Today I’ll go over how to use Seed cycling to balance hormones. Seed cycling is a very quick and easy way to get your hormones back in balance naturally by simply adding specific seeds into your diet at two different phases of your menstrual cycle. By adding seeds like pumpkin, flax, sunflower and sesame to your diet at different phases of your menstrual cycle can encourage your body to produce, or metabolize hormones which promote hormonal balance in the body. It is literally using foods to either promote estrogen detoxification, in the first half of your cycle or to increase progesterone production in the second half of your cycle.
Why these seeds?
Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds contain phytoestrogens which work to give the body an additional boost of this healthy estrogen while suppressing estradiol, the culprit in most estrogen dominance situations.
Sunflower seed and sesame seeds contain high amounts of zinc and Vitamin E which have been correlated with a higher production of progesterone. This is critical for women who have estrogen dominance (a common problem) and need to counteract it and stabilize with high levels of progesterone. Seed cycling with is one of the best ways to get your hormones back on track.
How Does Seed Cycling Work?
You are literally eating different seeds for the two different phases of your monthly cycle. This practice helps to restore estrogen and progesterone balance in the body. I highly recommend committing to seed cycling for two to three months before expecting to experience results.
How to Use Seed Cycling to Balance Hormones
During days 1-14 of our 28-day cycle (Follicular phase: Start of Menstruation (first blood of period to Ovulation) consume flax seeds and pumpkin seeds
On days 15-28 (Luteal Phase: Start of Ovulation to Menstruation) consume sunflower seeds and sesame seeds
Day 1 – 14 (Follicular phase):
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Day 15 – 28 (Luteal phase):
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Eat your 2 tablespoons of mixed seeds every day according to your cycle. Ground the seeds with a coffee grinder, Vitamix, or mortar and pestle. You will add them to your favorite morning green smoothie, soup, oatmeal, salad, yogurt, etc. Remember to stick with the seeds you are supposed to be eating in the correct phase. For example: try not to snack on sunflower seeds during your flax/pumpkin days. This will throw off the cycling rhythm.