Balancing Hormones with Seed Cycling

Seeds are a nutrient powerhouse and when take correctly they can help in balancing a woman's reproductive hormones especially Estrogen and Progesterone that regulate your cycle. The typical symptoms of menstrual cramps, back aches, PMS, low energy, irregular cycles, uterine fibroids and more are in part due to hormonal imbalance, in particular an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone.

Seed cycling works to benefit the regularity and health of the entire cycle by supporting our hormone production, binding and metabolism. Different seeds contain different types and amounts lignans and essential fatty acids. Lignans help our body bind up excess hormones, whereas fatty acids help with our hormone production

• Flax and sesame seeds are full of lignans, which block excess estrogens.
• Sunflower seeds are high in selenium, a trace mineral that is essential for the liver detoxification
• Pumpkin seeds high in zinc, which supports progesterone release

Its a good idea to eat seeds in the following order:

• Day 1-14: 1 Tbsp freshly ground flax seeds and pumpkin seeds daily
• Day 15-menses: 1 Tbsp freshly ground sunflower and sesame seeds daily

Brief about Menstrual Cycle Hormone Balance

The female reproductive cycle involves an interplay of hormones that normally results in cyclical changes in the ovaries and uterus. Each cycle takes approximately 28 days to complete and involves the development and release of an egg from the ovaries and the pr

Separation of the uterus to receive a fertilized egg. If fertilization doesn’t occur, the endometrial (uterine) lining is lost through menstruation (day 1). Estrogen and progesterone are two of the key hormones that regulate this cycle. Estrogen levels increase during the first part of the cycle; whereas, progesterone levels increase while estrogen levels slowly decrease during the last part of the cycle. It is the imbalance of estrogen and progesterone throughout the cycle that contributes to the symptoms of PMS, menstrual cramps and irregular cycles.

Source: drkristy