Seed Cycling: Happy Hormones From Home
what is seed cycling?
Seed cycling is a way to help support a healthy menstrual cycle & hormonal balance naturally through nutrition & involves eating 4 specific seeds, at different times of the month, rotating between them in 2 phases of the menstrual cycle.
These seeds are: flaxseeds plus pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds plus sesame seeds.
Each of these 4 seeds contain certain nutrients & compounds that will help to optimise your hormones at specific times of your menstrual cycle to help support overall hormonal balance & a healthier cycle.
It's important for both oestrogen & progesterone to be at optimal levels in each of the 2 phases for a healthy cycle. When levels are out of balance, that's when we start to symptoms including PMS, bloating, tender breasts, fatigue, mood changes & headaches as well as abnormal, irregular or even missed periods. Seed cycling can be a handy tool to support healthy, balanced hormones for this reason.
*Please note that seed cycling is not a cure for reproductive conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, infertility, fibroids etc, but can be used alongside treatment to provide complementary support.
Why 2 phases?
To simplify the menstrual cycle, we can class them into phase I & phase II.
Phase I is the follicular phase from day 1 (menstruation) to midway in your cycle (ovulation) where oestrogen is the main star of the show as it makes its steady rise. Oestrogen is responsible for thickening the uterine lining which is shed during menstruation. It also helps mature an egg in preparation for ovulation & boosts your libido around that time!
Phase II begins from ovulation & the luteal phase. This is where oestrogen takes a back seat as levels progesterone hormone rise. Progesterone is mainly known to help to maintain the uterine lining & hold a potential pregnancy. If an egg is not fertilised that cycle, then progesterone declines causing the lining to shed -- AKA your period. Less commonly known, is that progesterone also has a myriad of other health benefits like stabilising your mood, helping with good sleep, lightening heavy periods & more!
So, How To Seed Cycle?
As we mentioned earlier, seed cycling consists of rotating between 4 different seeds in the 2 phases of your cycle, switching at around halfway where ovulation occurs.
If you have irregular cycles or experience amenorrhoea (no periods), we recommend either following the moon’s cycle or simply starting at day 1 of each month.
phase I: Day 1-14(ish) of your menstrual cycle.
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon ground pumpkin seeds
In the follicular phase, pumpkin & flax seeds promote healthy oestrogen levels whilst preventing excessive oestrogen. Flax seeds contain lignans that bind to any excess oestrogen. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc to support progesterone production in preparation for the next phase of the cycle.
PHASE II: Day 15(ish)-28(ish) of your menstrual cycle.
1 tablespoon ground sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon ground sesame seeds
During the luteal phase, sesame seeds & sunflower seeds help optimise progesterone production. Sesame seeds are a rich source of zinc which will help boost progesterone. They also contain lignans which inhibit excess oestrogen as progesterone rises. Sunflower seeds are high in both vitamin E & selenium. Vitamin E can help to increase progesterone production, while selenium supports liver detoxification to rid the body of oestrogen excess.
Where can I bUy these seeds?
You can purchase seeds for seed cycling at your local supermarket to bring home and grind up yourself! A coffee or spice grinder does this really well — so does pulsing in a blender or using a mortar and pestle if you love to get your elbow grease on! To prevent oxidation, we highly recommend grinding your seeds up fresh daily.
If you’re working with a busy schedule, we have teamed up with Seed Cycle Blend to make your life so much easier! Seed Cycle Blend is a New Zealand owned company that creates pre-ground, certified organic seed cycling blends that are made locally & are ready to use.
Follow the link below or use the code ‘homebodynz’ to get 10% off your orders at checkout — how good!
https://seedcycleblend.co.nz/homebodynz
Troubleshooting
If you’re ever needing extra 1:1 support for all things hormones, we kindly invite you to get in touch with us at Homebody for a tailored, personalised approach that meets your specific needs.
