As women, our hormones truly do run the show of our lives, for better or for worse. If our hormones are not in balance or are dysregulated, this can wreak absolute havoc on our bodies and minds, causing anything from mood swings, low sex drive, fatigue, painful PMS, missing, heavy, and/or irregular periods, to name a few. However, if our hormones are happy and balanced, we are able to live our best lives every day!
While there are many ways to tackle hormonal imbalances, an easy and natural way to bring your hormones back into balance is through the foods that you eat. During each of the four phases of your menstrual cycle, there are different nutrients that you want to be incorporating in your day-to-day so that your hormonal system can function properly. If your hormonal system is functioning as it should, this leads to you feeling energized, having a healthy sex drive, stable moods, zero PMS, and regular periods. I don't know about you, but this is how I want to be feeling all of the time! Today I am going to share a natural and delicious method to help you balance your hormones that's been gaining popularity because of how beneficial it is and how easy it is to implement.
Allow me to introduce Seed Cycling:
There are four different seeds that contain the specific nutrients that our bodies need for hormonal support in each phase of our menstrual cycle; flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. Throughout the 4(ish) week course of a woman's menstrual cycle, there are several hormones that run the show, with estrogen and progesterone being the stars of the show. During any given point in your cycle these hormones are either increasing or decreasing, so essentially, you want to be eating foods that are supporting either the increase or the decrease of these hormones. If your body doesn't produce enough of the hormone or you have an excess of these hormones, this is where you will notice the not-so-favorable side effects that I mentioned above.
Let's break it down:
During the first half of the cycle (Your Follicular Phase), Estrogen is on the rise as our bodies prepare for ovulation. During this time, you want to eat seeds that will help promote the healthy production of estrogen in your body. Consuming both flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds will do just that! Estrogen is the "feel good" hormone and it defines our femininity. It's what gives our skin that healthy glow, gives us energy, stabilizes our moods, gives us a healthy sex drive, and just keeps us feeling good. Some refer to estrogen as "nature's prozac." However, if we don't have enough estrogen being produced OR if we have too much estrogen being stored in our bodies, this is when we start to feel things like low energy, fatigue, low sex drive, moody, anxious, etc. Over time, if we develop too much estrogen, it can lead to more serious issues such as breast, endometrial, and cervical cancer. So as you can see, having balanced estrogen is very important. By adding in both flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds to your daily diet, you will be one step closer to keeping your estrogen levels right where they need to be.
In the second half of the cycle (Your Luteal Phase), estrogen levels begin to decline and Progesterone levels begin to rise. During this phase, you want to consume seeds that will help flush out excess estrogen and promote the healthy production of progesterone. When you have enough progesterone, you will hardly even notice that your period is even coming because PMS is not part of the equation, it will be easy for you to maintain your weight, getting enough sleep is effortless, and your moods are stable. On the flip side, if you don't have enough progesterone, this is what leads to symptoms such as PMS, infertility, night sweats, sleepless nights, and anxiety. In order to keep the progesterone train moving along the tracks, you will want to incorporate sesame seeds and sunflower seeds into your daily diet.
How to Seed Cycle:
On days 1 to 15/16, consume 1 tablespoon each of flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds
Starting on day 15/16, switch over to consuming sunflower and sesame seeds until the end of your cycle, which is the last day before you bleed. For reference, day 1 of your cycle is the first day you start bleeding and the last day of your cycle is the final day before you start bleeding again.
It's that simple! I love adding flaxseeds into my daily smoothies, making homemade energy balls or granola, and just sprinkling in these seeds into whatever else I'm eating! They make excellent additions to salads, quinoa bowls, etc.
Some Disclaimers:
Every woman's cycle length is different, so the length of your follicular phase may vary. Your follicular phase starts on the first day you bleed and ends on the day you ovulate. For most women, ovulation falls around day 15/16, but you will need to track your cycle in order to know the specific date you ovulate. Stay tuned for upcoming blog article where we explore how to track your ovulation.
Even if you don't know the specific date that you ovulate, you can absolutely start seed cycling today! All of these seeds have benefits, so there is no downside to having a few extra days of either seed combo.
If you do have an imbalance of estrogen or progesterone, seed cycling alone isn't going to bring your hormones back into balance. However, it is definitely a step in the right direction! If you want to learn more about how to bring your hormones back into balance, I offer a one-on-one on one mentorship where we will deep dive this together.
In closing, having balanced hormones is the key to feeling like your best self, all of the time!
So, if you're looking for an easy and natural way to support your hormonal health and overall health, give seed cycling a try! It's a simple and tasty way to give your body the nutrients it needs to keep your hormonal system running smoothly. And happy hormones, means a happy YOU!
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