| What you are about to read is a new theory about | | | | vibrated for them, perhaps by some voice simulator? |
| the cause, and prevention, of thyroid disease. We | | | | Or what if they had their thyroids massaged? Surely, |
| believe a simple lifestyle issue that characterizes | | | | something could be done to replace the lost stimulation |
| modern life is leading to thyroid dysfunction. It's | | | | caused by mutism. Unfortunately, the link between |
| something you can test for yourself, on yourself. And | | | | vocalization and thyroid function is not considered, so |
| the concept itself will change the way science thinks | | | | these therapeutic alternatives to drugs are not tried. |
| about thyroid function. | | | | Of course, mutism is the extreme case of |
| If correct, this theory has the potential of significantly | | | | underutilization of the voice. What about the millions of |
| reducing the need for thyroid medication, and may help | | | | speaking people, mostly women, who are being told |
| prevent thyroid disease, potentially causing significant | | | | they have low thyroid and need lifetime medication and |
| loss of revenue for the multi-billion dollar thyroid | | | | doctor visits? Could some of these people be |
| treatment industry. This information is therefore being | | | | underutilizing their voices, too? Are people these days |
| shared directly with the public without peer review, | | | | not speaking as much as they used to? |
| since the peer reviewers are part of that treatment | | | | When you think about the reality of modern life, that |
| industry. | | | | could certainly be the case. For example, people used |
| The issue has to do with a commonly known feature | | | | to talk to each other in person or over the telephone. |
| of the thyroid, something which everyone knows about | | | | Now, they email instead of using the phone. We can |
| the thyroid, but has failed to recognize as a significant | | | | communicate with people all over the world, but that |
| feature. It has to do with the location of the organ. | | | | communication is electronic, not vocal. Then there |
| The thyroid is located directly beneath and partly | | | | were the evenings, not long ago, when people used to |
| around the thyroid cartilage, or the Adam's apple, in the | | | | sit together and read books aloud, tell stories, and sing |
| throat. Tilt your head back and feel for the most | | | | songs. People made their own entertainment, and this |
| prominent cartilage sticking out. That's the Adam's | | | | usually involved using their voices. Now, people silently |
| apple. Underneath it is your thyroid gland, shaped like a | | | | listen to iPods, watch videos, or surf the Internet. We |
| butterfly. | | | | now consume entertainment, instead of making our |
| While the thyroid is on the outside of the Adam's apple, | | | | own. |
| on the inside is the larynx, or voice box. You can tell | | | | We also have less exposure to other people in our |
| this by placing your hand on your thyroid and humming. | | | | daily lives. Many jobs today involve little contact with |
| Try this. Hum by saying, "MMMMMMMMM". Then say it | | | | other people, except over the computer. And more |
| louder and louder, until you are yelling. You will feel your | | | | people are working at home, further reducing |
| thyroid vibrating. The louder you hum, the more it | | | | interpersonal contact. More people are living alone, too, |
| vibrates. | | | | due to record divorce rates and a general trend |
| What happens to the thyroid when it vibrates? The | | | | towards single living. For many people, there's just |
| thyroid is filled with a gel-like material that is the storage | | | | nobody to talk to. |
| form of thyroid hormone. The gel releases hormone | | | | These people may be suffering from their silence by |
| when the thyroid is massaged, which is why massage | | | | having an understiomulated thyroid. They may benefit |
| therapists avoid throat massages for hyperthyroid | | | | from singing, huming, massaging their throats, or even |
| patients. There have also been medical studies that | | | | letting a purring cat caress their throats. They need |
| show certain types of occupational vibrations cause | | | | throat stimulation to keep their fires burning. |
| injury to the thyroid. The thyroid is clearly affected by | | | | On the other hand, there are those who overuse their |
| vibration. | | | | voices, and overstimulate their thyroids. |
| It is logical, then, to conclude that the vibration of the | | | | Hyperthyroidism is associated with stress, and many |
| thyroid by using your voice also stimulates the release | | | | people who have stress in their lives yell. Yelling really |
| of thyroid hormone. This is a natural mechanism the | | | | vibrates the thyroid, and could cause vibrational injury. |
| body has for thyroid stimulation. This would also explain | | | | This could cause too much hormone to be released, |
| why Nature has designed the thyroid to be surrounding | | | | resulting in temporary hyperthyroidism until the |
| the voice box. In its wisdom, Nature developed a way | | | | vibrational injury can heal. In fact, most cases of high |
| that our activity level can influence our thyroid function. | | | | thyroid get better by themselves, assuming the doctor |
| That makes sense when you consider the function of | | | | hasn't already destroyed the thyroid with radioactive |
| thyroid hormone. This hormone is responsible for | | | | iodine or surgery. We have already recorded several |
| overall metabolic rate. Too much thyroid hormone, and | | | | case histories of people who developed |
| you essentially burn up. Too low, and you can't get | | | | hyperthyroidism after experiencing months of stress |
| your fire started. So when your life is full of excitement | | | | that included intense fits of yelling. |
| and stimulation, and you talk, sing, or yell a great deal, | | | | So that's the great discovery. The thyroid vibrates |
| your thyroid gets stimulated to release more hormone, | | | | when you use your voice, and this stimulates the |
| stoking your fires and keeping your energy up. When | | | | thyroid to secrete hormone. It is another axis for |
| you have times of being restful and quiet, your voice | | | | thyroid hormone control, along with the well recognized |
| gets a rest and your fire gets turned down. | | | | feedback mechanism from the brain's hypothalmus |
| The throat is essentially functioning as an activity | | | | and pituitary. It is something that is obvious, and yet has |
| indicator, since activity is usually associated with using | | | | gone unrecognized by medicine. Perhaps telling a |
| one's voice. We are social animals, and our activities | | | | patient to talk or sing more is not something that fits |
| usually involve other people with whom we | | | | well into the medical pharmacopeia. |
| communicate by using our voice. And this is true for | | | | Of course, this theory still needs more research. |
| other social animals, as well. Groups of social animals | | | | Despite its sensibility and the supporting evidence |
| keep in constant vocal contact with one another, | | | | briefly mentioned above, there need to be biochemical |
| whether it is geese honking, chickens clucking, dogs | | | | studies. But these studies will have to be funded, and |
| barking, or humans chatting. In all mammals and most | | | | drug companies, and the government agencies they |
| vertibrates, the thyroid gland is associated with vocal | | | | influence, will probably not be interested in funding them |
| structures. | | | | (and if they are, beware of the results!) Fortunately, |
| Which raises a question regarding mute humans. If the | | | | you do not have to wait for the medical industry to |
| thyroid is stimulated by vocalizing, and if the person is | | | | considers these comments, (and the potential impact |
| mute, then you would expect that person to have an | | | | of this information on drug revenues and professional |
| understimulated thyroid. Indeed, that is the case. One of | | | | fees.) You can start singing right now, unless, of |
| the common problems mute children face as they | | | | course, you have high thyroid, in which case you may |
| grow up is their thyroid gland does not function | | | | want to whisper for a while. |
| properly, and they soon are put on lifetime thyroid | | | | And tell your friends, especially those who are |
| medication. | | | | depressed, quiet, and told they have low thyroid. This is |
| But what if these mute children had their throats | | | | something they can shout about. |