Seed Cycling for Balancing Hormones

We love a good kitchen medicine!

One of my favorite rituals for promoting hormone balance! Seed cycling is a gentle, yet effective way to naturally balance hormones, helping to reduce PMS symptoms, increase fertility, reduce hormonal imbalance symptoms, and promote menstruation if absent.

Incorporating this ritual on top of optimizing other factors like sleep, diet, and stress, will provide the best support for balancing hormones!

It is quite easy to incorporate seed cycling into your daily routine. Make sure to use raw seeds that are freshly ground. Add the seeds to any meal or sprinkle them on foods like yogurt, oatmeal, or salads.

🌸 Follicular phase: Starting on day 1 to day 14 (menstruation to ovulation)

1-2 tbsp of flaxseed + 1-2 tbsp of pumpkin seed

Flaxseed and pumpkin seeds will promote healthy estrogen levels as well as prevent excess estrogen. Flaxseed contains lignans, which acts as a binder to eliminate excess estrogen. Pumpkin seeds are a healthy source of zinc, which helps promote progesterone production as you move towards the luteal phase.

🌸 Luteal phase: From day 15 to day 28 (ovulation to menstruation)

1-2 tbsp of sesame seed + 1-2 tbsp of sunflower seed

Sesame and sunflower seeds will promote optimal levels of progesterone and prevent excess estrogen. Sesame seeds contain both zinc for promoting progesterone production as well as lignans for binding to excess estrogen. Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, which boosts progesterone production, as well as selenium, which is a key nutrient in making glutathione for liver detoxification (which helps eradicate excess estrogens)

If your cycle is longer than 28 days, still do 14 days for each phase! This will gently nudge your cycle into an optimal rhythm.

Be patient as for some it may take around 3 months of seed cycling to notice any changes.  Incorporating this ritual on top of optimizing other factors like sleep, diet, and stress, will provide the best support for hormone imbalances.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider before incorporating any new supplement or change to your routine.