| Question: | | | | would have diagnosed an imbalance through blood |
| I have recently been diagnosed with two | | | | tests and prescribed medication to stimulate or |
| multi-nodule goitres in my neck. Scans have | | | | suppress thyroid activity. However, you should |
| shown that they are not cancerous. Please could | | | | be monitored regularly to make sure your |
| you explain what causes these, and is there | | | | enlarged thyroid doesn't suddenly become active |
| anything I can do to reduce them or prevent | | | | and start to produce more hormones. |
| them getting bigger? | | | | To stabilise your condition, and for anyone with |
| Answer: | | | | hyper- or hypothyroidism, I suggest the following |
| A goitre may be an enlargement of the thyroid | | | | * Control stress, which increases the demand for |
| gland, which is located in the neck. Sometimes the | | | | thyroid hormones. Practise yoga and meditation, |
| lump is so large that it looks unsightly; it can | | | | and make sure you sleep well. Before bed, do the |
| affect swallowing and talking, and may also cause | | | | corpse pose, which is detailed in Therapeutic |
| coughing as it presses on the windpipe. A goitre | | | | Yoga, the book I co-wrote with Jiwan Brar. The |
| signifies a disturbance in the very important | | | | Ayurvedic supplements Biorelax : one at bedtime |
| functions of the thyroid. | | | | for two months, or Brento tablets; one at |
| The thyroid produces two hormones, T3 and T4. | | | | bedtime for two months, help to calm you down |
| These act on the metabolism (the chemical | | | | and induce sleep. Having a siesta helps to alleviate |
| processes that make your bo4r function, including | | | | daytime or work-related stress. |
| producing energy). The thyroid is controlled by the | | | | * Avoid stimulants, including alcohol, coffee and |
| pituitary gland, the master gland in the lower front | | | | cigarettes. |
| part of the brain. The pituitary produces | | | | * Make sure your iodine levels are balanced; |
| thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which causes | | | | take sea kelp : one every other day for a month, |
| the thyroid cells to synthesise T 3 and T4, using | | | | and then twice a week for six months. You |
| iodine as the active ingredient. If there's a low | | | | should also eat seaweed (fresh, or sprinkle dried |
| level of iodine in the blood, fewer hormones are | | | | nori flakes on soups and stews) and other |
| produced and signals go to the pituitary to | | | | iodine-containing foods such as deep-sea fish, |
| produce more TSH to stimulate the growth of | | | | bass, haddock cod and shellfish. Additionally, |
| thyroid cells and thus more hormones. If there is | | | | reduce foods that block iodine absorption such as |
| overproduction of thyroid hormones, the | | | | peanuts, soya mustard and the cabbage family. |
| metabolic rate increases and can lead to | | | | * People with hypothyroidism often gain weight |
| hyperthyroidism, a state in which the body | | | | the best remedy is to take plenty of exercise (at |
| becomes what I call 'over burnt'. The heart rate | | | | least 30 minutes daily) and eat proper meals with |
| goes up, triggering palpitations. There can be | | | | plenty of fine protein, such as eggs, fish, chicken |
| excessive sweating, anxiety, diarrhoea, muscle | | | | breast and lean meat, plus plenty of vegetables, |
| stiffness and the eyes may bulge. Over time, you | | | | particularly dark green ones. Eat one starchy meal |
| may lose weight. | | | | a day, based on carbohydrates such as whole |
| If the opposite happens - hypothyroidism - the | | | | wheat or rice pasta, couscous and brown rice. |
| body slows down and you feel cold, lethargic and | | | | Avoid potatoes, carrots and beetroot, which are |
| often depressed. You gain weight because your | | | | high in sugars. |
| body can't use food energy efficiently and | | | | * Keep warm, and get some sun when possible, |
| menstrual disturbances are common: | | | | as this helps thyroid function. |
| Both conditions may cause the thyroid gland to | | | | * Consult an experienced homoeopath, Reiki |
| swell into a goitre. A multi-nodule goitre is like | | | | practitioner or healer. These therapies may not |
| having several goitres or lumps of thyroid tissue. | | | | directly reduce the growths but they can help to |
| These growths can appear anywhere in the body | | | | balance the body and keep the nervous system |
| and are usually referred to its tumours, but, as | | | | in harmony. |
| you say, yours are non-cancerous. They can also | | | | * Massage your neck and shoulders so that your |
| occur without the production of extra thyroid | | | | pituitary functions are kept in balance; you will find |
| hormones. It seems this may be happening in | | | | information about how to do this on my website |
| your case –I assume there is no change in | | | | (see right), and/or go to a professional massage |
| hormone production, otherwise your specialist | | | | therapist. |