Balancing Hormones

By Kari Kinsey

With Seed Cycling

I’m Kari Kinsey and helping others feel freaking amazing, inside and out, & fully enjoy their lives is kinda my thang Let me start off by telling you just a bit about myself!: I have a Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Family and Consumer Sciences Education… which is a fancy-schmancy name for Home Ec. I taught the fun subjects like Foods and Cooking to middle-schoolers… Call me crazy, but I loved it! I am a Certified Personal Trainer, a Weight Management Specialist and a Certified Group Fitness Instructor from the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers. I love all fitness and teaching all types of exercise, but my all time favorite class to teach is TurboKick Live! I graduated from the largest nutrition school in the world, the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, and am a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach! I’ve been blessed to work with hundreds of amazing clients and have had the privilege of helping them lose weight, reach their health and fitness goals and feel great, inside and out. Sharing my passion with others and seeing them transform their health and their lives truly lights my soul on fire!

About Me

When I’m not working out, in the kitchen or helping people feel awesome, I am just a regular mommy to 3 crazy little dudes (it'll be 4 come Spring 2019!!). You can

find me at play dates, cleaning up messes, hiking, mountain biking, volunteering in my community,

scrapbooking, reading way too many health-nerd books, cleaning (wait, did I already mention that?!), being outdoors, reading the same kid stories over and over

(and over!) and enjoying time with my family.I’m so glad that you are here and reading this! Let’s dig

in, shall we?!

Hello, Aloha and Bienvenidos!!

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As women, our hormones effect everything from our mood to our skin to our weight. They are responsible for how we look, feel and even how we think. When our hormones are balanced we should feel energetic, upbeat and respond well to stress. Our skin should be clear, our memory sharp and sleep should come easily each night. Our weight should stay where we want it as long as we have a good diet. Our periods should be consistent, we shouldn’t feel we need coffee or caffeine to function and we should have a healthy sex drive. If this does not describe you, then sister, I hate to tell you, but it’s very likely that your hormones are imbalanced! But don’t fret! It is completely possible to rebalance our hormones without popping medications, spending a lot of money or completely changing our entire lifestyles. Imbalanced hormones are caused by many things, such as poor nutrition, pills like birth control pills or antibiotics, toxins in skincare and home products, too much stress, not enough sleep and of course, our genes. know, that's a lot! But sometimes focusing on just one of those areas can do the trick to help you balance your hormones. One of my favorite, simple ways that has helped me to balance my hormones has to do with nutrition and is called Seed Cycling As long as our diets are focused mostly on eating real, whole foods, avoiding processed foods and limiting refined sugar, this simple technique can do be a game-changer in helping our hormones become/stay balanced and help us reap those wonderful benefits that come with balanced hormones! Before we jump into the details of seed cycling, it’s helpful to know that as women our bodies go through two different phases each month; the Follicular Phase and the Luteal Phase. The Follicular Phase begins on day 1 of our menstrual cycle and goes until about day 14 when we ovulate. During this phase our estrogen drops, causing an imbalance in our hormones. Our next phase is the Luteal Phase. This phase begins around day 15 and is when our progesterone drops, once again causing another imbalance. We are in this phase until we once again begin our period and the cycle begins all over again.

Hormones & Seed CyclingWhat in the heck are they?!

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This is where seed cycling comes in! During each phase when we are experiencing drops in our estrogen and progesterone, we can use seeds to help boost our levels and balance out that natural imbalance that takes place.If you are someone who has irregular periods due to PCOS, heavy bleeding, bad cramps, frequent breakouts or intense PMS, seed cycling can help solve those issues, along with providing the benefits I mentioned above that come along with balanced hormones. SO! Let’s talk the nitty gritty details!

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During the Follicular Phase our bodies drop in estrogen so they need a little estrogen boost, which can be found in flaxseed and pumpkin seeds. During the Luteal Phase when our progesterone drops, we can get that progesterone boost in sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Starting on day 1 of our period, we add in 1 tablespoon of raw, ground flaxseed + 1 tablespoon fo raw, ground pumpkin seeds. We do that days 1-14. Then on day 15 when our Luteal Phase starts, we add in 1 tablespoon of raw, ground sunflower seeds + 1 tablespoon of raw, ground sesame seeds. We start on those seeds day 15 and go until our period starts back up. And that’s it! That is everything you need to know about seed cycling in a nut shell

BUT there are a few things you need to be sure of… 1. Be sure that your seeds are NOT roasted or salted. You want RAW seeds since they deliver the most health benefits. 2. You also want to consume them ground rather than whole for best digestion and to reap the most nutrients. You can buy them already ground or you can easily do it in a spice blender, coffee grinder or Magic Bullet. 3. Organic is also preferred when choosing your seeds What I have found to be easiest is to grind enough seeds for about 7 days at a time then store them in a glass container in my refrigerator or freezer. They should stay refrigerated after being ground so they don’t go rancid. You also don’t want to grind them too far in advance so they retain as many nutrients as possible. When ground, seeds should remain dry and be course like an almond meal. If you find they are wet or oily, you may have ground them too long. The breakdown of each seed: Flax seeds are high in phytoestrogens that promote estrogen production as well as lignans that help detoxify excess estrogens along with fiber, to eliminate them properly. Together, they work to harmonize optimal estrogen ratios (so cool, right?!). Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that fight inflammation and work to regulate FSH levels for ovulation support. Not to mention their amazing benefits for healthy skin, hair and nails! Pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) are high in zinc which helps to prime and support the production of adequate progesterone in the next phase (the luteal phase).

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You can make these seeds for either phase, just use the appropriate seeds for that phase! What you need:2 T ground seeds1 T nut butter1 tsp raw honey 1 tsp chocolate chips (optional) What you do: 1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. If you find it too runny or sticky (depending on what type of nut butter you used), you can add something like rolled oats or protein powder. 2. Roll into a ball and eat! NOTE: To make life easier, I prefer to make a week’s worth of these at once. I then will store them in my fridge or freezer. I also like to wrap them individually so I can grab them and throw them in my bag as a quick on-the-go snack.

Tasty RecipesSeed Cycling "Cookies"

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Add your seeds to any of your favorite smoothies/protein shakes! Or use this super tasty, super healthy recipe: What you need: 1-2 cups water2 handfuls kale (or spinach) 1/2 cucumber2 stalks celery1 frozen banana1/2 cup frozen pineappleSqueeze of lemon (optional)2 T ground seedsLiquid stevia if more sweetness is desired What you do: 1. Mix all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend to creamy perfection!

Seed Cycling Green Smoothie

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Fudgy Almond Fat Bombs(makes 14 bombs for phase 2- recipe adapted from Natural Fit Foodie) What you need: ⅓ cup raw cacao½ cup almond butter14 tablespoons sesame seeds14 tablespoons sunflower seeds2 tablespoons shredded coconut2 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup1 tablespoon ground cinnamon1 tablespoon vanilla extract What you do: 1. Grind your sesame and sunflower seeds2. Add all ingredients including the ground seeds to a medium sized bowl 3. Mix until combined4. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out balls. The mixture is fragile and this makes the process MUCH easier than rolling out with your hands. 5. Place fat bombs in an airtight container (preferably glass) and store in the fridge.

(makes 8 servings) Recipe and photo from Real Food with Dana What you need: 1/2 cup coconut oil 3/4 cup raw cacao powder2 Tbsp coconut butter (can sub your favorite kind of nut or seed butter!)3 - 4 Tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it!)¼ cup pumpkin seeds, ground¼ cup flax seeds, ground¼ cup shredded coconut flakes1 pinch fine sea salt + coarse sea salt for topping What you do:1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. Melt the coconut oil and coconut butter (or nut butter) together in a glass jar (or over a double boiler). In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted oil and coconut butter, maple syrup, and cocoa powder, plus a small pinch of sea salt, until no lumps remain.3. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and use a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly (don’t make it too thin though!). Scatter the pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and coconut on top.4. Place on a level surface in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes, until completely frozen.5. Break up into pieces before serving. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt!Store in the freezer. It melts fast if you keep it at room temperature.

Seed Cycling Superfood Bark

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Q. How long will it take before I notice changes? A. Natural remedies always take a bit longer than popping pills, so be patient! Give it at least 1-2 months, but a minimum of 6 months is ideal. Use the chart attached so you can really notice those changes, as they may be small and gradual. Q. What if I don’t have a regular period, but I want to start seed cycling? When should I start? A. Just start! Seed cycling can be very helpful in helping women get their period back so pick any date and start with your phase one seeds (flax seed and pumpkin seed). Some women find it really effective to start with a new moon; That means you take the first day of the NEW MOON as Day 1 of your cycle. Q. Can I start if I already started my period? A. Yes! There’s no need to wait until your next cycle- just count back from the day you started (i.e if you started on the 7th and today is the 14th, start on day 7 of your seeds). Q. Can I do seed cycling if pregnant?A. While it will not hurt to do seed cycling while pregnant, the benefits also may not be as obvious. Rather than following the specific schedule, a better choice might be to regularly add raw, organic seeds to your daily diet. Q. It seems the seeds are increasing my digestive issues… what should I do? A. All seeds have something called physic acid, which can cause digestive issues for some people. In order to reduce the physic acid, you can soak your whole seeds then dry before grinding or soak ground seeds overnight before consuming them. They may turn into a gel when soaking already ground, so it’d be best to add these to a smoothie Q. What if I forget a day or two? A.You likely WILL forget a day or two since we are all human and busy! While consistency is important, one day will not be a total deal breaker. If you miss a day, carry on the next day as usual; there is no need to double up on your seeds the next day or push your days back.

FAQ's

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Q. Can I put my ground seeds in water and drink? A. Yes you totally can do this, but it isn’t quite as tasty! Q. Can I add my seeds to baked goods? A. No. The seeds need to be kept raw to preserve nutrients, meaning not heat over 150 degrees. Q. Do I have to eat both seeds at the same time? What is the best time to eat them?A. It is recommended to take the 2 T at the same time. The time of day isn’t as important as making sure you get the full 2 T each day! Q. If I don’t have a way to grind them, can I eat them whole? A. Flax seeds and sesame seeds need to be ground (otherwise you poop them out whole!), but the other seeds CAN be eaten whole if needed; grinding them just helps you to absorb more of the nutrients and decrease the risk of causing digestive issues. Of course if you’re adding your seeds to a smoothie then the blender will break them down and you don’t need to grind them before hand. Q. Can I eat other seeds while doing seed cycling? A. Yes you can, but it is best to not eat seeds from phase 1 during phase 2 and vice versa, however seeds like chia seeds can be eaten any time.

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Q. Where is the best place to purchase raw, organic seeds? A. You can purchase in bulk from your local health food store or from Amazon, but I prefer purchasing from thrivemarket.com. (use this link for 25% off your first order!

Q. What if I am estrogen dominant? Can I still do seed cycling? A. If you are estrogen dominant that does not mean that you need to completely eliminate plant based estrogen’s, such as flax. The main issue with estrogen dominance is not that you have too much estrogen, but rather that you have an inability to effectively break down and excrete estrogen. Women need estrogen for healthy menses, breasts, skin and hair. Flaxseeds can increase estrogen or block estrogen depending on the needs of your body. Yet, some people don’t do well on flaxseeds so it’s best to track your symptoms in the chart included. Q. What are some other ways to use my ground seeds?A. Get creative! Use the recipes above, as well as on top of salads, mixed into oatmeal, on top of pancakes, in yogurt, sprinkled on your dinner, mixed into chia seed pudding, make your smoothie into a popsicle, add to soups or stir-frys, in your quinoa porridge, in trail mix or even mixed into your fresh morning juice. Q. Are there any negative effects? A. The only negative side effect may be potential digestive issues, but often that is something that goes away with soaking, grinding and/or time for your body to adjust. Besides that, seed cycling is a gentle, natural routine safe for just about anyone! Q. Does seed cycling ACTUALLY work?! A. Yes it does and can for you too! However, keep in mind that seed cycling is not magic… A healthy diet and lifestyle are also needed if you want to see the most improvements in your health… so don’t go sprinkling these seeds on your French fries and expect it to magically heal you 😉

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My friend Heather Castellano's Personal Story: Having 4 pregnancies fairly close together really wreaked havoc on my hormones. I felt like they never really recovered between pregnancies and by the 4th, things were allll out of wack. I went from 28 day cycles with very manageable periods and symptoms to irregular 25-35 day cycles, horrid cramps, acne, and suuuuper heavy bleeding. My miscarriage last summer was the cherry on top that made things even worse. I couldn’t lose the weight I had gained, and was basically bleeding for 2 weeks every 25 days I had heard about seed cycling from Kari and decided that the worst thing that could happen is I would be eating more seeds with no changes. These seeds support and help regulate your hormones naturally and can be incredibly beneficial for a lot of different symptoms and conditions. Sounded a little hokey and crunchy granola to me, but I was seriously desperate. I’ve been doing it since October and I am 110% sold. My cycles have mostly regulated, my periods are SO much shorter and lighter, almost no cramps, I have lost all the weight (without changing my exercise/diet +the holidays!!), and my skin has been better than I’ve seen it in years. Thank you Kari for introducing me to this method!!

No, but does it actually work?!?!

Because it sure sounds like a lot of work!!

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Thank you!

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For being here with me!!I hope this was helpful!

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