Seed Cycling to aid in menstrual cycle regulation.
by Hannah Edmond, ND
March is National Women’s History Month! In celebration of all the powerful women in the world, we are sharing with you a recipe for seed cycling. Seed cycling uses nutrition to help balance the female body's dominant hormones, estrogen and progesterone. This helps to regulate the menstrual cycle throughout the month.
The menstrual cycle is divided into two phases:
Follicular: This phase starts on day 1 of menses (the 1st day of bleeding) and ends at the start of ovulation (around day 14). The dominant hormone during this phase is estrogen.
To support estrogen production during this phase consume the following:
-1 TBSP of pumpkin seeds per day
-1 TBSP of flax seeds per day
2. Luteal: This phase starts right after the start of ovulation. This time varies for all individuals, but most commonly starts around day 14 and ends the day before the 1st day of bleeding (around day 28-32). The dominant hormone during this phase is progesterone.
To support progesterone production during this phase consume the following:
-1 TBSP of sesame seeds per day
-1 TBSP of sunflower seeds per day
Here is recipe for energy power balls that you can add seeds to:
Ingredients:
Makes 7 energy balls
½ cup of your favorite nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.)
1 TBSP of honey
14 TBSP of ground seeds (i.e. 7 TBSP of pumpkin seeds plus 7 TSBP of flax seeds during the follicular phase)
Optional add ins:
Cacao nibs
Coconut flakes
Hemp seeds
Cranberries
Instructions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl and divide into 7 individual balls.
Eat 1 ball per day for your daily serving of seeds.
You can put the energy balls in the refrigerator or freezer to keep longer.
Dr. Hannah Edmond received her doctorate in Naturopathic medicine at National University of Natural Medicine in 2021. She completed her first year of residency in general internal medicine at NUNM’s clinic where she was resident on the GI Mentor Shift with Dr. Sandberg-Lewis.
Hive Mind Medicine blog posts are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your health care practitioner for personalized guidance.