Seed Cycling
Seed cycling is one of the easiest ways you can support your hormones in a gentle, yet effective way.
What is Seed Cycling?
Seed Cycling is one of the latest trends to grace our social media algorithms. But what is all the hype about? Is it worth incorporating?
Seed Cycling involves consuming particular seeds during the primary phases of your menstrual cycle to maintain a healthy balance of oestrogen and progesterone levels. Seed cycling is suitable for women at any life stage, even post-menopause. Its advantages are particularly notable when transitioning off hormonal birth control or addressing menstrual symptoms and promoting fertility.
Women's hormones operate in a delicate balance. The diet, exercise, sleep patterns, stress levels, and exposure to environmental toxins can significantly impact a woman’s hormones. Consequently, any of these elements can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to various health issues such as irregular periods, acne, PCOS, thyroid disorders, and chronic fatigue.
Now, seed cycling isn’t a “cure-all”, but when incorporated consistently with other hormone-stabling practices it can be a great way to take advantage of the healing powers of nutrition.
The four seeds being cycled in rotation include:
Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Although studies do not directly connect seed cycling to hormone balance, they indicate distinct correlations suggesting that certain nutritional elements in flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds might contribute to maintaining your natural hormonal cycle.
The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is more than just the ikura (period). It is a chain of activities in the brain, ovaries, and uterus linked to hormones; the chemical signals sent through the blood from one part of the body to another.
To better understand seed cycling, you need to understand the two main phases of your menstrual cycle.
The first phase, the follicular phase, begins the first day of your menstrual bleeding until ovulation. This typically lasts around 14 days. The second phase, the luteal phase, starts at ovulation until your next menstrual bleed. Luteal phase length can vary but this is also typically around 14 days. When your hormone levels are balanced, estrogen rises during the first half of your cycle. During the second half of your cycle progesterone levels rise while estrogen levels slowly decline.
Follicular Phase
During the first phase of the cycle (Days 1-14), pumpkin seeds and flax seeds help improve our oestrogen levels while preventing excess estrogen. Flax seeds are considered phytoestrogens, which have a weak oestrogen-like effect on the body and contain lignans that bind to excess estrogen. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc which helps support progesterone production as you move towards the progesterone rise in the second phase of your cycle.
Luteal Phase
During the second phase of your cycle (Days 15-28), sesame seeds and sunflower seeds help to boost progesterone levels. Sesame seeds, support progesterone production and contain lignans that help balance excess estrogen as progesterone levels rise. Sunflower seeds are packed with vitamin E and selenium. Vitamin E aids in progesterone production, while selenium helps the liver detox by eliminating excess oestrogen.
Nutrition: Seeds
Lignans
Flax seeds are known as phytoestrogens, which means they have a mild oestrogen-like effect on the body. This helps in promoting healthy oestrogen production. Flax seeds are unique because they also contain nutritional compounds called lignans, which can help to bind excess oestrogen. Research indicates that flax seeds can aid in lengthening the luteal phase, improving ovulation, and minimizing common PMS symptoms such as breast pain and cramps. (1)(2)(3)
Sesame seeds also contain lignans, which help to block excess oestrogen during the second phase of the menstrual cycle when progesterone levels rise. Studies have shown that sesame seeds are beneficial for postmenopausal women as they improve blood lipids, antioxidants, and sex hormones. (4)
Zinc
Both pumpkin and sesame seeds contain high levels of zinc, which is a mineral that can improve the formation of the corpus luteum in the uterus. The corpus luteum is responsible for producing progesterone, which in turn stimulates the uterus to thicken in preparation for potential implantation. (5)(6)
Omega-3s, Omega-6s & Vitamin E
Both flax and pumpkin seeds are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids help promote blood flow to the uterus, increase progesterone secretion, and maintain healthy cell membranes. (7) Vitamin E is also beneficial in reducing PMS symptoms. Studies have found that Vitamin E, omega-3s, and omega-6s, which are present in pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, and flax seeds, play a crucial role in hormone production and follicle function. (8)
Selenium
Sunflower seeds are a good source of selenium, a trace mineral that supports oestrogen detoxification in the liver. (2)(9) This helps to reduce excess oestrogen during the luteal phase when oestrogen levels decline and progesterone rises.
Is Seed Cycling Only for Menstruating Women?
The idea of seed cycling was marketed towards helping women with their menstrual irregularities and balancing their hormones. But, that doesn’t mean other people outside of this group can’t benefit from these powerful seeds. However, they don’t need to be consumed specifically around the cycle.
Flax, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds are highly nutritious.
How To Start Seed Cycling?
It is quite simple and easy to incorporate seed cycling into your daily meals, particularly if you’re prepared and are tracking your cycle.
Start by incorporating 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin and flax seeds daily during the follicular of your cycle. Once you ovulate, switch your intake to sunflower and sesame seeds during your luteal phase.
If you have a longer cycle than 28 days, this is fine to work with. By staying on track with the 2-week rotation, the process will nudge your body into an optimal menstrual cycle rhythm and help you get back on track.
No Menstrual cycle to follow?
Follow the phases of the moon as a general guideline. Days 1-14 (new moon to full moon), eat pumpkin seeds and flax seeds. Days 15-28 (full moon to new moon), eat sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
Raw, organic (when available help reduce pesticide exposure which can disrupt hormones) and ground seeds are best, especially flax and sesame. You can simply use a coffee/spice grinder/high-speed blender or food processor to grind the seeds. I recommend that you grind about a cup at a time and keep it in a glass jar in the fridge or freezer. This keeps the ground seeds fresh and tasting their best.
Think of your seeds like hormone-balancing sprinkles.
Some creative ways to use your seed cycling seed mix include:
Add to smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal or chia seed pudding
Sprinkle on toast, nourish bowls, salads or soups
Pesto with pumpkin and flax seeds
Homemade seed butter
Make homemade granola with pumpkin and flax or sesame and sesame seeds
When Will I See the Results from Seed Cycling?
Seed cycling can take some time to work with your body, depending on what other changes you’ve decided to make at the same time. It can take at least three months of daily use to start noticing the benefits. This is why it is recommended to track your cycle or symptoms in order to take note of progress.
Need Further Support?
Hormone balance is complex since there are so many factors that play into this delicate balance. Therefore, you must be diagnosed by your General practitioner or specialist. Naturopaths and herbalists treat the underlying causes of hormonal imbalances and can offer a range of different lifestyle recommendations, and functional testing options to see how your hormones in real-time, provide nutrition advice, targeted supplements and herbal preparations and more to help you through your hormonal concerns. Book a consultation with Meredith today to find out more.