Benefits of Seed Cycling for PCOS/PCOD/Thyroid/Pregnancy and Hormone Balance and Pre-Menopausal)
Hormones play an important role in the human body. It is involved in most bodily processes. A slight change in the body’s hormones and metabolism is a throw. Women in particular often fall victim to such hormonal imbalances. Seed Cycling has been stealing the limelight lately to help women with most hormonal issues. Read on to learn more about the benefits of seed cycling for PCOS/PCOD/thyroid/pregnancy and hormone balance and pre-menopausal.
Hormonal imbalance in women leads to:
How to fix hormonal imbalance?
Benefits of a balanced diet
- Appropriate carbohydratesneeded as fuel in the body
- Good quality proteins maintain wear and tear of the body, provide amino acids for hormones and tone muscles
- Good quality fats help reduce stress, release and regulate hormones, and isolate internal organs
- fiber improves gut health, maintains a healthy weight and regulates hormonal functions
- Functional Foods such as seeds when taken in certain patterns prove beneficial in maintaining hormonal balance. This is called seed cycling.
Benefits of seed cycling
What is Seed Cycling?
Seed cycling is nothing more than consuming 1 to 2 tablespoons in a day of certain seeds that regulate the endocrine system. Sound easy? In fact, it is very easy to incorporate it into your daily life.
Seed Cycling and Hormonal Imbalance
The seed cycle regulates the release of estrogen and progesterone hormones. The menstrual cycle is divided into two phases – the follicular phase and the luteal phase. The follicular phase lasts from the end of the day period until ovulation. The luteal phase begins on the day of ovulation and ends with the onset of your period. Each phase lasts approximately two weeks. Consuming certain types of seeds at each stage helps regulate the production and secretion of estrogen and progesterone.
Seed Cycling Benefits for PCOS/PCOD and Thyroid
Seed Cycling Benefits in PCOS/PCOD
Thyroid and Seed Cycling Benefits
Seed Cycling Process / How is Seed Cycling Done?
follicular phase:
The follicular phase lasts from the end of the day period until ovulation. Use flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds during your follicular phase.
- Linseed: Flaxseeds are phytoestrogens that have very mild estrogen-like properties. It also contains lignin which binds the excess estrogen in the body and prevents the side effects. Flax seeds improve ovulation, prolong the luteal phase, reduce PMS and prevent breast tenderness. The omega-3 fatty acid helps reduce stress, improve heart function, and boost brain function as well. The fiber in flaxseed helps maintain blood sugar, weight and insulin resistance and improves gut health. Flaxseed not only reduces hair loss, but also provides antioxidants to help prevent cancer. Read more about the benefits of flaxseed.
- pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which helps increase progesterone during the second phase of the menstrual cycle. Pumpkin seeds help increase blood flow to the uterus, maintain healthy cell membranes, and promote follicle production. The vitamin E and antioxidants in pumpkin seeds help reduce stress. The antioxidants in pumpkin seeds help prevent cancer. The high magnesium content of pumpkin seeds not only helps reduce hair loss, but also keeps bones strong.
- Chia seeds: Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce stress and maintain a healthy uterine lining. Chia seeds promote ovulation. It also helps maintain normal levels of estrogen in the body. The fiber in chia seeds manages insulin resistance and keeps blood sugar up. Not only does it boost metabolism, it also helps with weight loss. Read more about the benefits of chia seeds.
The luteal phase begins on the day of ovulation and ends when your period starts. Use sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.
- Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds are rich in zinc. High zinc levels promote progesterone production as well as secretion. Progesterone is a vital hormone needed for thickening of the uterine wall; Maintaining the cell membrane of the uterus as well as lactation. The lignans found in sesame lower cholesterol, improve insulin resistance, and improve heart health. The high magnesium content not only reduces hair loss, but also makes the bones strong. Sesame is high in calcium, which helps strengthen bones and muscles as well.
- sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are rich in selenium, zinc and antioxidants. The high zinc content helps maintain progesterone levels. Selenium reduces free radicals in the body, reduces stress and boosts immunity. The B-complex vitamins in sunflower help increase HDL cholesterol and lower total cholesterol. The B-6 in sunflower releases endorphins, which contribute to sound sleep and increase focus. Magnesium levels improve bone and hair health. Fiber not only helps with weight loss, but also improves gut health.
Side Effects of Seed Cycling
These natural foods have no side effects. The only precaution is to rule out a seed allergy if you have one. It is best to consult a professional nutritionist before starting seed cycling. Not only does this ensure you avoid side effects, but it also keeps nutritional deficiencies at bay. The professionals will guide you properly on how to initiate, maintain and sustain the effects of seed cycling. You can avail the services of Dietburrp for personalized diet plans.
How can you use these seeds?
- Use in milkshakes
- Add salads
- Grind with chutneys
- Use as a mouth freshener after meals
- Mix in quark or buttermilk
- Scatter over the soups
Seed Cycling Diet Plan
To make it easier for you to take advantage of the seed cycling benefit, we have divided the sample plan into 2 phases. Follicular and Luteal Phase Diet Plans with Indian Menu.
Indian Seed Cycling Follicular Phase Diet Plan; (Day 1 – Day 15 of the period)
Empty Stomach: 1 glass of green juice with pumpkin seeds (kale/spinach/mint/cucumber/gourd/ginger)
Breakfast: Chia pudding with granola or oatmeal (Chia seeds – tablespoons/milk – 1 cup multigrain OR 2 tablespoons rolled oats – ½ cup / dates – 2 / walnuts – 2 halves)
Morning: 1 seasonal fruit (100-150 g)
Lunch: 1 cup salad + 1 millet roti or 1 cup brown rice + 1 cup vegetables + 1 cup dal + 1 cup cottage cheese
Afternoon: 1 glass of buttermilk with flaxseed powder
Snack: 1 cup of coffee or green tea
+ 1 Khakra OR 1 slice of multigrain bread with cottage cheese garlic dip OR 2 small pieces of pumpkin seed chikki OR 1 multigrain granola bar
Dinner: 1 cup salad (with chia or flax seeds – optional) + 2 chapatis + 1 cup veggies + 1 cup cottage cheese
bedtime: 1 cup milk with turmeric and nutmeg
Indian Seed Cycling Luteal Phase Diet Plan; (Day 16 until next period)
Empty Stomach: 1 glass of green juice with sunflower (kale/spinach/mint/cucumber/gourd/ginger)
Breakfast: Multigrain muesli + 1 cup milk (Multigrain muesli – ½ cup / Dates -2 / Walnuts – 2 halves)
Morning: 1 fruit (100-150g)
Lunch: 1 cup sesame seed salad + 1 millet roti or 1 cup brown rice + 1 cup vegetables + 1 cup dal + 1 cup cottage cheese
Afternoon: 1 glass of buttermilk with sunflower seed powder
Snack: 1 cup of coffee or green tea + 1 khakra OR 1 slice of multigrain bread with cottage cheese and sesame (tahini) dip OR 2 small pieces of sesame seeds 1 multigrain granola bar
Dinner: 1 cup salad (with sesame – optional) + 2 chapatis + 1 cup vegetables + 1 cup cottage cheese
bedtime: 1 cup milk with turmeric and nutmeg
Final remark:
Seed cycling is beneficial for most hormonal imbalances. There isn’t much research to support this fact. However, you can observe significant changes in hormonal balance. Remember to always consult a professional before making any changes in your diet. The benefits of seed cycling are numerous and the side effects are zero. Unless you are allergic to these seeds, there is no harm in trying seed cycles to overcome your hormonal imbalance.
Read – Indian Diet Plan for Hormonal Imbalance
