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Have you heard of Seed Cycling ?
Even though there’s a lot of information here, you might have noticed that simple changes can lead to big results, especially when it comes to beneficial dietary changes.
A nutrient-dense diet is one of the top ways to bring back balance, naturally.
One of the most significant ways to support your hormonal health is a practice called seed cycling.Certain seeds have beneficial nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and tryptophan that are critical for hormonal balance. Seed cycling is a smart way to consume nutrient-dense seeds in a way that is in-sync with the hormonal rhythms of a menstrual cycle.
Seed cycling supports two specific hormones: oestrogen and progesterone. Imbalances in these hormones can lead to painful periods, irregular periods, skin challenges, bloating, breast tenderness, and other symptoms of hormonal imbalances.
How does seed cycling work?
Throughout your cycle,you’ll rotate between two sets of seeds:
Either flax and pumpkin or sesame and sunflower.
FLAX SEEDS are packed with omega-3s, lignans, magnesium and fibre.
PUMPKIN SEEDS are packed with antioxidants (like carotenoids and vitamin E), iron, tryptophan, magnesium, and zinc
SESAME SEEDS are packed with vitamin E, iron, zinc, lignans, selenium, calcium, and manganese.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS are packed with vitamin E, thiamine, magnesium, selenium, protein, and linoleic fatty acids as well as antioxidants (like phenolic acids and flavonoids).
Follicular phase (Phase 1)
(DAYS 1-14 OF YOUR CYCLE)
Eat 1 tablespoon of ground flax and 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds.
These seeds gently support oestrogen levels in the beginning of your cycle, which then improves ovulation and can help reduce PMS symptoms. Interestingly enough, pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, which plays a role in regulating our mood and sleep, so another benefit to seed cycling could be improved sleep, which can lead to, you guessed it, more balanced hormones in your cycle as well.
Luteal phase (Phase 2)
(DAYS 15-28 OF YOUR CYCLE)
Eat 1 tablespoon of ground sunflower and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds daily.
The thought during this phase is that sesame seeds can help keep oestrogen levels from rising too high or being too low, while sunflower will help continue to support progesterone if pregnancy doesn’t occur. It’s been shown that sesame seeds can balance oestrogen in the body thanks to the fact that they contain lignans. Keeping hormone levels balanced during this phase of your cycle can help reduce PMS symptoms such as breast tenderness and cramping.
FOR IRREGULAR OR ABSENT CYCLES:
If your cycle is irregular, you’ll want to start seed cycling on day one of the new moon and treat that as day one of your follicular phase.
On Day 15, you can switch to phase 2, which incorporates sunflower and sesame seeds. On Day 28, switch back to phase 1. Over time, seed cycling will mimic the natural ebb and flow of the hormones in a stable cycle, so it can help promote a more regular cycle. The seeds can provide specific benefits to people in menopause as well. For instance, sesame seed powder can help improve blood lipids, antioxidant status, and possibly sex hormone status. Follow the same format listed above to incorporate seed cycling in PCOD, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.
NOTE: For seed cycling to be effective you need to continue it for 3 months or more. If you have any gut issues by any chance, make sure you soak the seeds overnight and consume them the next day.
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