I am going to be 39 this year.
If you are reading this and, in your twenties, you probably think that is a long way away and that I am freaking old. I get it. When I was in my twenties, I thought 39 was old, or at the very least incredibly adult.
The way I know this is somewhat true is that a lot of my friends are in the throes of reproduction. They are either making babies, doing their darnest not to make babies or turning to science to try to encourage babies into their uteruses.
We used to talk about what we were doing on Friday night, or the hangover we were having. Now we talk about hormones and sleepless nights from night sweats and newborns.
With this shift, a lot of my friends have considered all of the possible avenues to make them fertile. They change their diets, lower their exercise and get sleep. They refuse a glass of wine even before egg has met sperm. They are ON it, because when it comes to most areas of life, ambition means that they will get ahead.
Fertility is a lot more complex than doing the right thing and reading the right books and breathing the right way. However, there is a new trendy thing cycling through the fertility market. Seeds.
While seeds may have been seen as the thing to throw on top of oatmeal and have within your trail mix, now they are being considered as a fertility booster.
The cheat sheet is as follows:
Day 1-14 of your cycle (starting the day your period begins, aka the follicular phase). You eat 1-2 tablespoons of ground pumpkin or flax seeds.
Day 15-28 of your cycle (starting the day after you ovulate, and tweaked to include the number of days in your particular cycle, also known as the luteal phase). You eat 1-2 tablespoons of freshly ground sesame seeds or sunflower seeds. (1)
At the moment, there is little scientific evidence to support the direct relationship between seed cycling and improved hormonal balance in women. (2) However, nutritional properties in the seeds have shown to promote hormonal balance in the cycle. In particular, flax seeds have been shown to lengthen the luteal phase.
More ovulation, more chances for babies.
Zinc is present in pumpkin and sunflower seeds and this mineral can stimulate the uterus to thicken in preparation for potential implantation. Seeds contain phytoestrogens, which can bind in estrogen receptors in your body. (3)
Believers in this method say that it can take up to three months to see benefits and that it is worth keeping a journal to note any changes. It is suggested that adding seeds to a daily diet can balance hormones, relieve the symptoms of PMS and regulate irregular cycles. If you decide to give it a whirl, many doctors think that even if it isn’t helpful, it likely won’t be harmful. It is recommended that you increase your water intake to help the increased fiber to go down smoothly.
Seeds can be added to smoothies, pestos, energy bars, yogurt parfaits – the possibilities are endless. If you are struggling with your hormonal health, it is always worth trying something that gives you hope. However, in the same vein, it is important to be balanced and that means taking every health trend with a grain of salt.