Can Seed Cycling Balance My Hormones?

It's not just a fertility metaphor. It's the real deal. Jeiran, our Eastern Medicine doctor and Fertility expert, educated us about cycle eating, and we're obsessed. Get to the feeder for this bomb-ass seed, birdies, and give those hormones a boost!

What is Seed Cycling?

Seed cycling is eating particular seeds to promote estrogen and progesterone based on the follicular or luteal phase of your cycle. If you have a regular 28 days cycle and are always ovulating between cycle day 13-14 you don’t need to seed cycle, but if you are ovulating before day 12 or after day 16, you might want to consider adding this regiment.

Follicular Phase - The first part of your cycle

Characteristics:

  • estrogen dominant phase
  • starts on the first day of your period
  • lasts until one day before ovulation
  • usually said: days 1-14 of your cycle

Seeds to support this phase:

  • 1 tablespoon of freshly ground raw flax seeds/day
  • 1 tablespoon of raw and/or sprouted pumpkin seeds/day
  • 1000-1500 mg each of DHA & EPA

Why they make your hormones happy:

  • they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids
  • flax seeds contain lignans (they block excess estrogen)
  • pumpkin seeds are high in zinc (this supports progesterone levels to rise in the 2nd part of your cycle)

Luteal Phase - The second part of your cycle

Characteristics:

  • progesterone dominant phase
  • starts on the day of your ovulation
  • lasts until one day before your next period
  • usually said: days 15-28 of your cycle

Seeds to support this phase:

  • 1 tablespoon of freshly ground raw sesame seeds/day (if you absolutely can't stand the taste, then swap out for hemp seeds)
  • 1 tablespoon of raw and/or sprouted sunflower seeds/day
  • 500 mg of borage oil (easier to take in capsules)

Why they make your hormones happy:

  • they are rich in omega 6 fatty acids
  • sesame seeds contain lignans (they block excess estrogen)
  • sunflower seeds support the liver in its detoxification process to remain hormonal balance in the body (the mineral helping here is selenium)

GIMME MORE

Cycle Eating: We Show You What to Eat at Each Stage of Your Cycle

Photo Credit: Daniel Sroka: http://www.danielsroka.com/photos.php?id=180

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