This shoulderstand yoga routine will keep your thyroid gland in check. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Did you know that as of 2018, 42 million people in India had a thyroid disorder? Needless to say, we Indians are no strangers to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism–both of which are caused by the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in the lower part of the neck.
The thyroid gland regulates our metabolism by secreting a hormone–the overproduction or underproduction of which majorly impacts our weight.
While there are plenty of measures to protect you from a thyroid disorder, yoga guru B. K. S. Iyengar champions sarvangasana or the shoulderstand to balance the thyroid, because it employs a chin lock.
So, here we present to you the shoulderstand flow that you must do keep your thyroid gland in check.
Note: Please avoid these poses if you suffer from cervical spondylosis. Yoga novices are advised to practice these only under professional guidance.
1. Begin with the ardhahalasana or the half-plough pose
Lie on your back with both legs up. Keep your palms down by the side, close to your body.
Push your shoulders away from your ears so that your arms become longer than the torso.
Slightly tuck in your chin to straighten the back of your neck.
Flex your toes and bring your straightened legs closer to the upper body as much as possible. The idea is to apply the weight of the legs on your abdominal muscles.
At the same time keep pulling down the bottom of your ribcage to contract your abs more.
Hold this 90 degree pose for at least a minute with normal breathing.
2. Move into sarvangasana or the shoulderstand
Lift your hips up as much as possible and balance on your shoulders and extended arms. Place the palms on your lower back for support.
Tuck in your shoulders to bring the elbows closer to each other.
Squeeze your glutes and push your pelvis back to straighten your spine up and open your chest.
You will feel that the chin automatically rests on the sternal notch and breathing becomes deeper.
If your body allows, place your palms a little above your lower back and just below your shoulder blades to open your chest more.
Hold the pose for at least a minute, only looking towards your toes with complete focus on the breathing.
3. Next, do halasana or the plough pose
Use your core strength to gently lower your feet to place them on the floor.
Extend your toes back as much as possible in order to place your hips above your shoulders.
Extend your arms forward to place the palms on the floor or preferably clasping your fingers together.
Hold the pose for at least a minute with deep breathing.
4. Come back from the flow with these steps
Straighten the legs and place the palms on the floor.
With every exhalation lower your straightened legs by rolling on your back vertebrae by vertebrae using core strength.
The body is back in the half-plough pose.
For an extra core workout, tighten your abs more, flatten the lower back on the mat, and completely lower down the legs together on the mat.
Disclaimer: At Health Shots, we are committed to providing accurate, reliable, and authentic information to support your health and well-being. However, the content on this website is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised advice regarding your specific medical condition or concerns.
Swati Kain is a hatha yoga teacher, currently teaching in Spain. She has a post-graduate degree in yogic sciences from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi. Later she pursued her teachers’ training course from Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Kerala.