The magic of seed cycling
This newsletter is about seed cycling, but it's mostly just about HOW to seed cycle. (If you're in a hurry, I bolded the TL;DR if you scroll down about 2/3 through.)
Here are some great resources on WHY seed cycling is an amazing thing to do: https://birthfit.com/blog/2018/11/21/5-ways-improve-cycle/
https://birthfit.com/blog/2019/05/22/how-to-keep-your-feminine-rhythm-without-a-menstrual-cycle/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/127-nicole-jardim/id1086509138?i=1000421398211
https://nicolejardim.com/seed-cycling/
https://naturalfitfoodie.com/seed-cycling/
A few things to expect from seed cycling (this is not a guarantee of results, consult your provider, blah blah blah disclaimer disclaimer disclaimer): less cramping, improved cycle length (as in closer to the 28 day timeline), improved ovulation, longer luteal phase (when this is less than 12 days, pregnancy is unlikely), improved skin appearance (which gets even better if you start cycling your awesome skincare products - but that's for another newsletter), improved sex drive, improved energy, and overall more comfortable cycling.
Now onto the HOW. For a while, I wasn't eating seeds as part of the Autoimmune Protocol, so I wasn't able to tap into this awesome and simple resource. But as I started reintroducing seeds (with no negative responses - yay!), I was able to begin to cycle seeds and reap the benefits.
However, as with many simple things, it wasn't the easiest to implement at first. I can't tell you how many times I had to google "seed cycling" just to get the base recommendations. My brain has a decent amount of info in it, so sometimes my capacity for remembering non-essential info is lower. (Remember that newsletter I sent y'all about "capacity" a while back? (Also, if you're newer to this newsletter and want to catch up on older ones, you can find them in the link in my instagram profile or right here.))
So I recalled my past successes (and absurdly retained information) when I get creative with things that require memorization, and made it a bit more fun. I hope it helps you keep these straight so you can start experiencing the benefits yourself!
In the first half of your cycle (day 1-13), eating about a tablespoon each of pumpkin and flaxseed helps to support estrogen. In the second half of your cycle (day 14-28), eating about a tablespoon each of sesame and sunflower seeds helps to support progesterone.
Now how the heck do you remember that?!
P is for PERIOD and for PUMPKIN. F is for FIRST half and for FLAXseed. So in the FIRST part of your cycle, including your PERIOD, eat flax and pumpkin. (If you're familiar with the portions of the cycle, F could also be for Follicular.)
P&F - Period and First / Pumpkin and Flaxseed
S is for SECOND half as well as SESAME and SUNFLOWER. So in the SECOND part of your cycle, eat the S seeds.
S&S - Second / Sesame and Sunflower
It's so simple, and you might not find this consonance in anyway helpful, but it changed my monthly googlings to retained information almost instantly.
Below are a few answers FAQs that I've gotten.
Eat the seeds however you want. Some sources say that ground is better than whole, but I've seen benefits with just regular ol' seeds. You can have your seeds roasted, covered with honey, in trail mix, or blended in a smoothie, and you can still see results.
Approximately 1 tablespoon per day is the recommended dose.
If you just do one seed, then just do it during the appropriate time.
It won't specifically negate the positive impacts if you eat the wrong seeds at the wrong time, you just won't garner all of the benefits if you're mixing them up.
If your cycle isn't 28 days, this typically helps, but you can assist the process by eating the seeds in 28 day cycles to boost hormone production appropriately. I personally would start with my period, eat P&F for 13 days, then switch to S&S for the next 13 days. If my cycle didn't start, I would begin eating P&F again anyway to encourage my cycle to do its thing. I'd continue that until my cycle caught on.
You could also start wherever you are. If you know you just ovulated, begin with S&S; you don't have to start with your period.
If you're not cycling, start P&F with the new moon and S&S at the full moon.
That's it! Please reply with whatever other questions you have, and/or shoot me a reply to let me know how seed cycling is working for you!
BONUS
Add in some cycle support with yoni steaming and grab some of Mangata's amazing steam blends here.
Happy cycling!
xox
Lindsay