Seed Cycling For Hormonal Balance

SEED CYCLING: WHAT IS IT?

Seed cycling, also known as ‘seed rotation’, is a time-tested naturopathic procedure that uses nutrition as a core concept for supporting the way your body produces, detoxifies, and metabolizes the hormones so that hormones are naturally brought back to a state of balance. There are 4 seeds that are used in seed cycling – pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.

SEED CYCLING: HOW DOES IT FUNCTION?

There is dominance of estrogen during the first half of menstrual cycle. Some of the symptoms associated with estrogen dominance include hair loss, fibroids, mood swings, tenderness of breasts, ovarian cysts, PMS and water retention. So flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds are used for detoxification of excess estrogen and prepare the body for adequate production of progesterone in the second half.

Dominance of progesterone is supposed to be there in the second half of menstrual cycle. If the level of progesterone is low, the symptoms include anxiety, menstrual cramps, short menstrual cycle, mid-cycle spotting and sleeplessness. So, to boost the production of progesterone, a combination of sunflower seeds and sesame seeds is taken.

HOW TO DO SEED CYCLING?

MENSTRUAL PHASE AND FOLLICULAR PHASE– Take 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds and 1 tbsp flaxseeds, everyday, from day 1 to day 14 (till ovulation).

OVULATION PHASE AND FOLLICULAR PHASE-Take 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds and 1 tbsp sesame seeds, everyday, from day 15 to day 28-30

BENEFITS OF SEEDS FOR HORMONES

PUMPKIN SEEDS: Pumpkin seeds are loaded with Zinc and Omega 6 fatty acids that help boost your immunity and are vital for reproduction.

FLAXSEEDS: Flaxseeds are loaded with lignans and Omega 3 fatty acids. When you eat flaxseeds and the seeds reach your gut, the gut bacteria convert lignans to enterodiol and enterolactone that block your estrogen receptors from producing excess estrogen.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS: Sunflower seeds contain Omega 3 fatty acids as well as lignans that have anti-estrogenic properties.

SESAME SEEDS: Sesame seeds are rich in Vitamin E and Omega 6 fatty acids that boost fertility. READ MORE – PMS and Period Pain relief tea recipe

SEED CYCLING: WHO SHOULD DO IT AND WHO SHOULDN’T?

Seed cycling is beneficial to women who experience one or more than one conditions like painful periods, irregular periods, PMS like bloating or mood swings, PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, heavy flow, hot flashes and sleeplessness.

However, it is strictly advised that you refrain from seed cycling if you are pregnant.

SEED CYCLING SEEDS: HOW TO EAT THEM?

You can eat your seeds by sprinkling them on your toast, salads and breakfast cereals. You can add them to your pancakes. You can even blend them into your fruit smoothies, pudding and bowl of yoghurt. Just make sure that you have these seeds ground and raw.

Tips – Use raw seeds, organic if possible. For easier digestion, grind your seeds before you consume then and grind the seeds fresh. Make seed butter or add the seeds to smoothies, oats or porridge, sprinkle on salads, soup or pasta. Or make energy balls and add the seeds to it – HEALTHY RECIPE – OATS ENERGY BALLS with just 5 ingredients