Balancing Hormones Through Seed Cycling
Have you heard of seed cycling? Learn all about this delicious and easy way to bring your hormones back into balance naturally so that you can get relief from symptoms such as painful menses, bloat, acne, PMS and more.
What Is Seed Cycling?
Seed cycling/seed rotation is an old naturopathic therapy that utilizes nutrition, in this case seeds, to support the body’s production, detoxification, and metabolism of hormones with the intention of bringing the hormones back in balance.
Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds are taken in the first half of the cycle and sunflower and sesame seeds are taken during the second half.
How Does Seed Cycling Work?
When Hippocrates (The Father of Medicine) said, “Let Food Be Thy Medicine,” this is what he meant.
The first half of the menstrual cycle is estrogen dominant. The combination of flax and pumpkin seeds taken in the first half of the cycle work to detox any excess estrogen while priming the body for adequate progesterone production in the second half of the cycle.

Symptoms Of Estrogen Dominance
Excess estrogen can be associated with the following symptoms
- Breast tenderness
- Mood Swings
- Hair Loss
- Weight Gain especially around the waistline
- Fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Ovarian Cysts
- Water Retention
- PMS
- Hair Loss
The second half of the menstrual cycle is supposed to be progesterone dominant. The combination of sesame and sunflower seeds taken in the second half of the cycle work to promote progesterone production.

Symptoms Of Low Progesterone
Low progesterone levels manifest in symptoms like estrogen dominance plus
- Short Cycles
- Menstrual Cramps
- Mid Cycle Spotting
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
How To Do Seed Cycling
Menstrual Phase And Follicular Phase Seeds
On day 1 of your cycle up until ovulation (approx. day 14) eat 1 tablespoon each of Ground Raw flax and pumpkin seeds. So that’s 2 tablespoons daily. Add it to your quinoa porridge, smoothies, sprinkle it on your salad, oatmeal, etc.
Ovulation Phase And Follicular Phase Seeds
From day 15 to 28/30 eat 1 tablespoon each of Ground Raw sesame and sunflower seeds. So that’s 2 tablespoons daily. Add it to your smoothie bowl, sprinkle it on yogurt, oatmeal, salads, etc.
How Each Seed Works To Benefit Your Hormones
Let’s take a closer look at each of the seeds in the seed cycling rotation and how they can benefit your body:

Seed Cycling: Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are high in Omega 3 fatty acids and lignans, a phytoestrogen that stops your body from producing excess estrogen.
How It Works: Once you have eaten flax seeds and it arrives in your gut, gut bacteria gets to work converting the lignans in flax to enterolactone and enterodiol. These go into your estrogen receptors and block them from creating excess estrogen.
Seed Cycling: Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are high in Omega 6 fatty acids and zinc which is crucial for reproduction and healthy immune function.
Seed Cycling: Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are high in Omega 3 fatty acids and lignans which are anti
estrogenic.
How It Works: What makes sunflower seeds important for the second phase of the cycle and set them apart from flax seeds is that sunflower seeds aid in the bioavailability of the Vitamin E found in sesame seeds.
Seed Cycling: Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are high in Omega 6 fatty acids and Vitamin E which is essential for fertility.
Seed Cycling FAQs
Click the Question below to read the answer and for more information:
- Irregular periods
- Painful periods
- PMS (includes mood swings, bloat, headaches)
- Heavy flow
- Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and insomnia
- Symptoms of PCOS, Endometriosis and Fibroids
- Balancing hormones post pill
Who Should Not Do Seed Cycling?
When To Start Seed Cycling/Seed Rotation?
How Do I Do Seed Cycling If My Menstrual Cycle Is Irregular?
Scenario A:
So let’s say your cycle length is usually 31 days but this month you had a death in the family which brought on sudden stress around the time of ovulation. You can expect that your cycle may be longer than usual if the stress delayed ovulation. This is NOT an irregular cycle.
Scenario B:
If however one month your cycle is 40 days then the next 49 then 27 etc. etc., you can consider that this IS an irregular cycle.
- elevated stress levels from a sub-optimal diet and other negative stress triggers
- over exercise and under eating
- PCOS
- if you’re just coming off hormonal birth control
- peri- menopause
- thyroid irregularities
Also if you’re a teen who has just started her menstrual cycle it’s pretty common to have irregular cycles as your body gets into the rhythm of things.
How To Do Seed Cycling If Your Cycle Truly Is Irregular
• Phase 1 seeds – New Moon
• Phase 2 seeds – Full Moon
If your cycle started off as irregular and since seed cycling has ‘normalised’ you can choose to stop using the moon calendar and follow your own cycle. The choice is yours!
I have given you all the information I know on seed cycling now the decision is yours to make. You know what’s best for your body.
Can I Eat Other Nuts And Seeds While Seed Cycling?
Most women in my practice have seen massive improvement in their symptoms when following seed cycling for at least 3 cycles. That said seed cycling is not a magic bullet. A healthy diet and lifestyle are needed if you are to see an improvement in your symptoms. Don’t go sprinkling these seeds on your Mcdonald’s and expect it to work.
Can I Do Seed Cycling If I Am Estrogen Dominant?
Are There Any Side Effects To Seed Cycling?
Do I Have To Grind My Seeds For Seed Cycling?
How Do I Eat Seed Cycling Seeds?
here are some ideas to get you started.
- Oatmeal
- Salads
- Toast
- Pancakes
- Fruit
- Smoothies
- Overnight Oats
- Chia Pudding
- Yogurt
What’s important to remember is that in order to see the real benefits of seed cycling your seeds should be taken RAW and GROUND. So, any seed cycling recipe where the seeds are cooked, baked etc isn’t truly seed cycling.