Balancing Hormones with Seeds

Source: Hannah Schmitt, Feb 24, 2021

 

My health journey began five years ago, when I decided to come off the hormonal birth control pill. Three months later, my period didn’t return. It was then that I first learned about amenorrhea - the loss of a menstrual cycle for three months or longer. Little did I know, my amenorrhea journey was just beginning.

In the following months, I really struggled to get my cycle back. Amenorrhea can happen for many reasons, like under-eating, restrictive dieting, over-exercising, nutrient deficiency, low hormone levels, or being under a lot of emotional stress. It’s especially common after coming off “the pill”. This is because hormonal birth control releases synthetic hormones into our bodies; thus, shutting off our natural hormonal cycle.

After reducing stress levels, sleeping more, switching my intense workouts to gentler movement, and trying various supplements, my period still hadn’t returned. Then, my naturopathic doctor at the time mentioned a practice called ‘Seed Cycling’. Intrigued, I asked her to tell me more. She printed me off a handy little chart, and explained about the ancient food-based ritual for balancing hormones, naturally.


Essentially, seed cycling is the practice of eating various seeds at specific times of the month to balance hormones. Certain seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower!) contain key nutrients needed to produce and balance our various reproductive hormones. For example, flax and pumpkin seeds help promote healthy estrogen levels that are needed in the first half of the menstrual cycle! Similarly, sesame and sunflower encourage sufficient progesterone production - a hormone that’s needed for menstruation to take place.

Deep down, I’ve always believed that food is our best medicine, so I decided to give Seed Cycling a try. And shortly after, my period returned. In addition to all the other changes I made, I truly believe seed cycling helped kickstart my cycle again. Through that experience, I realized first hand just how powerful seeds can be. Best of all, Seed Cycling doesn’t just assist in bringing back a missing cycle. It’s truly helpful for a whole variety of hormonal imbalances, from estrogen dominance to painful periods.


Now, as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who focuses on hormone health, I truly believe that seeds are some of the most magical foods we can incorporate in our diet to support balanced hormones! I think Seed Cycling is such a special practice for anyone to incorporate, because:

  1. It’s incredibly accessible. Unlike expensive supplements or fancy protocols, good old seeds are available to almost everyone, everywhere.
  2. It connects us to our innate cyclical rhythm. If you are someone who bleeds, seed cycling is a beautiful way to tap into your own internal cycle. And if you do not bleed, cycling with the moon’s phases presents an opportunity to connect with nature’s cycles.
  3. All the nutrients! Seeds are SO incredibly nutrient dense. Whether you deal with hormonal imbalance or not; everyone can benefit from eating more seeds.
  4. It’s affective. Not only have I witnessed the power of seed cycling first hand, but I’ve heard SO many positive outcomes from this practice.
  5. It’s EASY to do! All you seed is a seed grinder, and seeds.

I think the hardest part about Seed Cycling is finding ways to incorporate your seeds every day. On busy days, it can be easy to forget to grind the seeds and actually take them. And one can only eat so many smoothies or bliss balls, after all!

Cue: seed cycling crackers!


When I first discovered Evania Foods Love Me Some Seed Crackers, I was BLOWN AWAY and so beyond excited! The concept of seed crackers, specifically designed for Seed Cycling, is completely genius. These crackers are all the good stuff: plant-based, gluten-free, non-gmo, and made with the simplest of ingredients. They come in four fun flavours, and are individually wrapped for easy transportation. You can take them on the go as the perfect portable snack, add them to lunch bowls, crumble them over salads, serve with soup, or just eat them straight up. Evania Foods is also a women-founded, Vancouver-based, local small business - which gives me all the more reason to want to support and show my love.

Why I love Love Me Some Seed Crackers:

  • Each pack of crackers contains two tablespoons of seeds. Your perfect daily dose!
  • They taste delicious. Period.
  • They’re a super easy, satiating, incredibly nourishing snack - or fun addition to any recipe!
  • They make seed cycling beyond easy.

As a holistic nutritionist, these crackers check all my boxes - they’re the perfect combination of nourishing, functional, magical, and delicious.

 

This post is lovingly sponsored by Evania Foods in collaboration with Wholistically Hannah (www.wholisticallyhannah.com). Hannah is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist + aspiring herbalist living on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. 

Link to post: https://www.wholisticallyhannah.com/all/balancing-hormones-with-seeds

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