KOCHI : Thyroid disorders and mental health issues are deeply intertwined but we often fail to see the connection or simply misread the symptoms. This is particularly true of women, who tend to put their own health on the back burner, too occupied with family and professional commitments.
According to the American Thyroid Association, about 1 in every 8 women will suffer from thyroid illness during her lifetime
Yet it can take years before an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Fatigue, hair fall and palpitations – some common signs of a malfunctioning thyroid gland – are often attributed to external factors such as the daily grind, a sedentary lifestyle or a phase of bereavement. In fact, most times, the changes are even dismissed as part of monthly premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
But what needs to be understood is that thyroid-related ailments are significantly felt at the mental level. There is a parallel “restless” universe functioning inside a thyroid patient, even during sleep when they may seem normal to others. The gut-brain axis is affected, leading to the mind not getting adequate nourishment. This, in turn, leads to emotional and cognitive disturbances.
Destabilising effects of hormonal chaos
The thyroid hormone, which is produced by the thyroid gland, controls factors such as the pace of your heartbeat and metabolism, as it travels through blood. However, thyroid issues can spell physiological and mental dysfunctions. While hypothyroidism can manifest as cognitive disorder, distress and sadness, hyperthyroidism can cause agitation, severe psychosis and apathy. Before long, concerns such as irritability and anxiety can become a part of a patient’s personality, straining relationships, causing rifts and creating a disconnect with the self.
In the case of hyperthyroidism, the gland is overactive and produces and releases too much of the thyroid hormone. In hypothyroidism, it’s underactive and thus fails to make and release the amount of hormone the body needs. Some prominent markers of thyroid deficiency include forgetfulness, fatigue, mental sluggishness, inattention and emotional lability.
Anxiety a by-product
Most patients with thyroid dysfunction battle anxiety. However, no pill can ever make you feel as calm as a happy and settled gut. A willingness to make the required dietary and lifestyle modifications can help reset the gut-brain connection. Some not-so-trendy-but-effective thyroid care tips that can reverse the tide are learning to slow down, having light meals, avoiding heavy food after 8pm, sleeping early and avoiding nuts, especially as a morning snack.
Why the fatigue?
Patients with hypothyroidism predominantly suffer from delayed metabolism. That is because the thyroid gland is sluggish. As a result, the gut level and cellular level metabolism are delayed, leading to the formation of a pro-inflammatory byproduct called Ama. Ayurveda describes Ama as the biological entity responsible for many pathological events inside the body. They are the toxins that build up in our body due to factors like weak digestion, impaired sleep, stress, incompatible food and pollution.
Ayurveda & pills
Should one undergo Ayurvedic treatment for thyroid dysfunction while on synthetic hormone pills and when the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) value is within limits? The answer is yes if you are still struggling with any of these: One, a dysregulated gut health, where there is an extreme lack of appetite or extreme increase in appetite called Visham Agni, or there is regular constipation and diarrhoea. In such circumstances, you need to undergo Ayurvedic treatmentTwo, you have a problem in either gaining or shedding weight. This means the thyroid gland isn’t functioning optimally despite the hormone pills. Three, you have a problem with the brain’s cognitive function. You struggle to recollect, infer and make meaningful conversations. This too implies gut-brain malfunction, which again can be treated with ayurveda.
The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland deserves attention. For women, it might be shifts in the menstrual cycle or pregnancy-related complications that lead to a diagnosis. But why wait till the body is completely exhausted? All it takes is a blood test. Be warned, delaying treatment is the perfect recipe for throwing normal life out of gear.
Time for some myth-busting
Thyroid pills have to be taken lifelong – No. Timely intervention with herbs and diet can reverse the condition.
Hypothyroidism always causes weight gain – Only in 70% of the population it causes weight gain. Rest experience weight loss.
Thyroid patients are lazy – It’s not by choice, but because of metabolic error.
Thyroid hair loss can’t be fixed — No, it can be fixed by strengthening and nourishing the bones.
Brain fog is just in your head — No. It’s real and occurs due to impaired gut-brain axis function.
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Dr Alka Vijayan
The writer is the founder of Tanmatra Ayurveda, T’Puram