Do you know about seed cycling? It is Among the most popular wellness practices is this one, which supports hormones, and for good reason. Hormone imbalances are becoming a growing problem for women.
The hormonal system in women is a complex one that maintains a fine equilibrium. However, your nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress levels, and environmental contaminants have a significant impact on these hormones. This means that any of these elements could upset the delicate balance of your hormones. In turn, a minor hormonal imbalance might turn out to be the root cause of other health issues, such as irregular menstrual cycles, acne, PCOS, thyroid problems, and chronic fatigue.
One of the simplest and most efficient ways to support your hormones is through seed cycling. This straightforward technique supports healthy hormone levels, lessens PMS symptoms, increases fertility, and can help trigger menstruation if it isn’t happening.
How Does It Work?
To support a healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone, seed cycling is the practice of consuming particular seeds during the two main phases of your menstrual cycle (follicular and luteal).
There are two phases in seed cycling – the Follicular Phase and the Luteal Phase. The follicular phase of seed cycling lasts from the first day of a woman’s period to her period of ovulation, which for the majority of women is 2 weeks. Ovulation in most cases occurs between days 10-14. The second phase is the Luteal phase which commences at the end of ovulation to the start of the next period; hence another 2 weeks.
Seed cycling for PCOS involves 4 seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. In the Follicular Phase i.e day 1 of the period to day 14 of the cycle, a woman should consume pumpkin and flax seeds. In the Luteal Phase which is from day 14 to day 28 (an average menstrual cycle is 28 days), sunflower and sesame seeds should be consumed.
The ideal way to consume these is on an empty stomach, with 2 tablespoons of raw, ground seeds with water or with meals if it’s not feasible to consume on an empty stomach for some people.
AN ADDITIONAL SEED: Chia seeds have been known to have omega 3s and excellent fiber it is recommended for women to consume these, in addition to the 4 for seed cycling as it helps with insulin resistance, hair fall, and testosterone levels something that most women with PCOS suffer from.
The 4 basic seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, are high in fiber, and have scores of valuable nutrients and vitamins in them. They help in regulating the hormones and studies have shown that most women that follow seed cycling were able to manage their weight, and PCOS symptoms and even conceive a child as infertility is a big issue in women with PCOS.
