dedication to sticking to this certain type of yoga that worked for her, is really encouraging to me that there are types of yoga out there that can target the thyroid and create better well-being.  According to Yoga Journal(2012), “Kripalu Yoga is a challenging approach to asana practice that emphasizes meditation and breathwork, and encourages inward focus and spiritual attunement.” The journal says that practicing this form of yoga, “can initiate a gradual process of physical healing, psychological growth, and spiritual awakening” (Yoga Journal, 2012.)

INTEGRATING YOGA

The Canary Club explains the importance of intermingling excercise in our everyday lives and the benefits in which it can have on a person’s body:

Yoga like Hatha Yoga, Pranayama (the breathing techniques), Shavasana (the dead posture), simhasana (the lion posture) and kapalbhanti (another type of breathing technique) help keep the thyroid healthy, but they also boost your health keeping you hale and hearty. Latest research  also supports Yoga and breathing technique (Pranayama) to be two of the best methods to control any type of diseases (Canary Club, n.d.)

Not only does the article point out poses that can help benefit the thyroid, but it also points out that Yoga as a whole, is extremely beneficial to anyone suffering from some type of ailment. This being said, a type of yoga that could be of good use to both people of thyroid problems, and people who suffer from other issues, is restorative yoga. Judith Lasater, author of Relax and Renew, explains her thoughts on restorative yoga:

I often refer to restorative yoga poses as "active relaxation." By supporting the body with props, we alternately stimulate and relax the body to move toward balance. Some poses have an overall benefit. Others target an individual part, such as the lungs or heart. All create specific physiological responses which are beneficial to health and can reduce the effects of stress-related disease (Lasater, 1995.)

This type of yoga would be good for anyone suffering from something, whether it be mentally or physically, however, I feel as if it could really help someone with a hypothyroid because its intentions are to relax both the body and mind. As Judith said in her book, this type of yoga can target certain areas of the body (1995) and with certain poses that area could include the throat where the thyroid is located.

Andrea Kowalski, of Yoga Journal talks more deeply of the throat and thyroid and it’s importance, and how yoga can come into play by maintaining this balance:

Your throat and thyroid are located in the fifth, or communication, chakra. When this energy center is balanced, your metabolism is healthy, you speak from your heart, and you have the confidence to speak your truth. An unbalanced or blocked fifth chakra can contribute to thyroid imbalances, frequent sore throats, voice loss, unconscious or hurtful speech, or a fear of speaking your truth (Kowalski, 2007.)

Included in the fifth chakra, Kowalski mentions metabolism, which is related to the thyroid (2007.) From what I have gathered, if this part of the chakra is imbalanced, the other two elements of the fifth chakra will be out of proportion as well. However, Kowalski gives four balances that can help restore the fifth chakra to its healthy state:

...Help balance your throat chakra by practicing some basic asanas, including Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana), Shoulderstand, and Plow (Halasana). If you're ready for a challenge, try Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose (Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana), or perhaps King Pigeon (Kapotasana, 2007)

I intend on watching tutorials via the web on these poses to learn and test them out on myself to see if I can notice any difference in how I am feeling. Another series of yoga poses are recommended from a different article written by a site titled Yoga for Beginners that include Surya Namskara (Sun Salutation Pose),Sarvangasana, Paschimottasana (Seated Forward Bending Pose) or Janushirasana (Head to Knee Pose),Naukasana, Pavamuktasana(Wind Relieving Pose),Uttanpadasana, and Matsyasana. The site also encourages the importance of utilizing the breath or Pranayama while in the midst of one’s practice. According to the site, Pranayama is crucial to those with hypothyroid because of the enhancement of oxygen in-take and flow through the body which creates more energy. Pranayama is also a source of relaxation and stronger blood circulation, as well as being soothing to the nervous system. All of these elements can help fight off symptoms that Hypothyroid-diagnosed people suffer from (Yoga for Beginners 2007-2010.)

However, out of all the poses I have listed above, Dr. Swami Shankardevananda Saraswati, believes that Sarvangasana is most practical for those who have hypothyroidism. He states that:

This is the ideal asana for most thyroid gland problems. If you are overactive it tends to reduce secretion, and if you are under active it tends to release more thyroid hormones. This is achieved by improving the general health and function of the gland (Saraswati 1979.)

Not only is this pose excellent for hypothyroidism but for hyperthyroidism as well! In his article, he explains the 6 factors of this pose and why it works so well for the thyroid. The pose relaxes and stimulates the thyroid by massaging it. The pose enables new, fresh blood to flow in, and for the old, stale blood and toxic and waste to flow out. The pose, and its inverted state enables more blood to come to the gland, blood and oxygen also flow to the brain which helps the pituitary gland, that is also connected in helping the thyroid. The inversion of the body also helps to clean out the entirety of the system and forces the thyroid gland to work harder and strengthen. This posture also helps in giving more energy to the throat which rejuvenates the thyroid gland. Last but not least, the stretching of the neck in this pose helps to stimulate the nervous supply which increases flow of nervous system to the gland (Saraswati 1979.)

Saraswati goes into great detail of the beneficial factors of how just this one pose can completely refresh the body but most importantly the neck back into balance. It makes me eager to want to find out more detail about how the other poses mentioned can aid in the restoration of the thyroid gland.

CONCLUSION

I am looking forward to expansing my knowledge even further in these specific poses and in trying out Kripalu yoga for my own benefit. After doing research and looking at testimonials, I feel encouraged that having hypothyroidism can be cured permanently with the right strategy and diet such as incorporating yoga into my daily life. I am anxious to search for places that incorporate Kripalu or Restorative Yoga into their companies, and am going to learn these yoga poses on my own time. It will be interesting to see if I can manage eventually without the high dosage of my prescribed medication, and can rather focus on a more healthier approach to healing and balance in my physical and mental state. Let’s hope the best!

References

Mayo Clinic. (2010). Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) . Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353

Kowalski, A. (2007). Balancing throat and heart . My Yoga Journal, (280), Retrieved from http://www.yogajournal.com/newsletter/myj_280.html

Dunn, S. (n.d.). http://thyroid.about.com/cs/yogathyroid/a/yoga.htm. Yoga Journal, Retrieved from http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/313

Adopt yoga for hypothyroidism. (2007-2010). Retrieved from http://www.yoga-for-beginners-a-practical-guide.com/yoga-for-hypothyroidism.html

A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. (2012). Hypothyroidism myxedema; adult hypothyroidism. In D. Dugdale, S. Topiwala & D. Zieve (Eds.), Hypothyroidism and thyroiditis. American Accreditation HealthCare Commission. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001393/

Hypothyroidism (12–6180). Retrieved from NIDDK website: http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/Hypothyroidism/

Saraswati, S. (1979, May). Thyroid therapy. Yoga Magazine, Retrieved from http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1979/emay79/thythe.shtml

Canary Club. (n.d.). Excercise and yoga for hypothyroidism. Retrieved from http://www.canaryclub.org/thyroid/102-hypotyroidism/624-excersice-and-yoga-for-hypothyroidism.html

Lasater, J. (1995). Relax and renew. Berkeley: Rodmell Press. Retrieved from http://www.yogagroup.org/relax.html

Yoga Journal. (n.d.). Spotlight on kripalu yoga. Yoga journal, Retrieved from http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/1370\

Bharaktiya, S. (2011). Hypothyroidism clinical presentation. In G. Griffing (Ed.), Medscape Reference. Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/122393-clinical