Seed Cycling to Regulate Hormones ~ Cycle Irregularity & PCOS

Seed cycling is a simple and effective way to regulate hormones and alleviate PMS, cycle irregularities, ovarian cysts, heavy bleeding and much more! Seed cycling is meant to regulate your cycle to the moons cycle so that it lasts approximately 28-30 days consistently. If you have longer or shorter cycles, seed cycling is for YOU!

Seed cycling helps to balance estrogen and progesterone. If you are currently have irregular periods, you want to begin seed cycling based off the moons cycle until yours is more balanced. The average cycle for a female should be approximately 29 days on average similar to the Lunar cycle which is 29.25 days long.

Seed Cycling

Phase One: Follicular Phase – New Moon (provides the precursors for estrogen and helps balance your hormones)
–Days 1  (1st day of menses or new moon) until ovulation (or day 14 if you don’t know when you ovulate).
1. 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2. 1 Tbsp ground chia or hemp seeds.
3. 1,500 mg fish oil (1,000 mg EPA, 250 mg DHA)

This phase of the protocol is great for reducing heavy periods, reducing or eliminating clots, and eliminating acne as it balances estrogen.

Phase Two: Luteal Phase (provides the precursors for progesterone and helps balance and clear excess hormones)
–Days 15 (full moon or day after ovulation) until your period starts
1. 1 Tbsp ground sesame seeds
2. 1 Tbsp ground sunflower seeds.
3. You can do  2,000 mg Evening Primrose Oil as an alternative to the seeds or alongside
4. You also want to sleep in complete darkness (sleep with a night mask) or cover windows with black drapes

This phase of the protocol is great for preventing/stopping spotting between cycles, PMS (irritability, depression), breast tenderness, clotting, quick and heavy flow on the first 2 days as it helps to eliminate excess hormones and balances progesterone.

Try to get 3 months of cycles following the moons phases and then you can switch to following your cycle rather than the moon as it regulates. Typically you would follow this seed cycling protocol 3 months and then can get away using it 1x every 3 months for maintenance.

Monthly Seed Cycling Rythms

General rules for eating seeds:
–ALWAYS buy organic and try to get sprouted seeds when you can. You can also sprout them at home!
–Try to buy fresh whole seeds and grind at home to protect the enzymes and nutrients form oxidizing. You can grind a big batch and freeze them for a couple months.
–You can add the seeds or seed butters to smoothies, baked goods, consume them in capsules or eat them sprinkled on a salad

Following these guideline consistently everyday will get you well on your to regulating your cycle and hormones. It helps to track your cycles on a fertility chart using a basal body thermometer and looking for signs of fertile mucous. Doing this daily gives you a good visual of your fertility patterns and when you’re ovulating.

Written by: Marla Pietruszko BSc RHN
Instagram: @marlashealthylife

16 Replies to “Seed Cycling to Regulate Hormones ~ Cycle Irregularity & PCOS”

  1. Can I do just phase one if acne is my problem? Would I just incorporate the seeds into my foods or do I take them all at once?

    1. It is a start but acne comes from internally (poor gut health) so you would need to address candida and liver/kidney toxicity as well which will help to balance hormones.

  2. Do I have to grind the seeds separately or can I just throw them into a smoothie whole? I have been drinking a smoothie everyday that contains chia and flax. Could that be causing estrogen dominance?

    1. No you can purchase them already ground. I never recommend using whole flax (very hard on the digestive tract) as you cant extract the healthy fats form them if they arent ground because your body cant break down the seeds.
      Flax doesnt cause estrogen dominance but if you are looking to half you hormones shifted according to the moons cycle, you want to make sure youre consuming progesterone-supporting foods after the 1st 15 days and therefor, stop the flax 🙂

    1. I have noticed that myself and it is incorrect! You want more omega 3s in phase 1 (chia and flax) and more omega 6 (sunflower, pumpkin, evening primrose) in phase 2 to stimulate progesterone 🙂

  3. If I am in the Luteal phase where I should be eating pumpkin and sunflower seeds.. Is it okay to eat recipes or bread that have flax, chia or hemp as an ingredient? or should I completely avoid the seeds from the current phase when I am not in that phase? Hope this makes sense! Thanks Marla 🙂

    1. If you have major hormonal imbalance, you would want to avoid too omega3 (estrogen forming fats) and stick to more of the evening primrose and pumpkin seeds. Im a sure a bit of flax and chia is ok but do your best to stick to solely the sunflower and pumpkin and GLA 🙂

  4. I have NEVER heard of this before! So interesting. Where does it originate from? I consume flax and chia seeds every morning in an “oatmeal”, is this bad for hormones then? Low progesterone runs in my family and has led to many health issues and miscarriages with my sisters unfortunately.

    1. I believe it originates from Chinese medicine! I suggest doing the flax and chia for only the 15 days and then switching to another seed to help keep everything in balance 🙂

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