Seed Cycling - What is it and How Can it Help?

Being a woman can be a challenge for lots of reasons, not least of which being our trusted (or not) monthly cycle. Realistically, all humans, male and female, old and young, have rhythmic cycling of hormones but women seem to feel the effects much more acutely than men. Many of us don’t even know what is happening to our bodies over the course of a “monthly” cycle, we just know that there we are uncomfortable and want chocolate more than usual. In fact, what’s happening is a delicate balance of hormone production that affects everything from our skin to our mood to our general wellness and everything in between.

Seed cycling is nutrition-based treatment that can help support the balance of hormones that regulate our our menstrual cycles, making sure that we are getting the micronutrients we need for balanced hormone production. Seed cycling involves eating flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds at specific times throughout your cycle, to promote hormonal balance.

Basically, during the first phase of your cycle, known as the follicular phase, the body produces (mainly) estrogen to prepare for ovulation. This first phase begins on the first day of your period and continues for approximately fourteen days, on average. The second phase of the cycle, or the luteal phase, is typically characterized by a temporary drop in estrogen and an increase in progesterone levels. The interplay of both hormones are important for the menstrual cycle to function properly and to ensure fertility. During the follicular phase, seed cycling recommends eating one tablespoon each of ground flaxseed and ground pumpkin seeds to increase estrogen production. During the luteal phase, the recommendation is to eat one tablespoon each of ground sunflower and ground sesame seeds to encourage progesterone production.

While most women produce adequate hormone levels for a normal, healthy cycle, seed cycling can be helpful for women who have hormone imbalances, such as irregular menstrual cycles, polycystic ovarian syndrome or hypothyroidism. A hormone imbalance of estrogen and progesterone can lead to acne, painful periods, and tender breasts, among other issues.

 Seed cycling is also good for women who are menopausal as it helps modulate estrogen. In particular, flaxseed is the most effective at increasing estrogen production and women report fewer hot flashes, reduced vaginal dryness, and better mood stability. Some evidence also suggests that flaxseed can improve hormone metabolism.

Many women who have tried seed cycling report seeing improvements in their menstrual cycles or menopausal symptoms after approximately three months of seed cycling. However, there is not much scientific data to back up the claims associated with this method of hormone regulation. There have only been very few studies done into its effectiveness and most of the studies returned inconclusive findings. Even with limited data to back up the effectiveness of seed cycling as a way of assisting with hormone imbalances, the seeds are very healthy for you and it certainly doesn’t do any harm to attempt to add them into your diet. Eating all of the seeds ground is recommended for the best absorption of nutrients to promote hormone production but the pumpkin and sunflower seeds can be enjoyed whole if you prefer. You can add ground seeds to smoothies, salad dressing, oatmeal, yogurt, and chia pudding for increased nutritional value.

Struggling with hormone imbalances can be difficult and frustrating, as it can impact many areas of our lives. Seed cycling is one way to try to encourage healthy hormone production in your body but if you need more help, Dr. Simone Sturm at Denver Holistic Medicine has other holistic practices to help regulate your hormones and assist with fertility and menopausal symptoms. Even if you are outside of the Denver area, her new telemedicine services allow her to help you find solutions to your hormonal problems without even coming into the office. Contact us today to see what we can do for you.