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Health Benefits of Seed Cycling
Seed rotation diets help support balanced hormone levels, reduce PMS symptoms and boost fertility
Have you heard of Seed Cycling? Seeds cycling, is also known as a seed rotation diet. And, by regulating hormonal secretion, PCOs and other health conditions can be treated. This practice is now considered among the top wellness practices for hormone supporting diet for a good reason. Women’s hormones work in a delicate balance as it is a very complex system. Moreover, these hormones are greatly affected by your whole lifestyle including diet, exercise, sleep, stress levels, and environmental toxins.
“Believed” and “thought” are both keywords when speaking about seed cycling and its advantages.
There is no scientific backing to support seed cycling’s effectiveness in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO). However, seed cycling reviews suggest that it can alleviate symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, fatigue, etc.
An unfavorable surge in male hormones causes PCO symptoms. To cope with PCOs, lifestyle and nutritional changes are essential. Diet and physical movement are two effective methods for losing weight.
It is more beneficial to roast and grind the seeds or to soak them overnight, as this involves using minerals and vitamins to maintain hormonal balance.
How to start Seed Cycling
In the seeds cycling scheme, women must take two tablespoons of seeds like pumpkin, flax, sunflower, and sesame seeds.
You can also blend them with other food items, like milkshakes or cornflakes.
Follicular Phase of Seed Cycling: During this time, you must take one tablespoon of pumpkin, and flax seeds. This phase is almost two weeks long for most women.
Days 1-14 of Your Cycle
- 1-2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons ground pumpkin seeds
Luteal Phase of Seed Cycling: Take one tablespoon of sunflower and sesame seeds per day for the specified period. It also lasts for almost two weeks.
Days 15-28 of Your Cycle
- 1-2 tablespoons ground sunflower seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons ground sesame seeds
What if You have an Irregular Cycle or Amenorrhea
It’s possible. Instead of rotating with the phases of your cycling, you’ll track 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.
Hormonal Imbalances
You should still keep in mind that seed cycling isn’t a magic bullet. Hormonal imbalances are often caused by digestion issues, blood sugar imbalances, stress, inadequate fat, and protein intake, and environmental toxins (such as your cleaning and skincare products). The zinc content of pumpkin seeds is high. In the body, zinc plays an essential role in secreting progesterone.
Meanwhile, flaxseeds have nutritional constituents phytoestrogen. You may also call them lignans, and good antioxidants. As a result of their reaction to excess estrogen, these lignans assist the body in eliminating it. It regulates or maintains the hormonal balance.
Research indicates that flaxseeds help in lengthening the luteal phase. Furthermore, sesame seeds contain lignans that help to block excess estrogen during the second phase of your cycle when progesterone is rising.
Both flax and pumpkin seeds contain a high level of omega-3 fatty acids. Blood flow to the uterus is increased by omega-3s, and progesterone secretion is increased. Omega-3s also help maintain healthy cell membranes. In addition, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, and flax seeds provide vitamin E, omega-3s, and omega-6s which are crucial for hormone production and follicle development. Sunflower seeds, high in the trace mineral selenium, support estrogen detoxification in the liver. This helps decrease excess estrogen during the luteal phase when estrogen drops and progesterone rises.
How long does it take to see the results?
Seed cycling takes time to work with your body. It can take at least three months of daily use to start observing the benefits. The truth is, it’s entirely up to you. Seed cycling is such an easy and mild way to naturally support your hormone balance daily, you may want to consider it. I endorse taking it month-by-month. The process of the seeding cycle becomes much more manageable when you make a monthly goal for it.
