Seed cycling is something that has been popping up a lot for me lately and I thought it was a great chance to talk about it for all you women out there looking to improve the health of your hormones. Seed cycling can assist with irregular periods, PMS, fatigue, anxiety, bloating, mood swings, food cravings and even breakouts. Many women look for a natural way to balance hormones, and this style works by simply adding pumpkin, flax, sunflower, or sesame seeds.

How it works?

Oestrogen and progesterone are two key hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle. Oestrogen levels rise during the first half of the cycle (follicular phase), whereas progesterone levels rise in the second half of your cycle (luteal phase).

If you have an irregular cycle, this is where seed cycling comes in. It’s essentially the addition of different seeds to your diet daily during different phases of the menstrual cycle to promote a healthy balance of hormones in the body. This ranges from progesterone production, blocking excess oestrogen and hormone metabolism.

What to do?

The first phase of your cycle is called the Follicular Phase (day 1-14) During these fourteen days, it’s best to have a daily hit of:

1 tbsp. freshly ground flax seeds: full of lignans that block any excess oestrogen.
1 tbsp. freshly ground pumpkin seeds: high in zinc which supports progesterone production.

The second phase of your cycle is called the Luteal Phase (day 15-28) During these fourteen days, it’s best to have a daily hit of:

1 tbsp. freshly ground sunflower seeds: high in selenium for hormone metabolism and liver detoxification.
1 tbsp. freshly ground sesame seeds: full of lignans that block excess oestrogen (you can also get this from tahini)

What if I’m not getting my period?

Follow the moon cycle by following the chart below

How to get creative with taking your seeds?

Adding to your smoothieAdding to your porridge Make a pesto Make a seed butter to enjoy on fruit Yogurt parfait Bliss balls

If you don’t have the time to make your own seed cycling mix you can purchase seed cycling mixes from yonuts > https://yonuts.com.au

If you are still looking for more personalised advice, please book an appointment with me and we can tailor you an individual plan to suit you and your needs.