With its inspiration from Chinese medicine, seed cycling has become popular as a natural way to balance your hormones, regulate the menstrual cycle, reduce PMS symptoms and help women conceive naturally. Seed cycling is particularly beneficial for women suffering from infertility, polycystic ovarian syndome (PCOS), amenorrhea (no period), endometriosis, and PMS. This practice involves eating seeds that act as hormone boosters at particular times of a woman's cycle to balance estrogen and progesterone levels naturally.
Benefits of Seed Cycling:
Cost-effective
Natural way to balance hormones
Improves PMS symptoms
Helps regulate the menstrual cycle
No side-effects
Follicular Phase (cycle day 1-14)
In the first phase of a woman's cycle, estrogen is the dominant hormone, so the estrogen-boosting seeds (pumpkin and flax) are recommended. These phytoestrogenic seeds help to regulate estrogen levels. During days 1-14 of the cycle, eat 1 TBSP of ground pumpkin seeds and 1 TBSP of ground flaxseeds daily.
Luteal Phase (cycle day 15-28 or onset of period)
In the second phase of a woman's cycle, progesterone is the dominant hormone, so progesterone-boosting seeds (sunflower and sesame) are recommended. The vitamin E and zinc contained in these seeds also helps to regulate progesterone levels and promote fertility. During days 15-28 (or the onset of the period), eat 1 TBSP of ground sunflower seeds and 1 TBSP of ground sesame seeds.
How to Seed Cycle:
When choosing seeds, always pick organic, raw seeds for the biggest benefit. Grind the follicular phase seeds (pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds) together in a coffee grinder and store them in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, scoop out 2 TBSP of the mixture. Repeat the same for the luteal phase seeds (sunflower seeds and sesame seeds). You can eat them plain or on top of organic, plain greek yogurt or coconut yogurt. It generally takes 2-3 months of seed cycling to see results, so be sure to be consistent and stick with it.
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