![\"Seed](\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/seed-cycling-1-1024x643-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re on social media, it\u2019s highly likely you\u2019ve heard of seed cycling. According to some naturopaths and wellness gurus, the holistic approach can help balance your hormones, reduce PMS or menopause symptoms, and increase fertility.<\/p>\n
While there are plenty of TikToks around #seedcycling<\/a>\u2014and plenty of influencers claiming how well it works\u2014we wanted to get an expert opinion on the matter. So we talked to registered dietitian and MyFitnessPal Scientific Advisor Maya Feller, RD<\/a>, to find out if there\u2019s any science behind the trend, and whether or not it\u2019s effective at balancing hormones.<\/p>\n Seed cycling is a method of adding different types of seeds into your diet during the two main phases of your menstrual cycle.<\/p>\n The schedule:<\/p>\n Research<\/a> has shown that both flaxseed and pumpkin seeds contain lignans that support healthy estrogen levels, which is important in your follicular. Pumpkin seeds are also high in zinc<\/a>, which can boost progesterone leading into the second half of your cycle.<\/p>\n As for during your luteal phase, sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E<\/a>, which can stimulate progesterone production, while sesame seeds<\/a> contain lignans that can help regulate estrogen.<\/p>\n As evidenced, there is science behind the effects of certain seeds on a woman\u2019s menstrual cycle. But as for seed cycling in particular? Feller says there isn\u2019t really any research proving its effectiveness\u2014at least not yet.<\/p>\n \u201cIt all makes sense and there are researchers I know who are looking into it, but it’s not quite ready for us to say to the masses, \u2018This is what you should do at the four phases,\u2019\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n So if seed cycling isn\u2019t yet a proven method for balancing hormones, what is? We asked registered dietitian Steph Tarnacki, RD, for some of her tips for healthier hormones and how to minimize PMS symptoms throughout your cycle.<\/p>\n If you experience heavy periods, Tarnacki recommends prioritizing iron-rich foods like red meat, lentils, and fortified cereals or taking a supplement. \u201cIron deficiency can lead to fatigue, a decreased ability to focus and potential anemia,\u201d she explains. Bonus points if you pair it with a source of vitamin C (think: citrus fruits or bell peppers), which improves iron absorption.<\/p>\n Studies<\/a> have also shown that women who experience bad PMS symptoms like mood swings, cramps, and headaches have low levels of zinc. Zinc-rich foods include shellfish, legumes, and seeds. But according to Tarnaki, \u201cIt would take a lot of effort and planning to get the daily requirement of zinc through food\u2014and if you’re a vegan or vegetarian it would be VERY difficult, so, I’d recommend a supplement.\u201d<\/p>\n Magnesium is an important mineral<\/a> that can help maintain bone strength, reduce inflammation, and relieve muscle cramps. Because many people are deficient in magnesium, Tarnacki suggests taking a supplement or eating foods like nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. \u201cMagnesium is easier to get through food\u201d, she explains. \u201cOne serving of nuts or seeds can get you 1\/3-1\/2 way to the daily recommendation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDecreasing salt intake can help to decrease bloating by minimizing the amount of water you retain,\u201d Tarnacki explains. She recommends limiting highly processed and packaged foods to avoid excess salt. You can track your sodium intake\u2014and your iron intake\u2014in the MyFitnessPal app<\/a>.<\/p>\n You might also like: At the end of the day, remember that hormone balance comes down to the basics. This is what Feller calls the pillars of health. \u201cAre you eating? Are you sleeping? Are you well-hydrated? If not, let’s talk about tweaking those,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Tarnacki agrees, noting that the key is a nourishing whole foods diet with lean protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and veggies.<\/p>\n The post Maybe Don’t Spend Too Much Money on Seed Cycling, Says Experts<\/a> appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Seed cycling is all the rage on social media, but is it scientifically-proven to balance hormones? We asked dietitian Maya Feller.What is seed cycling?<\/h2>\n
\n
Does seed cycling actually work?<\/h2>\n
Other ways to balance your hormones<\/h2>\n
1. Increase your iron intake<\/h3>\n
2. Supplement with zinc and magnesium<\/h3>\n
3. Cut down on salt<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Foods](\"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/foods-for-longevity-myfitnesspal-1024x646-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n
Our Nutrition Plan Created For Women, By a Woman (Expert) > <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe post Maybe Don\u2019t Spend Too Much Money on Seed Cycling, Says Experts appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18464"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18464"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18468,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18464\/revisions\/18468"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}