Seed Cycling Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What do you eat seeds with seed cycling? ›

Seed cycling is quite simple. You incorporate 1-2 tbsps of pumpkin and flax seeds daily during the follicular of your cycle. Once you ovulate, you incorporate sunflower and sesame seeds daily during your luteal phase.

Most of the health and wellness gurus online say it takes three to four months to see the real benefits of seed cycling.

It will probably take at least one menstrual cycle before you see benefits from seed cycling, but it can really take up to three. So, while you might not feel immediate benefits (or notice any changes at all), as the seeds become a part of your regular diet, they may make small improvements over time.

It is simple, it's cheap and there are no problematic side effects: So-called Seed Cycling is a kind of natural hormone therapy that uses certain grains and seeds to help you achieve a regular cycle, less PMS symptoms, less fatigue or less hair loss.

Seed cycling can boost estrogen levels during the follicular phase, and progesterone levels during the luteal phase: In a typical 28-day cycle, the follicular phase lasts from day 1 to 14 (around the time of ovulation), and this when your body is producing oestrogen.

Seed cycling is the idea that certain types of seeds, such as pumpkin, flax, and chia, can help your body achieve hormone balance when eaten at certain times throughout your cycle and allegedly relieve hormone-related symptoms such as PMS, irregular periods, PCOS, cramps and generally help you feel better.

There was a recent study that came out too exhibiting the benefits of Seed Cycling for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which showed promising results including weight loss, ovarian cyst degeneration and improved hormone balance.

Chia seeds are a good source of essential minerals like magnesium, calcium, and zinc. These minerals are vital for various aspects of hormone health. For example, magnesium is required for the production of sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone, while zinc is involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones.

It can take about three months to see benefits. Keep a journal to mark your symptoms through your seed cycling experience and work with a doctor and health coach to help support you while you rebalance your hormones.

WHEN TO TAKE YOUR SEEDS. Seed cycling requires you to take pumpkin and flax seeds from the first day of your period until ovulation. Then when ovulation has finished you start to take sunflower and sesame. In a regular cycle (30ish days), ovulation normally occurs around 14 days before your period arrives.

How do you prepare seeds for seed cycling? ›

Take-Home Message: Consuming 10g ground flax seeds per day (about 1-1.5 TBSP) may help with a variety of hormonal issues as well as general health, and hasn't been found to have any negative effects, so is worth trying. The seeds should be ground and kept refrigerated. You can use either roasted or plain seeds.

There is no harm in consuming seeds as part of a healthy diet. However, it is important to keep in mind that seed cycling is not a proven or evidence-based intervention for hormonal imbalances.

Can seed cycling help with fertility issues? Plenty of anecdotal evidence abounds about seed cycling helping fertility issues, but the scientific evidence is lacking. However, there are a number of health benefits that can be realized by adding seeds to your diet that may or may not impact fertility issues.

One note of caution: increase your ground seed consumption slowly over a few days. The body doesn't like swift changes, so if you're sensitive and not used to eating this much fiber or fat at one time, it can lead to a little bloating, or fullness, or even temporary alterations in stool.

The most common version of seed cycling is to follow a 28-day cycle, assuming that ovulation happens on day 14. Here's how to do it: Eat 1-2 tablespoons each of ground flax and pumpkin seeds per day during days 1-14. Eat 1-2 tablespoons each of ground sunflower and sesame seeds per day during days 15-28.

Eating pumpkin and flax seeds during the first half of the menstrual cycle is believed to help prevent excess estrogen from building up and promote normal levels. Flax seeds contain a plant compound called lignans, which are a type of phytoestrogen, or plant compound that mimics the structure of estrogen.

Mix all the seeds together. *Add mishri powder (rock sugar), black pepper and some salt to taste. *Store in an airtight container at a cool dry place and consume about 1/2 tbsp seeds a day. Always roast each seed separately as they roast at different temperatures.

Seed cycling may reduce anovulatory cycles

The researchers found that there were a total of three anovulatory cycles among the 36 cycles the women experienced before eating flax seeds, and there were no anovulatory cycles after.