Seed Cycling

What is seed cycling?

The purpose of seed cycling is to give your body the nutrients it needs during each half of the menstrual cycle to support the production of either oestrogen or progesterone. It helps to regulate your hormones and can be beneficial for helping with PMS, acne, irregular periods, painful periods, PCOS, endometriosis, fertility, perimenopause and menopause.

How does seed cycling work?

Once you get the hang of it, seed cycling is easy to do. Just read through these instructions, check where you are in your cycle, get the relevant seeds in your next shop and off you go!

Day 1 is the first day of your menstrual bleed. Consume 1-2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds every day until you ovulate (approximately 2 weeks after your period starts).

Ovulation is usually around day 14 of your cycle. If you track your ovulation (using ovulation predictor kits or by measuring your temperature) then you can switch to sunflower seeds and sesame seeds after you ovulate. If you don’t track your ovulation (don’t worry, most of us don’t!), switch over on day 15.

If you don’t have a menstrual cycle (either pre- or post-menopause), then you can sync your seed cycling to the moon - day 1 begins with the New Moon and day 15 begins with the Full Moon. If you’re pre-menopause, you might find that your cycle returns within a few months.

It’s best to use freshly ground seeds (1-2 tbsp per day of each seed), which you can keep in the fridge and sprinkle in smoothies or on porridge, yoghurt, salads or use in any meal.

What is seed cycling good for?

Because the different seeds provide different nutrients to help your body produce the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, seed cycling helps to regulate or balance hormones. This can help with many different issues that can arise when hormones are out of balance, including PMS, acne, irregular periods, painful periods, PCOS, endometriosis, fertility, perimenopause and menopause.