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Halloween, hormones & pumpkins 🎃
There's nothing spooky about this natural remedy....
You've carved the pumpkins but what about all the flesh and seeds which often end up in the bin? Don't let these precious ingredients go to waste! By adding nutrition-rich pumpkin seeds to your diet, you'll be getting a good dose of iron, fiber, zinc, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Not only that but pumpkin seeds have been shown to help alleviate the PMS symptoms such as cramps and bloating.
The natural properties of pumpkin seeds
- Pumpkin seeds can serve up to 75 percent of the daily recommended amount of magnesium and 85 percent of the daily recommended amount of manganese.
- Magnesium can decrease the severity and duration of PMS symptoms- specifically: mood changes, anxiety, depression, weight gain, bloating, breast tenderness, and fluid retention.
- Whilst research is limited, a promising double-blind study found daily supplementation with Magnesium reduced the pain and duration of menstrual migraines amongst participants.
- They are also high in zinc, providing 15% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) per ounce.
- Studies have revealed that Zinc levels drop significantly during the Luteal Phase (Phase 2) in women suffering from PMS, making replenishing Zinc is an important step in managing PMS symptoms.
- Zinc has also been found to reduce inflammation and allow for more oxygen flow to the uterus, counteracting the effects of prostaglandins and reducing both the incidence and duration of painful menstrual cramps.
So how can you incorporate pumpkins into your diet?
In recent years, seed cycling has become a popular naturopathic remedy for regulating hormone balancing. So what exactly is seed cycling?
Nutritionist Lola Ross and co-founder of Moody Month explains “Seed cycling is a naturopathic nutritional approach to supporting female hormone cycle health. By eating specific seeds, in specific quantities, at particular phases of your menstrual cycle, you can encourage healthy hormone production, activity and efficient detoxification – for a more harmonious cycle.”
Preserve the seeds and store them in a glass jar.
First, dry your pumpkin seeds. Carefully wash pumpkin seeds to remove the stringy fibrous pumpkin tissue. Pumpkin seeds can be dried in the sun or in an oven on low heat for 3 to 4 hours. Stir them frequently to avoid scorching.
Once dry, store them in the glass containers in the fridge so that they are plastic free and essential fats are kept stable. Fresh pumpkin seeds should keep for up to 3 months if properly stored.
Add to smoothies or sprinkle on salads.
Pumpkin seeds can be eaten on their own as a crunchy healthy snack and are also a great addition to everyday dishes such as overnight-oat breakfasts, homemade seed butters, salads and soups, baking or smoothies. Sisters, get creative in the kitchen and give pumpkin seeds a go!
Looking to add pumpkin seeds to your weekly shop? We love these Organic Pumpkin Seeds by Suma
Banner Image credit: Keith Haring's Pumpkin carving of Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907)
