Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance: 

Many women are suffering with the effects of hormonal imbalances such as:

changes in mood | sleep disturbances | painful menstruation| low libido | vaginal dryness | brain fog | weight gain| fatigue and overwhelm| hot flushes| digestive issues | endometriosis…and the list goes on!

Seed cycling on it's own is not going to fully resolve all of your symptoms, however it is a great way of supporting the body to regain hormonal balance.

It feels important to me to make that 'truth bomb drop', as I am not an advocate of quick fix solutions or promises. But, I am an advocate for holistic and sustainable ways in which we can support our health and wellbeing, which seed cycling is!

Regardless of whether you have your own menstrual cycle or not, seed cycling is a natural and simple way to help balance hormones for all women. It was particularly helpful for me when I transitioned into surgical menopause following my hysterectomy. I just wish I found out about it sooner.

When you start seed cycling you are supporting your body with the production of sex hormones progesterone and estrogen. Aside from supporting reproduction these hormones are also neuroprotective and are super important when it comes to our brain health and the health of our gut lining.  

What you will need:

• Organic Pumpkin Seeds

• Organic Cold Milled Flax Seeds. NOTE: Flaxseeds are also called Linseeds 

• Organic Sesame Seeds.

• Organic Sunflower Seeds 

General advice: 

• Grind your seeds (if possible). This will make them easier to digest, especially flax seeds. Flax seeds are widely available to purchase ‘cold milled.’ For the rest you can get a grinder to ground them up for you. These are widely available on Amazon, ensure that you get one that states it will grind seeds. 

• Sesame Seeds are available both hulled (shells removed) and unhulled (hulls intact). Unhulled are higher in calcium, which has been shown to reduce premenstrual symptoms in the luteal phase. However, unhulled are also high in oxalates which may not be appropriate for some people for example those susceptible to kidney stones. Please check with your medical practitioner if you are unsure.  

• Use organic seeds where possible. 

• Raw seeds have the highest density of nutrients, so use raw seeds where you can as opposed to roasted.

• Keep your seeds in the refrigerator or freezer. This will help preserve the polyunsaturated fats in seeds.

How To Do It: 

You simply add 1-2 tablespoons of the relevant seeds to your daily diet, depending on where you are in your cycle. You can follow your natural menstrual cycle or if you do not have a natural cycle simply be guided by the moon. The button below will take you to the Moon Phase Calendar app that I use to track the moon's phases. There are many others available.

The image below shows the seed cycle:

The Follicular Phase | New Moon - Full Moon

From Day 1 of your cycle (first day of your bleed) to Ovulation or New Moon to Full Moon

Consume 1-2 tablespoons each of flax seeds &  pumpkin seeds per day.

During this phase we need more estrogen (to build up the uterine lining).  These seeds contain fibre, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc.

The Luteal Phase | Full Moon - New Moon 

Ovulation - Menstruation or Full Moon - New Moon 

Consume 1-2 tablespoons each of sesame and sunflower seeds per day.

During this phase we need more progesterone. These seeds support progesterone levels and contain calcium, omega 6 fatty acids, selenium and magnesium.

Frequency and consistency. 

I highly recommend that you remain consistent with seed cycling for a minimum of 3 -4 months. After this time you can if you choose to take a break and resume if/when you feel symptoms reoccur.  Alternatively you can maintain the practice for as long as you desire to. 

I also recommend that you keep a journal / notes of any changes you are experiencing during your seed cycling journey. 

Create a habit to ensure you remember to consume the seeds each day. 

Make it as easy as possible for yourself, you can purchase ready made seed cycling kits online, such as this one on amazon. You can also purchase seed cycling friendly snack bars etc. from various companies. These are super convenient but not necessarily budget friendly for all of us. I currently get my seeds from Buy Whole Foods Online.

Get Creative:

Feel free to have some fun and get creative with how you consume your seeds. Add them to salads, soups, smoothies or get baking! 

Working with Nature:

Seed cycling is another example of how Mother Nature has our backs when it comes to our health and wellbeing. The seeds themselves are a gift from the Earth with their powerful healing nutrients, oils and vitamins that support our endocrine systems. I also view this as a way of connecting with nature and her healing qualities.

All life and nutrition begin with a seed. Each seed contains more nutrients per-part than what it eventually grows into. So, why not extract those nutrients straight from the source? Rain International has taken this logic to the next level and created something life changing. Their cold pressed nutrient dense seed supplements offer amazing support for the body. You can find out more on my website.

Nature also gives us the Moon that provides us with the ebbs and flows of her cycle similar to that of our own menstrual cycles. 

I invite you to take a moment right now to give nature some gratitude for all of her gifts! Followed on by focusing gratitude towards you and your AMAZING body! 

Happy Seed Cycling! 

Invitation to join my Vagina Truth Bomb Community

If you have found this blog valuable and would like to know more about similar topics then I warmly invite you to join my Vagina Truth Bomb Community.

My community is lovingly open to women who are called to join Vagina Truth Bomb on our mission to change the narratives surrounding women's health and to regain agency over our body, health and wellbeing. 

Much love Amy x