Addison’s disease is an endocrine or hormonal disorder described first by Dr. Thomas Addison in 1849. Addison’s disease occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the hormone cortisol and, in some cases, the hormone aldosterone.
The most important function of cortisol is to help the body respond to stress and is a very important chemical required for many vital functions of the body such as maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function, slow the immune system’s inflammatory response, Increase blood sugar level, maintain proper arousal and sense of well-being etc. Aldosterone is another hormone produced by the adrenal gland that helps maintain blood pressure and water and salt balance.
Causes of Addison’s disease
Addison’s disease affects about 1 in 100,000 people. Most cases are caused by the gradual destruction of the adrenal cortex, the outer layer of the adrenal glands About 70 percent of Addison’s disease are caused by autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system makes antibodies that attack the adrenal cells thinking that it is foreign and slowly destroy them. Emotional or physiological stress could be the initiating cause for this autoimmunity.
Tuberculosis (TB), an infection can destroy the adrenal glands which, accounts for about 20 percent of cases of primary adrenal insufficiency in developed countries.
When a person who has been receiving steroid tablets such as prednisone to treat chronic inflammatory illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, or ulcerative colitis, for a long time abruptly stops or interrupts taking the medication it results in failure of the adrenals to secrete sufficient levels of cortisol leading to Addison’s.
Symptoms
Characteristics of the disease are chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss. low blood pressure, hypoglycemia( low blood glucose) and areas of hyperpigmentation (dark tanning) covering exposed and nonexposed parts of the body. Because the symptoms are vague and progress slowly, they are usually ignored until a stressful event like an illness or an accident causes them to become worse. This is called an addisonian crisis which could be very dangerous.
Treatment
Modern medical treatment of Addison’s disease involves replacing, or substituting, the hormones that the adrenal glands are not making. Cortisol is replaced orally with hydrocortisone tablets, a synthetic glucocorticoid, taken once or twice a day. If aldosterone is also deficient, it is replaced with oral doses of fludrocortisone acetate (Florinef).
Yoga for Addison’s disease
The diet should include extra salt and jaggery. Simple vegetarian wholesome food taken with enough fluids is important. The yoga asanas recommended are those that increase the blood flow to the adrenal glands.These include a set of asanas starting from three to five suryanamaskaras,This is to be followed by alternate standing and supine postures such as viparithkarani kriya with wall support,then prasarita pada hastasana,then uddiyana bandha, sarvangasana, mastsyasana,agnisara kriya, ardhamatsyendrasana, ushtrasana,halasana, suptavajrasana and shavasana. This is to be followed by breathing practices starting from kapalabhati followed by chandranuloma viloma(CAV-left nostril breathing), Since this is the most important practice it is very valuable to repeat kapalabhati(60 per minute) for one minute followed by 27 rounds of CAV four times a day.
Advanced techniques such as Mind Sound resonance technique(MSRT), and pranic energization techniques (PET) are useful to restore the normalcy of immune system.
A 45 year old computer professional who was on steroid replacement therapy after he had presented with an Addison’s crisis and all tests had proved the presence of primary adrenal failure was admitted in our arogyadhama for yoga therapy. After he practiced yoga program for about 3 months he started feeling better and wanted to experiment with reduction of the doses much against the advice of the doctors. He started to reduce the medicines as he felt so much confident and to the surprise of the doctors he could gradually come out of the need for his replacement therapy in about a year . When the tests were checked after two years of stopping the medicines it showed that his cortisone level in the blood was normal . Even after ten years of withdrawal from medication he continues to be completely healthy and now travels round the globe teaching the techniques of pranic energization technique to heal many immune disorders.
BHUMI PADA MASTAKASANA
Feet and Head on Earth Posture.
Sin in Vajrasana
1. Inhaling come up onto the knees.
2. Exhaling please the hands and top of the head on the floor.
3. Inhaling tuck the toes under and straighten the legs. Maintaining balance, clasp the finger behind the back.
4. Breathing normally remain in this position as long as comfortable.
5. Exhaling return hands and knees to the floor.
6. Inhaling return to the starting position.
Caution
Avoid this asana with a migraine, high blood pressure, dizziness of any cerebrovascular disorders. |
