Seed Cycling for Hormonal balance simplified

What is seed cycling?

Seed Cycling is the eating of specific sets of seeds during the two phases of your menstrual cycle. It provides an easy way for women to harness the healing power of food which improves their well being by supporting and maintaining the delicate balance of hormones in their bodies.

How to seed cycle when your periods are missing (Amenorrhea)

It is common for women with cases of Hormonal imbalance to ask this particular question: “I haven’t had my period for 3 months or more, how do I know when I should start doing seed cycling in order to balance my hormones?”

There are two effective approaches to this challenge. The first approach involves observing the phases of the moon and doing seed cycling in accordance to that. While the second method involves starting with a period inducing concoction.

Moon Phases Approach
Take a tablespoon of Pumpkin + Flax seeds from New Moon (day 1) to Full Moon (day 14), then a tablespoon of Sesame + Sunflower from Full Moon (Day 15) to New Moon (Day 28). Our bodies are believed to be in synch with the moon’s energies, which informs this technique.

Period Stimulating Approach
The second method involves taking natural period inducers. One should start with a daily dose of a concoction made out of dill seeds or fenugreek seeds with Black Strap Molasses, ginger and either dried hibiscus flowers or lemon. To simplify your work, Eastnat Dawa can be used in place of lemon and ginger. A concoction made of the above products is known to naturally induce your periods. We have had a series of success cases since 2016.

When your period finally comes, which should be in a few days or weeks of using the period inducing concoction, of course depending on each person’s level of Hormonal imbalance, one should immediately start on seed cycling.

Understanding your cycle

In order to seed cycle correctly, determine the average length of your cycle, that being the number of days from the first day you begin to bleed to the last day before you begin to bleed again.

The average length of your full cycle could be 28, 30, 34, 33 or 24 like myself. Basically divide that by two and take a combination of Pumpkin and Flax seeds are taken during the first half, which is the follicular phase, followed by Sunflower and Sesame seeds on the last half, which is the leutal phase.

Pumpkin and Flax seeds are best taken during the follicular stage because they support and regulate the estrogen dominant follicular phase, where the Follicle stimulating hormone as well as leutenizing hormones are abundant. Sesame and Sunflower seeds are best taken during the Leutal phase as they support increase in progesterone which rises in anticipation for fertilization and implantation.

Fig 1: Seed Cycling Schedule, based on a 28 day cycle

Why Hormonal imbalance occurs
Hormonal imbalance occurs and progresses over time and is often a result of diet, physical inactivity, stress, sleep deprivation, presence of toxins in our environment as well as genetic predisposition. Corrective action takes time as well. As such, one has to repeat it over several cycles in order to reap the benefits of seed cycling, the minimum number of cycles being four. Consistency is highly recommended.

How to make seed cycling fun

Add seeds to smoothies
Make energy/protein bars
Add seeds to nut butters
Sprinkle on salads
Add into breakfast cereals

How to store seeds
Seeds are best stored whole in an air toght container plaved on a cool dry place. Grinding for a single day’s use is recommended . Storing ground seeds exposes the seeds to oxidation, which affects the delicate bioavailable oils, lignans and phytoestrogens. If you have to grind, do so enough for a week only. Portion for daily use and store each day’s ground seeds in separate air tight containers, refregitared or frozen. This minimises oxidation.

What are the benefits of seed cycling