Seed Cycling: What You Need to Know

Period problems? I got you.

Research shows that following a Mediterranean diet pattern and eating foods like olive oil and fruits can support easier periods. Another popular way to use foods to support the menstrual cycle is 👉 seed cycling.

There are no clinical trials on seed cycling, but seeds do contain nutrients known to support hormones, like:

✔️Lignan phytoestrogens

✔️Omega-3 essential fatty acids

✔️Zinc, magnesium, and vitamin E

With seed cycling, women eat:

1️⃣ One tablespoon each per day of ground flax seeds and pumpkin seeds on days 1-14 of the menstrual cycle (phase 1), when estrogen levels rise.

2️⃣ One tablespoon each per day of sesame seeds and sunflower seeds on days 15-28 of the menstrual cycle (phase 2), when progesterone levels rise.

If you’d like to give it a try, here are some easy ways to add seeds into your daily routine:

🥤 Add a scoop to your smoothie

🥣 Mix into yogurt

🥗 Toss into salad

🍓 Sprinkle over toast, nut butter, and fresh fruit

Nutrition is one of many ways we can support healthier hormones and easier cycles. If you need more support with hormone health, you're in the right place!

Visit our website to schedule an initial visit with Dr. Cantrell! 🌱

REFERENCE:
Onieva-Zafra MD, Fernández-Martínez E, Abreu-Sánchez A, et al. Relationship between Diet, Menstrual Pain and other Menstrual Characteristics among Spanish Students. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1759. Published 2020 Jun 12. [link]

The Soy Debate

What the research says ⬇️

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds in foods that mimic estrogen. They include:

✔️ Isoflavones in soy

✔️ Lignans in flax seeds

✔️ Resveratrol in wine

Research shows that eating more phytoestrogens is correlated with a lower risk of breast cancer in women before menopause and a lower risk of breast cancer recurrence in women after menopause (PMID 35241506 and 38070485).

How much?

The most risk reduction was in women who ate about 60 mg of soy isoflavones per day, or 2-3 servings of soy.

One caveat is that soy is a common allergen, often genetically engineered, and highly processed 😬

So look for organic soy products that are minimally processed—like tofu, tempeh, miso, and edamame.

If you don’t want to make sense of all this by yourself and want a personalized assessment and plan for hormonal health, we are here to help!

🔗 Follow the link in our bio to get started!

REFERENCES:

-Boutas I, Kontogeorgi A, Dimitrakakis C, Kalantaridou SN. Soy Isoflavones and Breast Cancer Risk: A Meta-analysis. In Vivo. 2022;36(2):556-562. [link]

-Desmawati D, Sulastri D. Phytoestrogens and Their Health Effect. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(3):495-499. [link]
-van Die MD, Bone KM, Visvanathan K, et al. Phytonutrients and outcomes following breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2024;8(1). [link]

Nutrients Missing from Low-Carb Diets?

💥 🗞️ New Study!!

When compared with diets not restricting carbohydrates, low-carb diets may lead to nutrient depletions—especially of some B vitamins and magnesium.

This recent study found that some of the nutrient requirements not being met by low-carb diets included thiamine (vitamin B1), iron, calcium, magnesium, and selenium.

Red blood cell levels of thiamine were lower and low levels of magnesium were more common in people following a low-carb diet.

This is not medical advice.

This is just something to be aware of if you have chosen to follow a low-carb diet.

It is always best to make dietary changes under the guidance of a practitioner who understands nutrition, metabolism, and supplementation.

This is our specialty.

🌱 Get started at our practice through the link in our bio!

REFERENCE:
Churuangsuk C, Catchpole A, Talwar D, et al. Low thiamine status in adults following low-carbohydrate / ketogenic diets: a cross-sectional comparative study of micronutrient intake and status. Eur J Nutr. Published online July 5, 2024. [link]

What’s for Lunch??

Try these for lunch! 🍎

🥣 Quinoa Salad Bowl

Toss cooked quinoa with olive oil, lemon juice, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, chickpeas, and chicken or cheese as you please!

🌯Mediterranean Wrap

Spread some hummus on a wrap and pile in chicken, lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, and feta cheese.

🍗 Chicken Salad

Get creative by tossing leftover chicken with a bit of mayo, celery, grapes, sunflower seeds, or avocados.

🫐 Greek Yogurt Parfait

Layer greek yogurt with fresh berries, granola, and chia seeds or hemp hearts.

What do you think? Will you try one of these?

Brain Nutrients: My Top 5

💥 5 nutrients for brain health ⬇️⬇️

▪️ Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are the building blocks for nerve cell membranes and important for cell-to-cell communication in the brain.

Food sources: fish, nuts, & seeds

▪️ B Vitamins

B vitamins act as cofactors for energy metabolism, and the brain needs a constant supply of energy to maintain function!

Food sources: eggs, meats, nuts, whole grains

▪️ Choline

Choline is a building block for acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter related to memory and brain function.

Food sources: egg yolks & liver

▪️ Polyphenols

These colorful compounds in plant foods protect brain cells from oxidative stress and damage.

Food sources: berries, chocolate, & green leafy vegetables

▪️ Probiotics

Probiotics influence brain health through the gut-brain axis, benefiting mood and memory.

Food sources: yogurt, kefir, & kombucha

If you aren’t eating food sources of these nutrients every day, supplementation is an option. Just be sure to purchase them from trusted sources. If you have any questions, we can help!

🌱 Get started at our practice through the link in our bio!

REFERENCE:

Gómez-Pinilla F. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008 Jul;9(7):568-78. [link]

Ansari F, Neshat M, Pourjafar H, Jafari SM, Samakkhah SA, Mirzakhani E. The role of probiotics and prebiotics in modulating of the gut-brain axis. Front Nutr. 2023 Jul 26;10:1173660. [link]