This short book of information on the management of thyroid disorders is my personal collection of scientific research studies which I gathered during my fifty years of medical practice ..

The applied innovative theory and practice may prove to be the first foundation stone in the management of thyroid disorders. This is an innovative therapeutic module for treating hypo or hyperthyroidism. This may also provide the best possible guidelines to balance the abnormal metabolism which gets disturbed due to under or over active state of thyroid gland or due to the low or high digestive fire, or unbalanced doshas (vata,pitta and kafa) and malas (waste- products).

The treatment modalities mentioned in this publication would be an encouraging work for reviewing or recollecting the basic principles of ayurveda for the practitioners or the physicians of any school of medicine. Any qualified medical practitioner can make use of the curative or the preventive measures or the therapeutic procedures in those thyroid patients who sometimes do not respond to their respective treatment modalities.

The treatment modality in ayurveda is based on balancing the vitiated vata, pitta, kafa (called as Tridoshas or dhatus), agni (digestive fire)and the malas (raised values of waste products of protiens, fats and carbohydrates) and disturbed mental attitude. Tridoshases become vitiated due to the disturbance in the digestive fire or the agnis ill their respective dhatu(tissues) i.e ras, rakt, mans, med, asthi, majja and shukra, (there are thirteen types of agnis according to ayurveda). The first agni which controls all the twelve agnis is Jatheragni (digestive fire in stomach).

Saptagnis existing in all the sapt dhatus (seven tissues as per ayurvedic philosophy) and panchagnis present in panchmahabhotas (five non-destroyable elements i.e. Earth (prithive), water Gal), fire (sun), air (vayu) and space (akash) have specific digestive fires (agni). The food we take is Panchbhowtik and is enriched with energy but is lying in dormant state. The energy present in these food items is stimulated by the digestive fire naturally present in the stomach (jathragni), digestive juice containing HCL and other digestive enzymes).

"The innovative treatment modality (based on ayurvedic philosophy) of thyroid disorders is to control and to maintain an optimal ratio of AGNI (digestive fire in sapt dhatus and stomach) and AMA DOSHA/FREE RADICALS/OXIDANTS among DHATUS/TISSUES of the body or it can be explained as how to balance the metabolic rate of the body and to uplift the immune system to keep the body disease free".

Thyroid problems are increasing day by day in all-most every part of India and world over irrespective of insufficiency or deficiency and extra sufficiency of iodine in those particular areas from where the patients hails. As per research data available in modem medicine, the occurrence of these metabolic disorders is definitely due to deficiency of iodine in food or water and due to auto-immune problems, but it could be some thing else also. As per my experience and history of the patients suffering from thyroid disorders could be due to the abnormal life style, eating habits, stressful living conditions, and consumption of fast and junk food etc which disturb the intestinal flora, liver and kidney function. Quite a number of patients have become euthyroid (from hypothyroid state) by bringing some changes in their life style, eating habits, by doing suitable exercises. This practice if followed regularly would definitely improve the status of intestinal flora which has been found disturbed in most of the patients suffering from hypo Or:-hyperthyroidism. Stress is also one of the causative factors for inducing metabolic disorders. The best holistic approach which has been practiced in this innovative treatment modality to obtain a healthy intestinal flora is to observe fast (missing the cereal diet and to switch on fruits at least once a week) either fully or partially or curbing 20% routine diet.

Panchkarma is the ancient treatment philosophy of Ayurveda and is the best methodology for detoxification of body and mind. It not only improves the metabolic disorder but also brings the ojha- (the final essence of what we eat) or the glory and smartness of life to its optimum level.

How far we are justified to start hormone replacement therapy to each and every patient without knowing his history of the origin of hypothyroid state and simply prescribing thyroxin on the basis his high level of TSH and low levels of free T3 and free T4. In in opinion it would be advisable to treat the causative factors first a then assess the intensity and chronity of hypothyroidism. It has also been observed that a large number of population living in endemic areas or in iodine deficient areas are consuming iodinated salt are still suffering from hypothyroidism with goiter.

Triggering is required to initiate any reaction. The same principle has been taken as a pivot in the management of thyroid disorders which has been mentioned in this book. Balancing doshas, dhatus, malas, agnis, mental activities like depressive and aggressive attitude is the treatment modality of ayurveda for all the diseases. The same has been innovated in this book to normalize the basic metabolic rate of the body which otherwise become the main factor for inducing hypo or hyperthyroidism in an individual

The initial chapter deals with general information’s on many aspects of metabolism, ayurvedic philosophy, treatment modalities and have been narrated under different headings. It contains the theory of the causative factors related to thyroid disorders, auto immunity, treatment modality and synthesis of thyroxin, comparative study, diagnostics and treatment modalities of thyroid disorders with modem and ayurvedic philosophy.

The second part deals with the history and origin ayurve Some description of vata, pitta, kafa, agni and some information. about ayurveda.

Third and subsequent chapters deal with a comparative classification of thyroid disorder, the management of hypothyroidism hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis and different types of goitres, case reporting and summary. Each problem has been extensive explained with detailed scientific solutions.

Every possible care has been taken to provide a specific treatment modality and effective ayurvedic preparations. The data of safety and efficacy of post treatment results have been confirmed with the help of modem laboratory investigative procedures. No untoward effect on kidney or liver functions and G.I. tract has been noticed during and even after three to four years after stopping the new treatment modality. This is my belief that hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can be tackled with this innovative treatment modality but need a constant follow up of the patients to introduce this innovation to be accepted universally.