Seed Cycling

Seed cycling is a naturopathic remedy that is claimed to balance hormones by regulating the hormone estrogen in the first half of your menstrual cycle and the hormone progesterone in the second half.

The most common method instructs women to eat 1 tablespoon each of freshly ground flax and pumpkin seeds per day for the first 13–14 days of their menstrual cycle, which is known as the follicular phase.

During the second half of their cycle, which is known as the luteal phase, seed cyclers eat 1 tablespoon each of ground sunflower and sesame seeds per day until the first day of their next period when their cycle starts again.

For menopausal and postmenopausal women without a regular menstrual cycle, it’s often recommended to use the phases of the moon as a guide to cycle dates, with day one of their cycle falling on the new moon.

By supporting your hormones in a cyclical way, you can expect your cycle to be more regular and because you are tracking your cycle more closely, you will be able to find areas where you may need more support consistently each cycle.

One of my favorite ways to make seed cycling easy and delicious is to make these energy bites. Each recipe makes enough for a daily bite each day for 2 weeks if stored in the refrigerator. If you're not sure about where you are in your schedule, I suggest starting your follicular protocol on the new moon and the luteal protocol on the full moon. 

For more information on cycle tracking, cycle awareness and reconnecting with your natural cycles, check out my previous posts!