Can Seed Cycling Balance Your Hormones During Perimenopause?

Many women look for natural means to provide balance, as controlling hormonal swings during perimenopause can be difficult.

One approach attracting interest is seed cycling, a dietary habit meant to improve hormonal balance by eating particular seeds during several periods of the menstrual cycle.

Proponents of this straightforward, nutrient-based method say it could help control hormones and reduce symptoms, including irregular periods, hot flashes, and mood swings.

But does seed cycling truly offer relief during this transitional phase? Let's investigate the science behind seed cycling for perimenopause and how it helps to balance hormones during that condition.

Understanding Perimenopause and Its Challenges

One has to be clear about premenopause and perimenopause before beginning seed cycling:

●     Premenopause: Years a woman undergoes normal menstrual cycles in which her hormone levels balance.

●     Perimenopause: The transitory interval before menopause. During this period, levels of estrogen and progesterone change significantly. Hot flashes, mood swings, irregular cycles, and weariness follow.

A study from Knudtson J. Menstrual Cycle. Merck Manual's Consumer Version states that hormonal shifts merely make things worse; roughly 10 to 15% of women have exactly 28-day periods, while 20% have irregular cycles.

Especially in women with hypothyroidism or subclinical thyroid dysfunction, hormonal changes during perimenopause may aggravate thyroid problems even more, therefore complicating the route even more.

What Is Seed Cycling?

Eating different kinds of seeds at different points of your monthly cycle is the seed cycling diet. This promotes harmony among your hormones. Two key phases make up it:

●     Follicular Phase (Days 1–14): Eat one tablespoon each of pumpkin and flaxseeds daily. Packed in lignans and zinc, these seeds might help to balance estrogen production.

●     Luteal Phase (Days 15–28): Eat one tablespoon each of sesame and sunflower seeds. The selenium and vitamin E in these seeds are thought to boost progesterone synthesis.

The Science Behind Seed Cycling

●     Pumpkin seeds: Rich in zinc, pumpkin seeds help your ovaries stay healthy and alter progesterone levels.

●     Falx seeds: Lignans found in flax seeds bind to estrogen receptors, therefore assisting the body in eliminating excess estrogen. This helps the body's estrogen to be in better balance.

●     Sunflower seeds are rich in selenium and vitamin E, supporting thyroid function and guarding against oxidative stress.

●     Sesame seeds: Full of phytoestrogens and other plant-based compounds, these seeds might help control estrogen levels.

These minerals may help women with ex-perimenopause control their hormones, improving their general health state.

To see visible results, it is recommended that seed cycling be followed for at least three months.

Hormones and Perimenopause: A Delicate Balance

During perimenopause, three fundamental hormones—cortisol, insulin, and estrogen—have vital roles:

●     Cortisol: Unnormal cortisol levels can increase weight gain, anxiety, and weariness since they are stress hormones.

●     Insulin: Menstruation aggravates blood sugar management and raises insulin resistance.

●     Estrogen: Variations in oestrogen could lead to mood swings, hot flushes and irregular periods.

Including nutrient-dense meals like seeds will enable your body to more exactly balance these hormones.

Can Seed Cycling Help During Perimenopause?

Although seed cycling for perimenopause might not be a magic bullet, its possible advantages are worth investigating, especially in line with a comprehensive strategy:

●     Support Hormonal Balance: Nutrients in seeds could enable perimenopausal women to balance their estrogen and progesterone levels.

●     Thyroid Health: Zinc from pumpkin seeds and selenium from sunflower seeds enhance thyroid function, particularly in women with hypothyroidism or subclinical thyroid problems.

●     Cycle Syncing: Seed cycling corresponds with cycle syncing, which emphasizes customizing lifestyle decisions to hormonal phases for women still suffering irregular periods.

A Holistic Approach to Hormonal Health

While seed cycling for periods and seed cycling menopause can be a valuable addition, it best results when paired with other techniques for hormone balance.

●     Dietary Changes: To help balance blood sugar and stress, healthy foods, good fats, and low-glycemic carbohydrates are recommended.

●     Stress Management: High cortisol levels might throw off hormonal equilibrium, so prioritize yoga or meditation.

●     Exercise: Walking or weight training are gentle motions that help control cortisol and insulin levels.

As a Traditional Naturopath focusing on thyroid and perimenopause, I advise investigating seed cycling as part of a more general approach to balancing hormones.