28-Day Seed-Cycling Plan

Seed cycling is a natural method used to support hormone balance by rotating four specific seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower) throughout the month. This plan is synchronized to a standard 28-day cycle, targeting key nutrients to support estrogen and progesterone when your body needs them most.

PHASE 1 & 2: Follicular / Estrogen Support – Days 1-14

This period, starting with the first day of your period and continuing through ovulation, requires support for the healthy rise of estrogen.

Seed Focus: Flaxseeds and Pumpkin Seeds

Why: Flaxseeds contain lignans that help metabolize and gently modulate estrogen levels, preventing them from becoming too high. Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, which is crucial for progesterone production that begins later in the cycle, and support pituitary function.

Day	Flaxseeds (1 tbsp, Ground)	Pumpkin Seeds (1 tbsp, Whole/Ground)
1	Stir into a warm bowl of oatmeal or morning cereal.	Sprinkle whole seeds on top of the warm cereal.
2	Blend into your daily smoothie with banana and spinach.	Add whole seeds to the same smoothie before blending.
3	Stir ground flax into a warm lentil or black bean soup for thickening.	Sprinkle whole seeds over the soup as a crunchy garnish.
4	Whisk ground flax into a vinaigrette dressing before pouring over greens.	Toss whole seeds directly with the salad greens and vinaigrette.
5	Use 1 tbsp with 3 tbsp water to create a “flax egg” for baking.	Add whole pumpkin seeds to homemade vegan bread or muffin dough.
6	Mix ground flax into a batch of mashed sweet potatoes or yams.	Top the mash with roasted pumpkin seeds for crunch.
7	Mix ground flax into a vegan yogurt or cottage cheese alternative.	Top the yogurt with whole pumpkin seeds and berries.
8	Stir ground flax into your morning coffee, tea, or a latte.	Roast whole pumpkin seeds with cinnamon for a coffee-time snack.
9	Sprinkle ground flax over simple avocado toast.	Use whole pumpkin seeds for extra crunch on the avocado toast.
10	Mix ground flax into a homemade granola or energy bar recipe base.	Use whole seeds as part of the granola cluster mix.
11	Toss roasted vegetables (like broccoli or carrots) with a light flax-oil dressing.	Add whole pumpkin seeds to the roasting pan during the last 5 minutes.
12	Mix ground flax directly into hummus or another savory vegan dip.	Top the savory dip with a sprinkle of whole seeds.
13	Blend ground flax into another nut butter (e.g., almond) to create a seed-rich spread.	Make a toasted pumpkin seed butter base for a sandwich.
14	Sprinkle ground flax over a berry and nut fruit salad.	Add whole pumpkin seeds to the berry and nut fruit salad for Omega-3s.

PHASE 3 & 4: Luteal / Progesterone Support – Days 15-28

This phase begins after ovulation and requires support for progesterone, which helps stabilize mood and energy.

Seed Focus: Sunflower Seeds and Sesame Seeds

Why: Sesame seeds contain lignans that help block excess estrogen from binding to receptor sites, balancing the high progesterone. Sunflower seeds are high in Vitamin E and Selenium, which help support the liver and the health of the corpus luteum (the structure responsible for progesterone production).

Day	Sunflower Seeds (1 tbsp, Ground)	Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp, Whole/Ground)
15	Mix ground sunflower into a hearty, warm quinoa bowl with roasted veggies.	Top the quinoa bowl with toasted sesame seeds.
16	Blend ground sunflower into a creamy butternut squash or vegetable soup for creaminess.	Garnish the soup with a sesame seed cracker or sprinkle seeds on top.
17	Mix ground sunflower into dark chocolate avocado mousse or any dessert base.	Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of the mousse as a garnish.
18	Whisk ground sunflower into a creamy tahini-based salad dressing.	Use a high-quality tahini (pure sesame butter) as the dressing base.
19	Use ground sunflower meal as a main component in a crust for baked tofu or tempeh patties.	Mix whole sesame seeds into the same crust/breading mixture.
20	Blend ground sunflower into a stabilizing smoothie (e.g., oats, peanut butter, plant milk).	Add a small drizzle of tahini to the same smoothie for richness.
21	Sprinkle ground sunflower over scrambled tofu or chickpea patties.	Toss the scrambled tofu with a dash of sesame oil and whole seeds.
22	Mix ground sunflower directly into a baked good batter, like muffins or quick bread.	Sprinkle whole sesame seeds on top of the batter before baking for texture.
23	Mix ground sunflower into a vegan sour cream alternative for baked potatoes.	Serve the baked potato with a side of sesame-based coleslaw.
24	Use ground sunflower as the base for a savory “parmesan” mixed with nutritional yeast.	Use whole sesame seeds to top a savory bread or cracker.
25	Use ground sunflower meal as a binder in a veggie burger blend (e.g., sweet potato and bean burgers).	Roll the outside of the burger patty in whole sesame seeds before cooking.
26	Toss lightly steamed greens (e.g., broccoli or spinach) with a sunflower-based dressing.	Garnish the steamed greens with a light dash of toasted sesame oil and seeds.
27	Sprinkle ground sunflower over a slice of rye toast spread with jam or almond butter.	Use a sesame-based jam (like halva spread) or sprinkle whole seeds over the toast.
28	Mix ground sunflower into hummus for extra thickness.	Mix in tahini (pure sesame butter) and top the hummus with whole seeds.

Seed Cycling Notes

Grind Daily: The beneficial lignans and oils are most bioavailable when the seeds are freshly ground. Use a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or high-powered blender immediately before consumption. Do not pre-grind large batches, as they oxidize quickly.

Be Consistent: For the best results, try to consume your daily dose of 2 tablespoons total (1 tbsp of each seed type) at the same time each day.

Listen to Your Body: If you find a specific serving method works well (e.g., your morning smoothie), feel free to stick with it for the entire 14-day phase! Consistency is more important than variety here.

Setting Up Your Seed-Cycling Schedule

Kilova is designed to automate this kind of cyclical scheduling, ensuring you never forget which seeds to take on which day of your cycle. Here’s how to schedule your plan using Kilova.

1. Schedule the First-Half of Seeds (Days 1–14)

Start Date: Click on Day 1 (the first day of your period) in the Kilova calendar.
Add Task: Select “Add Task” and type: Flax & Pumpkin Seeds (1 tbsp each).
Set Repeat: Scroll down to the “Phase Repeat” option.
Select: Menstrual Phase.
Choose: “Repeat daily throughout the Menstrual phase.”
Repeat: Repeat the same task for the Follicular and Ovulatory phase.

2. Schedule the Second-Half of Seeds (Days 15–28)

Start Date: Click on Day 15 (the day after ovulation) in the Kilova calendar.
Add Task: Select “Add Task” and type: Sunflower & Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp each).
Set Repeat: Scroll down to the “Phase Repeat” option.
Select: Luteal Phase.
Choose: “Repeat daily throughout the Luteal phase.”

3. Integrate Other Cycle-Syncing Practices

Your seed-cycling routine is perfectly integrated, but you can use Kilova’s phase-repeat feature for everything else too:

Workout Intensity: Schedule High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to repeat daily during the Ovulatory Phase when energy peaks.
Self-Care: Schedule Journaling or Rest to repeat daily during the Luteal and Menstrual Phases to honor your body’s need to slow down.

By using Kilova, your entire cycle-syncing routine — from your seeds to your workouts — updates automatically based on your predicted cycle dates.