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The Foods all Nutritionists agree are ‘Good For You’.

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We all love reading about the latest trending super food. Whether its Acai berry, Maca powder, or cacao nibs…we wanna know what’s going to up our metabolism or give us that boost of energy we are absolutely itching to have again.

Well folks…let the drum roll begin. Because the REAL super food category of the hour is not some fancy-named upgraded coffee bean or a concoction of some super vitamin made in a lab somewhere.

It is…..

Plants. Specifically fruits and vegetables (Background applause!!!)

Wait….how come you’re leaving? Wait! No…seriously! they are SUPER good for you!

I know, I know. It’s WAY snazzier to imagine that the secret ingredient is some hidden oil or seed or fruit buried at the bottom of Indiana Jones’ cavern. We want the food to be a singular holy grail. But, that is just not the way of it.

No – I’m afraid your mother, and her mother before her and HER mother before HER knew what they were talking about when they said simply “eat your vegetables.”

We have the evidence to prove it. Here are just a FEW examples of the tangible benefits researchers have uncovered about eating more vegetables.

  1. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables (at least 8 servings per day) are 30 percent less likely to have heart disease. (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/)
  2. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables (specifically 8 servings or more) report greater levels of happiness and emotional satisfaction. http://sciencenewsjournal.com/eat-fruit-veggies-happy/
  3. Eating fruits and vegetables is associated with better weight loss and management outcomes:https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/rtp_practitioner_10_07.pdf
  4. Eating a high concentration of fruits and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of cancer:http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/diet-and-cancer/how-healthy-eating-prevents-cancer
  5. Those who eat as few as five servings of fruits and vegetables every day tend to live longer. http://nutritionfacts.org/2015/09/17/how-much-longer-do-fruit-and-vegetable-eaters-live/
  6. Eating fruits and vegetables can even improve your sex life:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/knowmore-tv/8-ways-eating-fruit-juice_b_9872488.html

So if you’re looking for the newest, latest and greatest super-food, you really need no look toward the dark corners of the Bermuda triangle. It’s right in front of you at your local farmer’s market.

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Why eating too healthy is dangerous for your health

Fruit diets, fruit juice diets, banana and milk diets, high protein diets, chia seed infused water, salads, Vegan food, sugarless snacks, low-fat foods, organic foods, fortified foods, innumerable ranges of organic vitamins, supplements etc……

We have it all….We also have more obesity, more cancer, more diabetes, more depression, more mental decay, more medication, more vitamin deficiencies, more time spent with doctors and in hospitals.

In our endeavor to get healthy, we may actually be doing more harm than good, if we don’t understand the physiology of the human body and mind. Too much of a good thing is bad…..even food… Yes, fruits are extremely nutrient dense foods but, it does not mean we constantly eat them.
Protein is needed, it’s good for repair, tone, muscle, recovery but, it does not mean we need more and more of it.

Many fats may be bad, but it does not mean we stop eating fat completely. It’s a very common belief that to be healthy, we need to eat more and more healthy foods.

Pure Ghee on a fresh hot wheat roti? What’s’ worse, the ghee or the roti?

Most people say that Ghee, is a fat and fat causes cholesterol and high cholesterol causes heart attacks… which really isn’t’ the case in most people who have cardiac arrests or strokes. There are many other reasons. I would worry about the roti, the wheat, where has the wheat come from, is it GMO? How processed is it?

Our beliefs about healthy foods need to be balanced with the understanding of what our body really needs and how our body assimilates nutrients from the food we eat.

A fruit diet is not going to do anything but cleansing……

Too much protein intake is going to do more harm than just repair or muscle build. This is when good food turns bad. When we have too much of even a good thing, it ceases to be good, and can in fact cause harm. There is absolutely no doubt that fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and all things good, and that they also contain fibre, which prevents constipation and other gastric problems. But, too much fibre (for instance, when you eat platefuls of raw green leafy vegetables or salads like radish day in and out) can mess things up – big time. Excess fibre often causes bloating, abdominal cramps and gas right away.

In the long term, it can interfere with the absorption of minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, causing some serious deficiencies. Fruits also contain natural sugars, no harm in that but, too much is bad…your body only uses what it needs, the rest gets stored as fat or becomes waste and all waste is waste, whether it’s a fruit or a samosa. Waste is toxic.

Insane workouts or working out too much, I have a question for you, is it really working? are you really getting the desired body you have in mind? Or are you using exercise as a way of punishing your body because you ate too much?

It just doesn’t work, your body has a life, so does your bones, your muscles and joints and over exercising will decrease your bone density, deplete vitamins from your body , raise cortisol levels, decrease immunity and leave you with ‘STUBBORN BELLY FAT AND LOVE HANDLES’…

The body needs not more than 30 minutes of smart exercise to stay health and if your fat and you are trying to lose weight, more exercise DOES NOT mean more exercise…it means looking smartly at your food choices, your alcohol intake, your sleep, your stress levels, your sugar and the consistency of your exercise program.

Does your choice of exercise suit your body or are you just following the latest fad ?

The body needs protein to repair and build muscle, but eating excessive amounts won’t do the job better. In fact, in a diet where the protein intake goes beyond 30 per cent of the daily caloric intake, a build-up of toxic ketones in the body may occur, causing the kidneys to go into overdrive in an attempt to flush them out. This may lead to a significant loss of water and calcium from the body, causing dehydration and bone loss.

Symptoms include a feeling of weakness and dizziness, dry skin, loss of hair, low appetite, nausea and bad breath. In the long term, this may strain the kidneys, stretch out the liver and put stress on your heart too.

Weight loss efforts go bust too, as excess protein is converted into fat. Another problem is that while making protein into carbs or fat, the body converts the protein’s nitrogen into urea or uric acid. In large amounts, this can mess up your kidneys, lead to gout (a condition that causes your joints to become inflamed, tender and painful to move) and cause gallstones and kidney stones.”

Be super careful with protein shakes and bars. The body can process only about four to five grams of protein per hour, so the 50 grams you got from that protein bar or shake will take about 10 hours to digest and absorb. Also, when you replace your meals with protein shakes, you run the risk of missing the vitamins and nutrients you get from real food.

The Japanese eat soya and stay healthy and live longer. It is high in protein and has zero cholesterol. So what could be wrong with that?

That’s true, but, what is also true is that most Japanese eat only about 8 to 10g of soy protein a day, and even soya causes problems when eaten in excess. If overeaten, it may promote cancer, dementia, reproductive abnormalities, and osteoporosis and thyroid disorders. Increased consumption could also increase a woman’s total estrogen level, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.

For men, excessive soya can raise the risk of infertility, physical changes, and hormonal havoc.

The body will only use what it needs…anything in excess becomes fat or waste and both are detrimental to your mind-body health.

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Skip the Chips …..But not the CRISPS ….

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We all have an inner child in us, which chooses to surface every time there are chips or other oily fried snacks in the vicinity.

Many of us indulge in these chips/crunchy cravings of ours while we are around our kids. And this is true from my own personal experience.

So why give up our crunchy snacks, and why make are kids give it up too. Kids don’t know the difference between healthy and junk, all they want is tasty snacks – and as my son adorably describes all crispy snacks – “Food that makes noise”.

All we need to do is change our perception, and put in a little effort, and I can assure you or your child would never want to pick up that packet of potato chips again.

I’ve put together a list of healthy snacks to satisfy our crispy cravings. Always remember any snack should be served in a small or medium sized bowl, as moderation is a key to good health.

I understand the time constraints that many of you face, and would want the easiest and quickest possible recipes available, so I’ve styled by list starting with the easiest and ending with recipes that require a bit more effort to make. I assure you all the recipes are extremely satisfying with the added bonus of being packed with healthy nutrients.

  1. Roasted Fox nuts : Popularly called Makhana in India, it’s the easiest of the lot and packed with health benefits. Why open a packet of cheese puffs, if you have Fox nuts at hand. Just heat a teaspoon of ghee or oil, add a hand full of fox nuts and roast for 2 – 3 minutes. And Enjoy.

roasted-makhana

Shelf life –Fox nuts lose their crunch if stored too long and are best eaten on the same day. But they are so easy to make, that it’s not even a bother to make daily if required.

  1. Popcorn – Popcorn is an all-time favourite and can go both ways on your health balance. Buy a pack of pre-seasoned, ready to pop, packet of microwave popcorn and you are loading yourself with excessive salt and preservatives and most probably even trans fats. Whereas pop a cup of natural popcorn on your stove with a teaspoon of butter or oil and you have a wonderful, light and healthy snack which you can season any way you want.

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Shelf life – can be kept in an airtight container for 1 – 2 days.

  1. Chapati (Roasted wheat bread) crisps – An alternate to your packet of air filled, trans fats laden packet of potato chips.

Crispy-Baked-Tortilla-Chips

Just cut up some day old chapattis (whole wheat breads) into triangles or squares or however you like. Toss it with 2 teaspoons of oil and any spice or seasoning you want – I prefer mine with garlic powder, a pinch of salt, pepper and oregano. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 10 – 12 minutes, toss once check for crunchiness and bake for another 6 – 8 minutes. And Enjoy.

This recipe can also be made with whole wheat pita bread.

Shelf life – can be kept in an airtight container for up to two days – that is if they last that long.

  1. Baked Sweet potato or banana chips –

Yes chips, I know I initially said skip the chips, but I meant the fried kind. There is nothing wrong in baking your chips. And trust me the sweet potato ones are the best. Because of their mildly sweet flavor, they hardly require any salt.

Turn the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with foil.

Thinly slice your sweet potato and put in a bowl of chilled water. Pat the sweet potato slices dry with some kitchen paper or a clean towel and arrange on the tray.
Mix with 2 tsp of oil and lightly stir to coat all sides.
Spread them out again so they are mainly in contact with the foil.
Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until golden brown, turning once half way through. Keep an eye on them towards the end as they can quickly turn from done to burnt.

Shelf life – 2 – 3 days in an airtight container.

  1. Puffed Rice Mixture (Kurmura chivda) – This is a favorite with my son, and he actually prefers these over a packet of store bought snacks or banana chips. And I am not kidding. The best part of this recipe is you can add whatever you like.

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1 – 2 cups of Mouri or Puffed Rice (As much as you want)

Hand full of Roasted Chickpea/Roasted peanuts/Roasted Foxnuts

  • 2 tsp oil
  • Mustard seeds
  • Cumin seeds
  • Curry leaves
  • Flax seeds & sesame seeds
  • Turmeric powder
  • Chilli powder and salt

Heat oil in a pan, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, flax seeds and sesame seeds (you can even add chopped green chilies if you prefer it spicier). Add all the dry spices and then add the puffed rice or Kurmura and roast thoroughly till is gives of a nice aroma and is well coated with the spices. Turn of the heat and add the whole grams/peanuts/foxnuts or a bit of everything.

Shelf life – 4 -5 days in an air tight container

  1. Roasted chickpeas – This is a more recent addition to my list, tried it after I read a bit about it on the net, and wasn’t really convinced how chickpeas would taste in a crunchy form, or if they would even turn crunchy. But all my doubts were put to rest after I actually tried and tasted it. It’s the best protein packed snack I can recommend to anyone be it someone looking for weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain or just for plain munching. The recipe is also pretty simple to follow.
  • 1 cup boiled chickpeas – not made very soft, or you could say semi – boiled.
  • 2 tbsp oil

Seasonings of your choice.

roasted-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans-3144

 

Boil your chickpeas after soaking them overnight and boil either in a sauce pan with sufficient water. Or in a pressure cooker for a 1 -2 whistles. Drain and dry the boiled chick peas thoroughly, the lesser the moisture the quicker it takes to roast. Mix with oil and salt. Roast in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 15 minutes, toss and roast for another 10 minutes or until crunchy. Mix with other seasonings of spices.

After the success of the recipe I thought to myself why stick with only chickpeas and tried the same recipe with some other pulses as well. Like whole green gram (moong), White peas (Vatanas) and green peas. All of these turn crunchy and are tasty the same way.

You could also make a crunchy pulse mix to munch in the evenings.

Shelf Life – 1 – 2 days in an airtight container – though mine didn’t last that long.

  1. Baked crispy Okra – this one is actually more of a lunch side than a snack, but still falls in the crispy category. And again usually made to special requests from my little one.

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It’s actually a traditional recipe in Gujarat in Western India. This is normally deep fried. All I’ve done is just baked it instead of frying it with the same results.

Okra (Bhindi) sliced into thin strips

  • 1 tbsp Chickpea Flour
  • 1 tsp oil
  • Salt
  • Red chilli powder
  • Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
  • Cumin seed (Jeera) powder

Mix all the ingredient with the Okra and keep for 30 minutes, spread out on a greased oven dish and bake at 160 °c in a pre – heated oven for 10 minutes. Stir once and bake again for 10 minutes or until crispy.

Shelf life – Eat on the same day prepared as it doesn’t keep

  1. Multigrain / sweet potato / pumpkin crackers.

MultiGrain_Crackers_With_Sesame_Seeds_Chives_And_Chili_Flakes

Last but not the least, homemade crackers, with the added goodness of pumkin or sweet potato. I love these, they are extremely healthy, but yes they are also a bit tedious.

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup ragi/nachni flour (or any flour blend you chose to use)
  • 2 tbsp toasted flaxseed (ground or whole)
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup of sweet potato puree (two small boiled sweet potatoes mashed with 1/4 cup milk)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
  • 2 tsp mixed herbs (optional)
  • pepper or paprika (optional)
  • sesame seed to top
  • kalonji (nigella) seeds to top

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together into a large bowl. Place sifted flour mixture, butter, flax seeds and herbs and spices in the bowl of your food processor and pulse for a few times, until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Add the sweet potato puree and pulse a few more times.

The dough should blend together.If you find that it has dried a little you could add a bit of milk but, be careful not to make it too soft. Knead the dough with your hand and divide it into 4 – 5 large portions.

Roll each portion as thin as you can, an easy tip for rolling thin portions is to roll them in between wax paper or cling wrap. If you want to top them with sesame seeds, sprinkle sesame seeds on top and roll once with your rolling pin to seal the seeds. Cut into any desired shape and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

You can also store half the dough in the freezer for later use.

Shelf – life – keeps easily for a week in an airtight container.

NOTE: All recipes are a regular in my kitchen and have passed quality and taste tests by my 3 year old son.

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Best Yoga Asanas for Hypothyrodism

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One of the biggest battle for most people is ‘Weight Loss’. 90 % of the people are stressed and spend sleepless nights over not losing weight. The question in most individual’s mind is despite doing exercise and eating right why is it that I am unable to lose weight or maintain it?

Healthy foods, controlled portion sizes, regular exercise and peaceful sleep — these are the ingredients for losing weight.

One of the reason for not being able to lose weight could also be –Hypothyroidism, a condition where your thyroid gland function is impaired. Underactive thyroid gland plays a vital role in affecting the weight reduction journey.

It’s difficult for someone with hypothyroidism to lose or maintain a healthy weight balance as T3, the active thyroid hormone is low. T3 is a powerful hormone that regulates the body’s metabolism. The most important thing you can do for weight loss and for your overall health —is to get proper treatment for your hypothyroidism.

Losing weight is never easy, but, people can control it and shouldn’t struggle to lose weight. However, making a few dietary changes and regular exercise or Yoga may help in weight loss.

Here are some of the important yoga asanas which boosts the function of your thyroid gland and helps in weight loss.

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1.  VIPRITKARNI:

It is a Mudra.Viprit means: reverse and karni means “by which”. Viparitakarni helps to balance the functioning of thyroid and eases the complication caused by hypoactive thyroid. This is also one of the important Asanas for thyroid disorder. This can be done for 2minutes maximum.It is also called as half shoulder stand.

Method: 

Lie down on your back. Arms alongside of the body. As you inhale bend your knees and raise the legs and buttocks. Bring the palms under your hips to support the buttocks. Elbows remain on the floor. Straighten the legs vertically upwards. Relax the muscles of feet, legs, and hips. Shoulder and neck relaxed on the mat. Breathe normal. Remain in the position for few seconds and gradually increase it to 1-2min. Exhale, bend the knees towards your forehead and slowly lower the buttocks and legs and return to the starting position.

Limitation: Avoid with High BP and dizziness

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2. SETUBHANDASANA (BRIDGE POSE)

This asana provides appropriate stretch on the back and suitable massage to the neck. It helps to regulate the functions of thyroid gland thereby helpful in releasing thyroxin hormone.This can be done for 2-3 min maximum.

Lie flat on your back with arms at your sides, palms down. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Keep your feet hip width apart, parallel to each other, and as close to the buttocks as possible. Simultaneously, press your upper arms and feet into the floor and begin lifting your hips towards the ceiling. Try to distribute your weight equally on the inside and outside of your feet.

Now, move your breastbone towards your chin, keeping your chin lifted only slightly as not to flatten the back of the neck. Firm your tailbone in towards the pubis and move your pubis slightly towards the belly. In order to keep the lower back extended, keep the knees over the ankles, perpendicular to the floor. Your buttocks should be firm, but not clasped.

Lift your hips as high as you are able without breaking position. If you are having trouble holding posture, you can clasp your hands behind your back and firm you arms into the floor, shoulder blades shifted down along the spine. Hold this pose for 5 to 15 breaths.

To come out of Bridge Pose, release on an exhalation, rolling your spine slowly down onto the floor.

Limitations: Avoid doing this pose if you are suffering from neck and back injuries.

setu-bandhasana

3. MATSYASANA (Fish pose):

Matsya means fish, in the final pose, the asana take the form of fish. Hence the name is Matsyasana. Matsyasana provides adequate stretching to the neck region thereby stimulate the thyroid gland. It increases blood supply to trunk and neck region.

This can be done for 1-2 minute maximum

Method:

Sit in Padmasana, lean back,using elbow and arms to help balance yourself, until your had rest comfortably on the mat and your body forms a low arc. Use a low cushion for comfort at first, if necessary. Now extend your arms and grasp your toes on either side. Breathe normal. Rest till you can hold the posture. Exhale using the support of elbow come to the original position.

Limitations: Knee joint problems, piles, dislocation of knee joints.

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4. USTRASANA (Camel pose): This can be done maximum for 2 minutes.

Method: This asana also give stretch to the neck.

Assume a sitting posture as in kneeling. Support the body on the toes and knees and gradually lean backward, after having fixed the arms from behind, the palms to the ground, the fingers pointing outward and the thumbs towards the toes. Keep arms straight then slowly life the pelvis while taking in the breath. Press the body above the waist slowly both outward and upward, throwing the neck downward. Breathe normal. Exhaling slowly come back to original position.

Limitations: Those who have undergone any recent operation at the chest or abdomen, people with hernia problems, severe hypertension and low back must be cautious.

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5.  SARVANGASANA (Shoulder stand pose): Sarvangasana is the most important pose to stimulate thyroid gland and control thyroxin. This is the most effective yoga pose where blood flow from legs to head region due to its inverted condition thereby helps in curing of thyroid. This can be done maximum for 3 minutes.

Method:

Lie flat on the back with the feet together, the arms by the sides, and palms flat on the ground.Using the arms as levers, raise the legs and back to a vertical position.

Bend the elbows and use the arms as props to steady the back by pressing it with the palms.The trunk and legs should extend straight up, forming a right angle with the neck, the chest pressing against the chin.

Limitations: Excess obesity, Myopia, severe spinal problems, pregnancy.

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6. SIMHASANA: Simhasana or the Lion Pose resembles a squatting lion in the final pose. In Sanskrit, ‘Simha’ means ‘Lion’ and ‘asana’ means ‘pose. It is an excellent pose for thyroid gland.

Sit in the kneeling position or Vajrasana. Move the knees apart so that they make almost a right angle between them.Tuck your palms, under your thighs. The palms should face downwards and point towards the body. An alternate way is to keep the palms on the knees stretched and spread wide apart.

Bend forward slightly, resting the weight of the body on the arms.Now, tilt the head backwards. Keep the eyes wide open. Open your mouth and draw the tongue forward and downwards as much as you can.

Gaze at the space between the eyebrows with eyes wide open. This is called Bhrumadhya Drishti. In Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, an alternate gaze for the eyes is given as Nasikagra Drishti or gazing at the tip of the nose.

Breathe normally and deeply in this position. During exhalation make a sound ‘ahhh…’, to imitate the breathing of a lion with tongue outside. You may also roar like a lion, few times in this position. Relax your muscles in the back, abdomen and chest in the final position.

Remain in this final position for as long as comfortable.In some variations, the tongue can also be moved from side to side making the sound ‘ahhh…’

Limitations: For those with weak knee or ankle joints, this asana should be practiced with caution.

This can be practiced for maximum 3 minutes.

Diet is equally important and utmost care should be paid to it. I have herewith chalked out diet tips which is a mix of yogic and modern diet.

Simhasana-yoga-pose

Yogic Diet tips for thyroid disorders

  • Diet with high fiber content should be taken.
  • Avoid excess eating of fats and carbohydrates.
  • Give more and more thrust on green and leafy vegetables.
  • Focus on eating seasonal fruits.
  • Ginger greatly enhances thyroid function. Chew ginger or have ginger tea.
  • Black walnut contains iodine, which nourishes the thyroid gland.
  • Foods like curd, fish, meat, eggs, radish, and oatmeal contain good amount of iodine. So take these foods regularly to control thyroid problems
  • It is recommended that you have Gomutra (Cow urine):Its anti-inflammatory, Anti- Bacterial, antibiotic and antimicrobial. It acts as an antidote. 10-15drops can be taken on an empty stomach in the morning. It works best if taken with Ashwagandha.
  • Bask in Sun: take sunlight /sun bath between 7am -8am.
  • Have 1 tbsp cold pressed virgin Coconut oil. It improves the function of thyroid hormone
  • Take foods such as carrots, pumpkin, sprouts, spinach, wheat grass seaweeds because of its iodine content.

Thyroid diet prevention & precaution

  • Cruciferous veggies can be eaten in limited quantity and should be cooked.Non veg foods such as fish —healthy omega 3 fatty acids present in oily fishes like salmon, tuna, sardines can be eaten. Even eggs are healthy protein rich options to be taken in meals.
  • Spicy foods should by far be avoided as they are tamasic and interferes with keeping the mind calm and in a balance state which is very necessary to deal emotionally with the people having thyroid.
  • Refined and Preserved foods should be avoided to keep the weight in check.
  • Caffiene should be avoided because it hampers the healing properties of thyroid medications. 

Begin with these yoga practices and maintain your thyroid hormones function and achieve a successful weight loss. Bring on a “new you” with these yoga Asanas.

Please Note: Sarvangasana and Vipritkarni needs to practice under guidance.

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