Chapter 3

The Doshas, Diet, Toxins, and the Health of the Thyroid

The thyroid gland is like a very delicate flower that needs to be watered daily and meticulously cared for. If there is any problem anywhere in the body, whether it comes from lack of nourishment, electromagnetic exposure, infections, an overload of stress or toxins, this little flower will wilt, taking your physiology down with it.

On the brighter side, however, if you just give a little more attention to your body–resting, nourishing, and detoxifying it–your thyroid gland will bounce right back, giving you the glowing health and metabolism you long for. This is one of the reasons why we can’t devote all our therapies to just the thyroid gland–every problem throughout the whole body is tugging away at this gland, so in order to improve its function, the health of the whole body needs to be addressed. Ignoring these underlying problems and just supporting the thyroid gland is a treatment option that is bound to fail.

Doshic Imbalance at the Root of all Thyroid Disorders

Ayurveda prides itself on identifying imbalances at the deepest level. Before we unfold the numerous causes of thyroid dysfunction, it is imperative to understand that behind everything we see, whether it is low or high hormones, whatever the symptoms may be–hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, Grave’s Disease, even thyroid cancer–we must first consider balancing the three doshas. This is usually the first step in tackling any thyroid symptom, whether hair loss, arrhythmias, weight gain, depression, or fatigue. Don’t be tempted to treat all these symptoms without addressing their root causes. If you treat the symptoms without balancing the three doshas, your results will be minimal and temporary.

Review of the Three Doshas

The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha. The ancient doctors always liked to trace health problems back to these elements, which, if out of balance, were considered the very first steps in a gradual decline in one’s health. Therefore, it is imperative that you begin your search here when looking for the root of your symptoms.

These three doshas comprise the five elements found in nature: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Since humans are a microcosm of nature, these five basic elements–present in all matter–also exist within each of us. These elemental principles control all our bodily functions, and it is up to us to keep them balanced. But to do that, you must first understand exactly what they are and how they affect your body:

Vata represents the elements of space and air. Its qualities are quick, light, cold, dry, rough, subtle, mobile, erratic, dispersing.

Pitta represents the elements of fire and water. Its qualities are light, hot, oily, sharp, liquid, sour, pungent.

Kapha represents the elements of earth and water. Its qualities are heavy, cold, oily, slow, slimy, dense, soft, static, sweet.

We are all born with differing amounts of these three doshas. Thus, there are different body types. The various combinations could be: Pure Vata, Pure Pitta, Pure Kapha, or combinations of Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Vata, Pitta-Kapha, Vata-Kapha, Kapha-Vata, Kapha-Pitta or all three balanced, Vata-Pitta-Kapha. These represent the amounts of all three doshas you were born with. However, these elements will change as various influences in the environment and other stressors throw your body out of balance. Your current imbalances can be diagnosed through the pulse and by various characteristics of the patient’s appearance and symptoms.

Vata is the element of coldness, causing cold hands and feet when imbalanced. It is also quick, representing the element of movement, thus you can become restless and scattered, endlessly talking and moving, making it difficult to stay focused. Light by nature, vata can translate to light sleep, or a tendency for insomnia as your nervous system cannot settle down. Vata is rough and dry, so you may notice rough and dry hair, skin, and nails.

Vata tends to emaciate the body’s tissues, causing osteoporosis, weight loss, or thinning hair. Imbalanced vata moves thoughts quickly through the mind, so you can absorb information quickly and then forget it quickly. Because your physiology is running fast you can become fatigued as the body cannot keep up with the fast-moving pace you force your it to undergo every day. Are you noticing yet that many of these symptoms are also characteristics of thyroid imbalance?

A good rule of thumb to keep the doshas balanced is to do the opposite of the aggravated dosha to bring it back into balance. So, a vata type must learn to slow down; get proper rest; eat warm, cooked unctuous foods; stay warm; and resist the temptation to go to bed late, work too hard, or exercise too much.

Throughout the thirty years of my practice, I have noticed hundreds of instances of vata types contributing to their thyroid problems by weakening their endocrine systems through incessant talking and boundless activity–which are on full display when they visit my office. This is a recipe for adrenal burnout and is the first step toward thyroid weakness. The endocrine glands cannot handle this amount of intense activity. The adrenals and thyroid glands are the batteries we run on. They can become depleted and in need of a recharge, accomplished through proper rest, nourishing diet, and early bedtime. In the early stages, vata aggravation and hyperactivity can push the thyroid gland into a hyperthyroid (or overactive) state. But over time the gland will fatigue and become hypothyroid (or underactive) and unable to produce enough hormones.

Vata aggravation can weaken not only the thyroid gland and the whole endocrine system but also the seven dhatus (the seven tissues in the body according to Ayurveda: blood plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow, and reproductive fluids).

If you can fully understand what vata is and how imbalancing it can affect your thyroid gland, then any treatments you undertake will work more effectively if, at the same time, you learn to balance the disturbed vata. –This text refers to the paperback edition.

“This excellent work beautifully blends ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and modern endocrinology with special reference to management of the thyroid gland. It is a practical guide for both practitioners and readers, helping to reveal the natural way of balancing thyroid function. I strongly recommend this book to all readers, practitioners, and students of the healing sciences.”, VASANT LAD, BAM&S, MASc, author of Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing

“This much-needed and timely book presents a road map to what every patient wishes for: a body in perfect balance. Our bodies are home to the greatest hormonal symphony ever played. Your thyroid is one of its conductors. Read this book, follow the guidelines, and feel your body play beautiful music, expressed as vibrant mental and physical health.”, William Sears, M.D., author of The Dr. Sears T5 Wellness Plan

“Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda is a groundbreaking work for humanity’s wellness. At this time of massive environmental crises, Marianne’s work is necessary for cleansing and healing manifold layers of illness relating to the thyroid and endocrine system. Synthesizing Ayurveda’s ancient knowledge with scientific precision, Marianne Teitelbaum puts forth an incisive work, adding another gem to the timeless pantheon of Ayurveda’s wisdom.”, Maya Tiwari, Vedic scholar, humanitarian, and author of Ayurveda: A Life of Balance

“Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda is finally here. Understanding the individual nature of thyroid disease is the only prescription for a cure. Now we can stop treating with blood tests and symptoms and address the source intelligently and Ayurvedically.”, John Douillard, D.C., C.A.P., author, former NBA nutritionist, and founder of LifeSpa.com

“Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum’s new book on thyroid healing offers a completely new and refreshing understanding of thyroid imbalance and the knowledge of how to correct it gently, safely, and fully by addressing root causes unique to each patient. I urge you to read this book and get on the path to healing yourself, your family, and–if you are a doctor–your patients with thyroid conditions. We can only hope that this is the first of many books to come from Dr. Teitelbaum. Read this one now.”, Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D., author of The Ageless Woman and A Woman’s Best Medicine

“Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda is a most useful guide to anyone interested in holistic health care. Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum challenges the insufficient modern approaches to treating thyroid dysfunction by pointing to the root causes of the disease and sharing her success with treating it through the methods of a time-tested and science-proven ancient practice. This book is so important! It will intrigue if not revolutionize the way both patients and doctors address disease.”, Divya Alter, author of What to Eat for How You Feel

“Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum embodies all the wisdom and experience of a great Ayurvedic sage. She explains in language easy enough for the layperson to understand, yet detailed enough for the seasoned practitioner, exactly what we need to do to counteract the alarming epidemic levels of thyroid problems. Going beyond the use of toxic pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, Dr. Teitelbaum once and for all gives us a truly natural approach to healing the thyroid gland, sharing her deep knowledge of Ayurvedic herbs, detox recipes, and healing spices. This is a must-read for anyone who is seeking help with their thyroid health. Bravo!”, Lissa Coffey, author of Song Divine: A New Lyrical Rendition of the Bhagavad Gita,

“Finally, a book that describes how to treat thyroid disorders without the use of pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals, using an approach that goes beyond all other thyroid books on the market. If you’re seeking natural treatments for your thyroid problems, this is the one book to read this year.”, Hari Sharma, M.D., physician and coauthor of Ayurvedic Healing and Contemporary Ayurveda

“This is the first and most important definitive Ayurvedic contribution on thyroid disease in the West. It is a testimonial to the work of her teacher and mentor, Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, and his family’s lineage of Shaka Vansya Ayurveda.”, Bill Dean, M.D., author of IC Bladder Pain Syndrome

“Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library Alternative Medicine collections in general, and Thyroid Treatment supplemental studies lists in particular.”, Midwest Book Review –This text refers to the paperback edition.