Seed Cycling
If your hormones feel like they’re running the show — and not in a good way — you’re not alone. Symptoms like mood swings, painful periods, hormonal acne, irregular cycles, and even perimenopausal chaos are signs your body is asking for support.
If you are looking to support your hormones with food, seed cycling as a foundational, food-as-medicine approach is a great place to start.
But this isn’t just trendy wellness talk — there’s nutritional and biochemical logic behind every seed. Let’s explore how it works and why it works.
What is Seed Cycling?
Seed cycling involves eating specific combinations of ground seeds during each half of your menstrual cycle. The idea is to support your body’s natural production, metabolism, and detoxification of hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone.
Seed cycling is based on 28 28-day menstrual cycle, but if you don’t have a regular cycle, you can still employ seed cycling. If your cycle is longer or shorter than 28 days, follow the 2 week rotation, starting with the follicular phase when you get your period.
If you don’t have a cycle (if you have a mirena, or perhaps have PCOS and don’t menstruate, eat with the moon. Now I know this sounds a little crazy - but all our ‘cycles’, including our circadian rhythm and hormone cycles, are influenced by nature and its cycles.
What Happens When You Cycle Seeds?
By consuming these specific seeds at the right time, you may help your body:
Produce adequate estrogen in the first half of the cycle
Support ovulation and progesterone production in the second half
Clear excess estrogen and other hormones via liver and bowel pathways
Reduce inflammation that interferes with hormone signalling
Improve the length, regularity, and quality of your menstrual cycle
POSSIBLE Health Benefits of Seed Cycling
(Thanks to Better Hormone Balance)
1. Improved Menstrual Cycle Regularity
Balanced estrogen and progesterone levels support predictable, healthier menstrual cycles — fewer missed periods, shorter cycles, or excessively heavy bleeding.
Why: Estrogen helps build the uterine lining, while progesterone regulates when and how it sheds. Seed cycling helps support both phases.
2. Reduced PMS Symptoms
Clients often notice fewer mood swings, less breast tenderness, irritability, and fewer cravings.
Why: Progesterone has calming effects on the brain and reduces inflammation, while balanced estrogen prevents estrogen dominance — a common PMS culprit.
3. Clearer Skin
Hormonal acne, especially around the chin and jawline, often improves with more stable hormone levels.
Why: Excess androgens (like testosterone) or poor estrogen metabolism can drive oil production and clogged pores. Seeds like flax help metabolize and clear out excess hormones.
4. Better Mood and Mental Clarity
Mood swings, anxiety, and brain fog often ease with improved hormone stability.
Why: Progesterone supports GABA production (a calming neurotransmitter), while stable estrogen supports serotonin and dopamine — key for mental well-being.
5. Reduced Menstrual Cramps
Many women experience less pain and bloating during menstruation.
Why: Balanced prostaglandins (influenced by healthy fats in seeds) reduce excessive inflammation and cramping.
6. Support for Fertility and Ovulation
Seed cycling may help support healthy ovulation, improving chances of conception for those trying to fall pregnant.
Why: Zinc, selenium, and essential fatty acids play key roles in egg quality, ovulation, and luteal phase health — all supported by seed cycling.
7. Weight Regulation
Better hormone balance can reduce bloating, water retention, and support metabolic balance.
Why: Estrogen and progesterone both influence insulin sensitivity and fat storage. Balanced levels reduce weight fluctuations and support metabolism.
8. More Restful Sleep
Women often report better sleep quality — falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer.
Why: Progesterone promotes sleep by activating GABA receptors, and reducing cortisol spikes. Better estrogen balance also improves serotonin (a precursor to melatonin).
9. Perimenopause & Menopause Support
In the transition to menopause, seed cycling can soften symptoms like hot flashes, mood changes, and irregular cycles.
Why: Phytoestrogens (like lignans in flax and sesame) can gently modulate estrogen when levels start to decline, providing symptom relief.
10. Liver and Gut Detoxification
Seed cycling supports natural elimination pathways, helping your body metabolize and excrete hormones efficiently.
Why: Seeds provide fiber, antioxidants, and liver-supportive nutrients (like selenium and magnesium), helping to prevent estrogen recirculation and hormonal congestion.
Here’s the basic structure:
🌑 Follicular Phase (Day 1–14 or New Moon to Full Moon)
Eat: 1 tablespoon each of ground flax + pumpkin seeds daily
Goal: Gently support estrogen production and detoxification
🌕 Luteal Phase (Day 15–28 or Full Moon to New Moon)
Eat: 1 tablespoon each of ground sesame + sunflower seeds daily
Goal: Support progesterone production and anti-inflammatory balance
The Biochemistry Behind Each Seed
Flax Seeds
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Used in the Follicular Phase (Day 1–14)
Key Nutrients:
Lignans – phytoestrogens that bind estrogen receptors
Omega-3 fatty acids – anti-inflammatory, supports hormone signalling
Fiber – promotes estrogen elimination through the gut
How It Works Biochemically:
Flax seeds are rich in lignans, compounds that can bind to estrogen receptors and modulate estrogen levels — either mimicking estrogen when levels are low or blocking it when levels are high. This adaptogenic effect supports balanced estrogen activity during the first half of your cycle.
Additionally, the fiber in flax helps escort metabolised estrogen out of the body via the liver and bowels, preventing recirculation (a common cause of estrogen dominance or relative excess). The ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) content supports anti-inflammatory pathways, which is crucial for healthy ovulation.
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Used in the Follicular Phase (Day 1–14)
Key Nutrients:
Zinc – supports follicle development and ovulation
Magnesium – calms the nervous system, supports insulin balance
Iron – replenishes iron lost during menstruation
How It Works Biochemically:
Zinc is critical for ovarian function and helps regulate FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), which promotes follicle maturation. It also supports the conversion of cholesterol into sex hormones, making it foundational to hormone synthesis.
Magnesium plays a role in over 300 enzymatic reactions — including those involved in insulin sensitivity and stress resilience, both of which can impact estrogen metabolism. Iron helps rebuild after menstrual loss and supports oxygen transport to developing follicles.
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Used in the Luteal Phase (Day 15–28)
Key Nutrients:
Vitamin E – supports progesterone production
Selenium – assists liver detoxification of excess hormones
B6 – supports luteal phase length and mood
How It Works Biochemically:
Vitamin E is directly linked to increased progesterone levels and improved luteal phase health. Selenium acts as a cofactor for glutathione, the master antioxidant, which helps the liver process and clear used-up estrogen and other metabolic waste.
Vitamin B6 also supports neurotransmitter balance (serotonin and dopamine), which can help with mood and energy dips common during this phase.
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Used in the Luteal Phase (Day 15–28)
Key Nutrients:
Lignans – modulate estrogen
Calcium – supports PMS and mood regulation
Omega-6 fats – precursors for hormone-like prostaglandins
How It Works Biochemically:
Like flax, sesame seeds are high in lignans, which support healthy estrogen metabolism — particularly important as your body prepares to shed its lining. Their calcium content has been shown to reduce PMS symptoms, including irritability, fatigue, and breast tenderness.
Sesame’s omega-6 fatty acids are precursors to prostaglandins, which help modulate inflammation — key during the luteal phase when inflammation can trigger cramps and PMS.
How to Do Seed Cycling
Grind seeds fresh (or store in fridge for 3–5 days). Whole seeds pass through undigested.
Use 1 - 2 tbsp of each seed per day. Start with 1tbsp and increase to 2tbsp after 1 month if needed.
Start on Day 1 of your period or use the moon as a guide.
Add to smoothies, yogurt, oats, soups, or salads. Keep it simple.
Be consistent. It can take 3+ cycles to see noticeable results.
Seed Cycling in Perimenopause
Perimenopause (typically from late 30s to mid-50s) is a time of fluctuating hormones, where cycles may become irregular, ovulation becomes less consistent, and estrogen and progesterone start to decline — sometimes dramatically and unevenly.
Benefits of Seed Cycling in Perimenopause:
Supports estrogen detoxification during times of estrogen dominance (common in early perimenopause)
Encourages progesterone production when ovulation becomes less frequent
Reduces PMS-like symptoms, mood swings, sleep issues, and anxiety
Improves cycle regularity (in earlier perimenopause)
Even if periods are irregular, you can follow the moon cycle (New Moon = Day 1) as a rhythm cue for seed cycling, helping to reintroduce a cyclical rhythm to the body.
Seed Cycling in Menopause
Menopause marks 12 consecutive months without a period, after which hormone levels plateau at a lower baseline. Ovulation no longer occurs, and progesterone production from the ovaries stops almost entirely.
Benefits of Seed Cycling in Menopause:
Phytoestrogens (from flax and sesame) gently support declining estrogen levels, which can ease:
Hot flushes
Vaginal dryness
Brain fog
Mood changes
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients in seeds support cardiovascular health, bone density, and cognitive function — all of which are impacted by low estrogen.
Liver and gut support helps process residual hormone metabolites and protects against estrogen-related imbalances post-menopause.
Even though the body is no longer cycling, rotating the seeds every 2 weeks can still be beneficial to support variety in nutrient intake and gentle hormonal modulation.
Who Should Be Cautious?
Food as medicine is great because it is gentle, however, it is always a good idea to check with one of our nutritionists or naturopaths to make sure seed cycling is right for you. If you have one of the following conditions, you must check with your practitioner before starting seed cycling:
People with hormone-sensitive cancers – avoid phytoestrogens without supervision
Those with diverticulitis or gut issues – consider seed butters or teas instead
Anyone taking blood thinners or hormone therapy – speak with a practitioner first
