Pumpkin Seed Magic for Better Periods
I often advocate for regular intake of pumpkin seeds for many of my clients and of course, I do follow this suggestion myself! So, let’s quickly review WHY pumpkin seeds is a magical menstrual cycle food and how they can help to naturally reduce PMS symptoms and fix period problems!
One of the major issues I see in women struggling with a variety of period problems is insufficient levels of magnesium. Why? We don’t exactly know, but studies show that chronic stress can noticeably deplete your body of this very important mineral. And truth be told, many women are very tired and very VERY STRESSED!
Plus (!)..some newer research shows that due to recent climate and soil changes, many foods that were naturally very rich in magnesium now have much lower magnesium content, further contributing to risk of deficiency for many women around the world.
Why pumpkin seeds is a magical menstrual cycle food?
It appears that magnesium in pumpkin seeds is able to calm the nervous system and normalize the actions of different hormones through menstrual cycle! Moreso, magnesium can be incredibly useful in helping to relax the smooth muscles of your uterus and therefore, combating period pain.
So, think of it like that: high levels of stress will result in low magnesium, and low magnesium will result in more stress! This vicious cycle can then in turn lead to hormonal imbalance and a variety of menstrual health problems, particularly right before your period!
Where was I? Oh, right, pumpkin seeds.
Well, the great news is pumpkin seeds offer 156 mg of magnesium per two tablespoons. That is about 50% of your daily needs just like that!
Besides impressive magnesium support, pumpkin seeds are also great for your digestion – thanks to high fiber content. And as I always say: healthy digestion = healthy menstrual cycle.
More than that! Pumpkin seeds also contain various important antioxidants that are necessary for fighting inflammation in your body and healthy fats that are so precious for your liver for good estrogen clearance.
Last but not least, pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, your friend and supporter for a good night’s sleep, something that so many women struggle with in various phases of their menstrual cycles.
In my Menstrual Health Course I dedicated a whole chapter to sleep and hormones through menstrual cycle (!), but in short, regular intake of pumpkin seeds can definitely give you a hand with better, more peaceful and restful nights!
There you go! I hope I inspired you to make pumpkin seeds part of your regular diet and don’t forget to grab a recipe below for extra cooking inspiration!
pumpkin-seed-power-smoothie
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As always, love you all and til next!
References
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170557/nutrients