Seed Cycling

I am sure you have seen “Seed Cycling” as a dietary trend over the past few years. There is alot of controversy around this concept and the big question is does it truly work? I am going to speak to you today from personal experience with seed cycling. A little background, i was diagnosed with a hormonal imbalance in 2023. I dealt with irritability, mood swings, fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and very irregular menstrual cycles. As a result of these symptoms, i began seed cycling to regulate my cycles to improve overall symptoms.

Now, you are probably wondering what exactly is seed cycling? Seed cycling is rotating different seeds during different phases of the menstrual cycle to regulate the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Seed cycling begins on the first day of your menstrual cycle in the follicular phase. The follicular phase is the first phase of the cycle beginning on day one of menstruation and ending around ovulation. This phase is anywhere between 1-16 days and you will want to consume 1-2 Tbsp of flax and pumpkin seeds everyday. 

Next, the luteal phase. This is the second phase of your cycle being from day 16-29. This is the time between ovulation and your next menstrual cycle. In this phase, you will want to consume 1-2 Tbsp of sunflower and sesame seeds everyday. During both phases, the goal is to increase estrogen and progesterone to help support the balance of these hormones. The rotation of seeds also prevents excess build up of these hormones and allows for overall regulation. 

Research has shown that seed cycling has not been proven to directly benefit hormone regulation but can regulate progesterone and estrogen during a menstrual cycle. I encourage you to try this for 2-3 months and analyze any differences within your cycles. Seeds are beneficial to our overall health as they are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. So, even if you feel this is out of your interest, i encourage you to try incorporating these seeds into your every day diet.