Please Note: I am not a medical professional, and nothing in this post is meant to replace the opinions and advice of your specific medical professional. Be sure to consult with your doctor, especially before consuming anything new.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
They’re an easy, delicious way to make seeds part of your diet! If you’re always on the go or just not a big fan of smoothies and smoothie bowls, getting 2 tablespoons of seeds every. single. day. can be a chore. Work them into a tasty peanut butter mixture with chocolate chips and dried cranberries, though? This is one healthy treat you’ll be excited to eat daily!The specific seeds required for seed cycling balls are full of vitamins, nutrients, and fatty acids that are thought to naturally support and regulate your body’s hormonal functions.There’s no age limit or qualifications when it comes to seed cycling. You can enjoy seed cycling balls whether you have a regular or irregular menstrual cycle, you’re peri-menopausal, or you’re post-menopausal. If you don’t have a regular cycle (or a cycle at all), you can base your seed cycling off the phases of the moon. The pumpkin seed + flax seed balls would still be eaten in phase one, starting with the new moon. The sesame seed + sunflower seed balls would be eaten in phase two, starting with the full moon.Homemade seed cycling balls are fairly inexpensive. They can be more cost-effective than store-bought supplements, too. You can buy the seeds in bulk to spread the costs out a little more.
What is Seed Cycling?
The belief behind seed cycling is that, by eating the right seeds at the right times in your cycle, you can naturally balance your hormones, which will ease menstrual symptoms and promote a healthier menstrual cycle. It may also increase fertility for some people.During the follicular phase, you want to eat seeds that will help regulate your estrogen production. That’s 1 tablespoon of flaxseed and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds, every day, starting on day one of menstruation. Then in the last half of your cycle, or the luteal phase, you replace those seeds with ones that support healthy progesterone levels – 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, every day.
Why You Should Try It
Even if you’re not trying to get pregnant, balancing your hormones can have a big effect on your body and your health overall. Hormone variations can cause hair growth and loss, acne, weight gains, cramps, mood swings, and irregular cycles. Hormonal birth control may be able to help regulate things, but not everyone wants to take hormonal supplements or be on birth control for various reasons. Enter: a naturopathic alternative!There’s not a lot of scientific evidence behind seed cycling, but the anecdotal evidence behind it is growing all the time. I incorporated the practice into my diet when we were trying for baby #3. I’m not saying I got pregnant quickly this last time specifically because of seed cycling, but I do feel like my overall nutrient-dense, pro-fertility diet made a big difference.For most people, there’s no risk to trying seed cycling. Be sure to talk it over with your medical professional first, though. Especially if you intend to stop taking another supplement or medication.Bonus – even if these seeds don’t have much impact on your specific cycle, they’re delicious, and they’re full of good-for-you ingredients. You may see an improvement in other areas of your health!
Key Ingredients
All 4 of the seeds in these seed cycling balls are full of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
Follicular Phase
Raw Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc. Zinc may help reduce period cramps and stimulate the uterus. After menopause, natural levels of zinc can drop, but pumpkin seeds can help replenish them.Flax Seeds – A few studies have shown that the phytoestrogens in flax seeds can help lengthen the luteal phase, which can reduce PMS symptoms and cramps.
Luteal Phase
Raw Sesame Seeds – Sesame seeds contain lignans which are thought to support progesterone production and block excess estrogen. Post-menopause, sesame seeds can provide a good boost of antioxidants.Raw Sunflower Seeds – These are a great source of fatty acids and vitamin E that play an important role in hormone production. The selenium in sunflower seeds helps the liver detox excess estrogen.
Chef’s Tips
It’ll take 3-4 months of consistency to determine if seed cycling is having any effect on your body and cycle. Stick with it, even if you don’t see a difference at first.Whole raw seeds won’t break down in your body, which means you won’t be able to get all the nutrients from them that you need. Don’t skip the grinding steps! It’s imperative that you use ground seeds in your seed cycling balls.For maximum freshness, grind only the amount of seeds you’ll need for that batch of seed cycling balls at the time you’re ready to make them. I also recommend you make them fresh at the beginning of each phase, instead of making both phases at once.Ground seeds can go rancid. If you grind too many, store the leftover ground seeds in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You can use them in smoothies (or smoothie bowls), on oatmeal, or mixed into salads. You can also make extra seed cycling balls to enjoy each phase.If you don’t have a 28-day cycle, don’t worry. That’s common! You also might not ovulate precisely on day 14 or 15. If you track your cycle and ovulation, you can make more or fewer seed cycling balls for each phase as needed. That way you’re eating the right seeds at the right times.
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