06/11/2020
Do you recommend Seed Cycling to your female patients?
๐ฐ In my practice, I treat a lot of women with hormonal imbalances, and many come in especially for fertility support. With each patient, I form a TCM diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan, which always includes nutrition.
๐ฐ Enter: Seeds and Seed Cycling!
Are you familiar with this western nutritional support to help balance womenโs hormones?
๐ฐ Usually, 4 kind of seeds are added to the diet daily, and rotated based on the follicular and luteal phases.
- From Day 1 to Day 14 (or until ovulation): it is recommended to take 1 tablespoon each of flax seeds and pumpkin seeds daily.
- And from Day 15 (or after ovulation) to Day 28, or until menstruation starts: itโs recommended to take 1 tablespoon each sunflower and sesame seeds daily.
๐ฐ Lots of studies show pumpkin seeds are high in zinc which supports progesterone release and flax seeds contain lignans which block excess estrogen. Sesame seeds, also contain lignans, while sunflower seeds provide the body with selenium, assisting the liver in detoxification.
How does TCM fit into this equation?
๐ฐ In Chinese medicine, seeds are said to help tonify TCM Kidneys and nourish Essence, which in turn can help the reproductive system. Seeds are great for fertility. Because we need a seed to create a seed (a fetus)!
๐ฐ I really love that both western and eastern nutrition recommend seeds for fertility!
Below, I created a quick chart with the properties and functions of seeds and nuts according to TCM. My favourites are sunflowers seeds, almonds and pistachios. May be because all 3 lubricate the Large Intestine ๐
And if you havenโt checked out my โComplete Fertility & TCM treatmentsโ course yet, check it out here: https://acupro-academy.mykajabi.com/the-complete-fertility-tcm-treatments-course
