Health
A Serendipitous Discovery
As I write this post, I sit here enjoying my "Hormonal Delicacies." This is the name for the nutrient-dense, creamy spreads that I've invented, intended to accentuate the elevation of certain hormones during their respective phases. They increase estrogen during the follicular phase, and progesterone during the luteal phase. These special spreads are designed for radiant skin, hair, elevated mood, and womb health.
Eating these heavenly spoonfuls makes me reminisce on my introduction to the magic of seed cycling.
In February of 2020, I was laying in my bed in my Buckhead (Atlanta) apartment when something peculiar began to happen. Sparkly sensations throughout my ovaries took me by surprise, as I lacked a period and had strikingly low hormonal levels. This was something that I struggled with for much of my young adulthood. I began contemplating my recent routines and any changes in diet, wondering what could have caused this shift in my body.
One thing came to mind, SEEDS. I had just purchased the delectable pumpkin and sunflower protein powders from Sprout Living. These powders were making their way into my morning protein pancakes, chia seed pudding bowls, and other delicious combinations. I also begin indulging in sesame-based tahini, ground flaxseed, and just about all seeds in their whole forms.
I was entering my seed era, which would soon become an indefinite lifestyle.
As I laid there, a voice so loud said, "Check the seeds," and so I pulled up my internet browser and began researching the health benefits of these little gems.
Low and behold, every seed listed striking hormonal benefits, with nutrient profiles dense in specific hormones. Seeds, to my surprise at the time, were mini hormonal masterminds.
But how divine? Seeds vibrate at a similar frequency as the eggs within our ovaries, our own mini sprouts, waiting to germ into beautiful babies. As the earliest forms of life, of course there is a correlation.
I would soon buy a book by Sahara Rose Ketabi, and stumble upon an entire section she wrote on the art of seed cycling. A couple months later, I would even enroll in full-time nutrition school, and discover an entire module dedicated towards this philosophy. There began my love affair with the medicine of seeds.
Your Seed Protocol
When hormones are properly balanced, they can lead to unbelievable health and vitality. Seed Cycling means eating in sync with your body's innate intelligence. This simple protocol is extremely powerful for:
Increasing fertility
Regulating cycles
Enhancing skin and hair
Lowering stress
Days 1-14 (Follicular)
Pumpkin Seeds + Flaxseeds
During this phase, estrogen levels are on the rise, and pumpkin and flax are the stars of the show. Flaxseeds contain phytoestrogens, that mimic your body's natural estrogen, in addition to omega-3s, lignans, magnesium, and tons of fiber. In addition to organic ground flaxseeds, I absolutely love flaxseed oil and flax tempeh during this phase. Other foods that naturally increase estrogen are tofu, edamame and any soybeans product, garlic, pistachios, cacao and peaches!
Pumpkins seeds are filled with zinc, magnesium, iron and Vitamin E. These nutrients are key for enhanced sleep, mood, and increases progesterone in preparation for Ovulation, which occurs exactly halfway through our cycle.
Days 14-28 (Luteal)
Sunflower Seeds + Sesame Seeds
During the second half of our cycle, estrogen takes a backseat as progesterone increases. During this time, our body begins to slow down and embody a more restful, nurturing energy. Sunflower seeds infuse our bodies with Selenium, Vitamin E, thiamine, and linoleic fatty acids. Sesame seeds nourish us with manganese, calcium, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, and lignans. Together, these seeds provide the perfect soup of nutrients for hormonal balance.
The Art of Seed Spreads
To get the most nutrients out of our seeds, we want to buy organic, raw seeds, and grind them into a fine "flour" like consistency. This opens up the nutrients for easy digestion and absorption. Storing your seeds in the fridge can help preserve their potency and prevent oxidation. A rough serving is 1 tablespoon of each seed, every day (2 tablespoons total).
Simply grinding up your seeds and keeping them in "flour" form is a great way to enjoy them, allowing you to sprinkle them into almost any meal (smoothies, salads, sautéed veggies, chicken, fish, etc). But grinding up my seeds and having way too much fun with my food processor has led to the creation of some pretty delicious seed butters.
During the 1st half of my cycle, my seed spread will consist of ground flax seeds and organic raw pumpkin seeds. In a food processor, I'll combine one large jar of each seed, with 1-2 teaspoons of salt and allow the processor to run until my spread reaches the desired consistency.
Sometimes I love a thicker spread, to be eaten on crackers or just enjoyed by the spoonful. Other times, I prefer a silkier, nut butter consistency.
During the 2nd half of my cycle, I follow the same process, but with sunflower and sesame seeds. This can be left salty & savory, or if you prefer the sweet route, I love adding granulated monk fruit sugar. You can even play with cinnamon, coconut flakes, and whatever creative flavor profile calls to you.
Important Insights
The sunflower sesame combo creates a pretty straightforward, delicious blend. Think — if tahini and sunbutter had a baby. The pumpkin flax combo is less conventional, with a gooier consistency because of the way flax develops a gel-like substance when soaked in water. Many vegans actually use water-soaked flax as an egg replacement. With that in mind, you might experiment using the pumpkin flax blend in a pancake recipe one morning. Both seed blends go well in an energy bite, often mixed with oats and chocolate chips. Feel free to get creative with this, incorporate other ingredients, and play with what form it wants to take.
Regardless of how odd these combinations might seem, my body seems to absolutely CRAVE these mixes. The minute a spoon of seed-spread enters my stomach, I feel a sense of ease and healing encapsulating my entire being. Even my nervous system immediately calms. I really believe these spreads contain some golden formula of nutrients intended to heal our hormonal bodies. The difference is tangible.
I hope this post inspires you to experiment with the magic of cycling. This is nature's genius, we're just dancing with it.
Happy healing!
