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seed cycling

Have you heard about seed cycling to improve your hormones? Find all about it here!

As a woman, our hormones are constantly in flux, which isn’t inherently a bad thing. The smallest things can interrupt our chemical messengers — from what we eat and drink to how much sleep we’re getting — and sometimes we need a little extra support to get things back on track. This is where seed cycling can be helpful.

When it comes to hormones, you’re likely to try anything to feel better and at Lee Acupuncture in Newport Beach, we have a myriad of solutions to your hormone imbalance. Learn more about seed cycling in today’s post. 

Managing Hormones

There are many ways that women can improve their hormone balance, and there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to what works best. Many women have found great success with acupuncture and Chinese herbs that are tailored to their cycles and the symptoms they experience in relation to their hormones.

If you’re looking for a gentle approach to better manage your hormones at home, seed cycling is a great way to tackle them!

What Is Seed Cycling?

Seed cycling promotes hormone balance through the two stages of your cycle: the follicular phase and the luteal phase. Seeds are the perfect food to implement because they contain healthy compounds that support estrogen and progesterone throughout your cycle to help you manage PMS, increase fertility, and ease symptoms of endometriosis and PCOS. Let’s examine the phases of your cycle a little more in-depth.

Follicular Phase – This phase begins the first day of your period and is considered day 1-14 in your cycle. 

Luteal Phase – This phase begins right after ovulation, or days 15-28 in your cycle. 

In the follicular phase, estrogen levels begin to taper to prepare for ovulation. To help balance ideal estrogen levels, the seeds you’ll want to take in this phase are flax and pumpkin seeds. If estrogen gets too high, the lignans in flax bind to estrogen to help remove it. Pumpkin seeds are consumed because they’re high in zinc and can assist with progesterone support in the luteal phase. 

Recommended seeds for the follicular phase include:

  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 tbsp ground pumpkin seed

The luteal phase marks a major drop in estrogen right after ovulation, while progesterone rises to help build the uterine lining. Estrogen will then begin to increase to prepare for the menstrual cycle. If you suffer from PMS or menstrual cramps, this is when estrogen gets too high, and progesterone is the hormone that does this. 

This is where a good balance of estrogen and progesterone are needed, so we incorporate sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Sesame seeds are high in selenium and zinc and can block excess estrogen, whereas sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E which help support healthy progesterone levels.

Recommended seeds for the luteal phase include:

  • 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground sunflower seeds

Seeds are a simple way to get your hormones balanced and in a better place and are a great complement to acupuncture and Chinese herbs. 

For more information on how our acupuncture clinic can help you in your hormone journey, connect with us today!   

 

  

 

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