superfood smoothie with seed cycling
What do you make when you want to eat veggies but don't realllllyyy want to eat veggies? When it's hot and you need something refreshing but also filling? When you feel like you should make something healthy, but just can't put forth the effort to chop and prep or clean up after yourself? Smoothies! Smoothies are my friend and they can be yours too. Don't think about it too much, just toss it all in the blender and and drink up.
I don't know what took me so long to hop on the smoothie bandwagon (probably because I just got a Vitamix this year, woot-woot!!!) but my life has changed for the better. They're the perfect way to get your daily serving of fruits, vegetables and other nutrients all in one giant jar of goodness. I make my smoothies with mostly vegetables and just a handful of low-sugar fruits, but if you prefer a sweeter taste, add a date or half a banana. Take advantage of the season and stock up on fresh berries and summer produce while you can. I usually buy a bag full at the market and eat about a quarter of it fresh and store the rest in the freezer before they over-ripen.
About four months ago, I started feeling overly tired and lethargic...and quite moody to be honest. Since many problems in the body tend to arise from hormonal imbalances, I decided to try out seed cycling--a topic that's been buzzing around the internet and health blogs. Just Google it and an endless amount of results with appear. I wasn't sure about it, but the only requirements are to consume certain combinations of raw, organic seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower), which are healthy for you anyway, during the two phases of your cycle: the follicular phase (first day of your period up to ovulation) and the luteal phase (ovulation up until the first day of your period).
Basically, the fatty-acids from the seed oils and lignans balance out levels of estrogen and progesterone. As a result, your hormonal rhythms stabilize. Seed cycling is said to clear up acne, improve fertility, help regulate abnormal periods and reduce PMS symptoms in general. As mentioned before, the format is based on a 28-day cycle. Days 1-14 consist of the follicular phase, and days 15-28 consist of the luteal phase . Not everyone has a 28-day cycle, so you can adjust the length of each phase depending on your individual cycle. If you have an irregular cycle, start out using the 28-day cycle plan when the next full moon occurs. This blog post and this article, by a medical professional, explain the process in further detail. If you're preggers, here's a good article on adjusting seeds by a naturopathic doctor (basically you just take all the seeds, every day). Otherwise, the main take away is this:
During the follicular phase (days 1-14 of a 28-day cycle) consume one tablespoon of raw, organic flax seeds and one tablespoon of raw, organic pumpkin seeds.
During the luteal phase (days 15-28 of a 28-day cycle) consume one tablespoon of raw, organic sesame seeds and one tablespoon of raw, organic sunflower seeds.
(Lee from America made a helpful visual chart in her blog post here):
I have been experimenting with seed cycling for about a month or so and I will say that my mood and energy levels have been more steady; but, this could be due to other factors as well. It can take up to three cycles before you notice any changes. Nevertheless, incorporating these seeds in their raw and organic form is beneficial to your health regardless of whether seed cycling actually works. So why not try it?
INGREDIENTS
follicular phase (days 1-14 of a 28 day cycle)
large handful of spinach, baby kale, beet greens or other greens of choice
1/4 cucumber
about 3/4 to 1 cup mix of berries*
optional date or 1/2 banana to add sweetness
optional 1 teaspoon certified organic maca powder**
optional 2 tablespoons collagen
1 tablespoon raw organic chia or hemp seeds
1 tablespoon raw organic flax seeds
1 tablespoon raw organic pepita (pumpkin) seeds
ice (about 1-1 1/2 cups)
filtered water (about 1 cup depending on desired texture, use less for a thicker smoothie and more for a thinner consistency)
luteal phase (days 15-28)
large handful of spinach, baby kale, beet greens or other greens of choice
1/4 cucumber
about 3/4 to 1 cup mix of berries*
optional date or 1/2 banana to add sweetness
optional 1 teaspoon certified organic maca powder from Peru**
optional 2 tablespoons collagen
1 tablespoon raw organic sesame seeds
1 tablespoon raw organic sunflower seeds
ice (about 1-1 1/2 cups)
filtered water (about 1 cup depending on desired texture, use less for a thicker smoothie and more for a thinner consistency)
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in an upright, high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. You can add more ice or filtered water to achieve desired consistency. Serve immediately.
NOTES
*I typically use a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries (with their green tops).
**There isn't a lot of information on maca and pregnancy, so it's best avoid all together or talk to a doctor if you are pregnant.
