Seed Cycling For Hormonal Balance

Hormones are like everything in life, they need to be balanced to support physical, mental and emotional well-being. Today, our hormones are sadly being affected by the world we live in, particularly from the chemicals in our water, food, plastic bottles and wraps, oestrogens from the contraceptive pill, chemicals in our personal hygiene products, make up and more.  

Not only the environment but chronic stress (which many people live with today), high sugary diets from sweets, chocolate, sugary cereals, excess alcohol can also affect our hormonal balance.

Hormonal imbalances may show up in symptoms from heavy periods, fibroids, infertility, cyclic migraines, premenstrual tension (PMT), spotty skin, mood disorders and more.

Female hormones are cyclic, generally 28 days dominated by Oestrogen and Progesterone (there are other hormones involved but these are the dominating hormones).

Day 1-14 – follicular phase which is dominated by Oestrogen

Day 14-28 – luteal phase which is dominated by progesterone (as Oestrogen should slowly start to decrease)

With diet and lifestyle playing a key role in keeping this delicate balance of hormones in order, it is also important to be mindful of where we maybe adding environmental chemicals in our daily life and eliminating what we can such as removing plastic bottles from your life, use more natural hygiene products etc. 

A simple addition to your diet called Seed Cycling maybe helpful for hormonal balance.

Different seeds offer various lignans which may help to bind and remove excess hormones whilst offering essential fatty acids (EFA’s) to help hormone production.

Seeds as well as being rich in Lignans and EFA’s are also excellent sources of fibre which help to eliminate hormones, as well as providing key nutrients such as  Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium, Vitamin E and more.

By adding different seeds at different times during the female hormone cycle you can help support the body in producing the needed hormone at the time and help to bind and eliminate any excess

HOW TO SEED CYCLE –

For women who know their cycle start as follows –

Day 1-14 take 1 tablespoon each of flax seed power and pumpkin seeds (also grind these).

Then change over as follows –

Day 14-28 – take 1 tablespoon each of sunflower seeds and sesame seeds (grind both up for best effects).

For women who have a cycle that is all over the place, you have just stopped the contraceptive pill, or stopped breast feeding or being affected by hormone imbalances with irregular cycle the try the following –

On the full moon – start as Day 1-14 as above.

On the new moon – (14 days later) – introduce the seeds as day 14-28.

It is said that women’s hormones and menstrual cycle are affected and influenced by the moon cycles you will see that many babies are born on or around the full moon.

You can add the seeds into breakfast, smoothies, sprinkled over veggies, fruit , ice-cream or added to some soup (not too hot soup)

Be patient with this as it can take a few cycles to see a different, it maybe that more nutritional or naturopathic interventions are needed including detoxification/cleansing methods but at least give it a try.

Here’s to happy balanced hormones.