Hormones playing havoc? ESP’s wellbeing columnist Karen Devine has the seed of an idea to help…
Hormones are like everything in life, they need to be balanced to support our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Today our hormones are sadly being affected by the world we live in, particularly from the chemicals in our water, food, plastic bottles and wraps, oestrogens from the contraceptive pill, chemicals in our personal hygiene products, make up and more. Chronic stress (which many people live with today), high sugary diets from sweets, chocolate, sugary cereals and excess alcohol can also affect your hormonal balance.
Hormonal imbalances may show up in symptoms from heavy periods, fibroids, infertility, cyclic migraines, premenstrual tension (PMT), spotty skin, mood disorders and more.
Female hormones are cyclic, generally 28 days dominated by oestrogen and progesterone (there are other hormones involved but these are the dominating hormones).
Day 1-14 – follicular phase which is dominated by oestrogen
Day 14-28 – luteal phase which is dominated by progesterone (as oestrogen should slowly start to decrease)
Our diet and lifestyle play a key role in keeping this delicate balance so it’s also important to be mindful of where your possible hormonal disruption is coming from and eliminating that where we can within reason.
A simple addition to your diet called Seed Cycling may be helpful for hormonal balance.
You may not realise but different seeds offer various lignans which may help to bind and remove excess hormones whilst offering essential fatty acids (EFA’s) to help hormone products.
Seeds as well as being rich in lignans and EFA’s are also excellent sources of fibre which help to eliminate hormones and provide zinc, selenium, magnesium, Vitamin E and more.
HOW TO ‘SEED CYCLE’…
Ladies, if you know your cycle, start as follows:
Day 1 – 14 take 1 tablespoon each of flax seed powder and pumpkin seeds (also grind these)
Then change over as follows:
Day 14 – 28 – take 1 tablespoon each of sunflower seeds and sesame seeds (grind both up for the best results).
If you’re cycle is all over the place, you’ve just stopped the contraceptive pill, or stopped breast feeding or you’re being affected by hormone imbalances with an irregular cycle, try the following:
On the full moon – start as Day 1 – 14 as above
On the new moon – (14 days later) introduce the seeds as Day 14 – 28
It is said that women’s hormones and menstrual cycle are affected and influenced by the moon cycles and you’ll notice that many babies are born on or around the full moon.
So if you feel that your hormones are interfering with your normal balanced hormonal life this is worth a try. You can add the seeds into breakfast, smoothies, sprinkled over veggies, fruit, ice-cream or added to some soup (not too hot soup).
Be patient with this as it can take a few cycles to see a difference, it may be that more nutritional or naturopathic interventions are needed including detoxification/cleansing methods but at least give it a try.
Here’s to happy balanced hormones!
Karen