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Seed Cycling: What it is, How it Works, and How You Can Implement it into Your Life

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What is Seed Cycling?

Seed Cycling is the rotation of different edible seeds into the diet at different times in the menstrual cycle. Different seeds will help promote estrogen production during the first half of the cycle, while others promote progesterone production during the second half. In turn, these seeds will balance the hormonal rhythm in a woman and promote a healthier cycle, as well as support different symptoms such as PMS, cramping, irregularity and even aiding in transition into menopause. 

How Does it Work?

Based on a 28-day cycle, the first 13 days represent the menstrual/follicular phase, in which day 1 is when menstruation begins. The egg is maturing in this phase so estrogen starts low and steadily increases. We want to keep estrogen balanced in the follicular phase. During days 1 to 13, it is recommended to consume either flax or pumpkin seeds daily to boost estrogen and support the ovary as it gets ready for ovulation.

Days 14 to 28, known as the luteal phase, it is recommended to intake sesame or sunflower seeds to boost progesterone at this time. Sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are high in lignans which help to regulate estrogen and progesterone levels in the luteal phase.

Benefits of Seed Cycling

While it is not guaranteed, many women have experienced incredible benefits from seed cycling. When done consistently and accurately, it can be an amazing tool. Here are some of the things that seed cycling may help with:

  • hormone balancing
  • cycle regulation
  • PMS relief
  • stimulate period if it was absent
  • fertitlity

How to Implement Seed Cycling into Your Lifestyle

When adding the seeds to your diet it’s helpful to grind them up in order to increase the surface area for absorption of the essential fatty acids, minerals, and other nutrients. Below is our favorite recipe for helping to add the seeds to your daily routine.

Seed Cycling Energy Balls

  • Ingredients
    • Seed Cycle Blends
      • Folicular (day 1-13) Flaxseed and Pumpkin seeds: Ground up or whole
      • Luteal (14-28) Sunflower seeds and Sesame seeds: Ground up or whole
    • Shredded Coconut
    • Nut Butter
    • Oats
    • Mini Chocolate Chips: YUM!
    • Honey: Can be substituted for other sweeteners
    • Vanilla Extract: Just a splash for flavor
  • Instructions
    • Combine all ingredients: stir in large bowl
    • Chill: Cover and put in refrigerator for a few hours
    • Roll: Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to help roll out balls

Store: Keep in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

https://monaseeds.com/

Another option for someone starting seed cycling is to invest in convenient seed cycling packets. We love the one from the brand MONA Seeds because it makes seed cycling convenient to start. Seed cycling chocolates are another amazing option. They taste great and reap so many benefits at the same time. The Moon Chocolate seed cycling products are our favorite!

Take Control of Your Hormones

The biggest thing we love about seed cycling is that it promotes the idea that women have the power to take control of their hormones and begin to understand their bodies. Seed cycling is one way to take an all-natural approach towards hormone health. Living with painful and irregulated periods is never ideal so give seed cycling a try and see what you think!

“One Little Word” can Impact your Year

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How many of us start the new year with a million goals and a go-getter attitude? Only to slowly drop off as the year progresses. We all see it time and time again as overwhelm and old habits sneak in. With resolutions that may only last a few weeks it can leave you dissatisfied with the year so far. That’s why at Impact every single one of our team members uses the “One Little Word” exercise. This is an easy and efficient way to start making those shifts you want to see implemented in the new year.

Lets dive deeper into how this works! We are going to help you choose a word that resonates with you and your goals for the coming new year. Something that you want to embody and can relate to everything you do from work, workouts and even relationships. Here is how to start! Below is a list of words to get your creative juices flowing. You can either read them by yourself or click this link to our podcast where we will read them out loud to you and go into the exercise on a deeper level. As you’re going through the list write down any words that resonate with you. After you have gone through them all, try and get your list down to 3 top options. If you are still struggling to pick out one, take a deep breath and repeat each word out loud 3 times. Notice which one you smile at, which one your body has a reaction to or which one just instinctively feels right. You officially have your word, congrats! Now you can go into your new year in a  manageable but very effective way in order to start hitting goals and making transitions! 

 

abundance

achieve

action

adapt

adventure

alignment

alive

allow

always

ambition

appreciate

ascend

attention

awe

authentic

balance

be

beauty

believe

belong

bliss

bloom

bold

boss

boundaries

brave

breathe

bridge

build

calm

celebrate

change

comfort

commit

compassion

compromise

confidence

connect

conscious

considerate

consistency

contribute

courage

craft

create

creativity

cultivate

deliberate

determination

diligence

discipline

diva

do

dream

ease

elevate

embrace

emerge

encourage

energize

energy

enjoy

enlighten

enough

enthusiasm

escalate

example

expansion

explore

faith

family

favor

fearless

feminine

finish

flourish

flow

fly

focus

forgive

forward

free

freedom

genius

gentle

give

glorious

glow

goals

grace

gratitude

grounded

grow

happy

harmony

heal

health

healthy

heart

here

hero

higher

hope

humble

imagine

improve

increase

indulge

inspire

integrity

intention

intentional

intimacy

intuition

journey

joy

kindness

laugh

lead

learn

less

light

listen

love

magic

manifest

meditate

mindful

money

more

move

new

no

now

nurture

observe

open

organize

overcome

passion

patience

pause

peace

persevere

persist

perspective

play

positivity

possibility

power

pray

presence

present

prime

priority

progress

progression

prosper

purpose

quiet

receive

reclaim

reflect

relax

release

renew

renewal

represent

resolve

respect

rest

retreat

revenue

reverence

rise

romance

sacred

sacrifice

seek

self-care

selfish

serene

serenity

share

shift

shine

simplify

sisterhood

slow

smile

soul

sow

spark

sparkle

speak

speak up

spirit

spirit-filled

stillness

strength

stretch

strive

support

surrender

survive

synergize

teach

thoughtful

thrive

today

transform

trust

truth

try

unique

unlimited

unstoppable

utility

vision

vulnerability

wake

whole

why

win

wisdom

wish

wonder

work

worth

worthy

yes

All About Sleep: How to get to sleep and STAY asleep

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Sleep is essential to your health. Sleep plays an important role in your body’s healing process. It helps support brain function, keeps your emotions under control, and reduces the risk of disease, to name a few of the many ways sleep contributes to your health. Sleep recharges our bodies and gets us ready for the day ahead. It keeps our minds sharp, and it promotes physical and emotional health. There are many things you can do to get a great night’s sleep; here are just a few things you can do to get to sleep and stay asleep!

Winding Down

Creating a nighttime routine is one way to prepare yourself for a good night of sleep. Everyone has a different way of winding down, but everyone could benefit from finding a routine that works for them and sticking to it!

A few winding down tips:

  • Chamomile Tea: this tea has calming stress-soothing affects that promote relaxation
  • Turn Off Blue-Light: using the nightime mode on your cell phone will reduce the blue light exposure which can keep you up at night
  • Take an Epsom Salt Bath: epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral salt also known as Magnesium Sulfate. Magnesium helps regulate meletonin in the body, promoting better sleep
  • Read before bed: reading is a great way to get your mind off of the day and relax before bed

Products for Better Sleep

For those nights where you really cannot seem to relax and you need a little extra support getting to sleep, try out some of these awesome products that promote deep and restful sleep.

  • Meletonin: meletonin is a naturally occurring hormone that controls our sleep-wake cycle; the dietary supplement is used as a short-term treatment for sleeping troubles helping you to get to sleep and stay asleep
  • Magnesium Glycinate: this supplement has calming properties that help relax the body and promote sleep
  • Namastay in Bed: this is a plant-based supplement currated with a collection of herbs that help you fall asleep and stay asleep

Chiropractic Care

Regular chiropractic adjustments are an incredible way for great sleep to become a part of your everyday. Chiropractic is all about getting to the root of the problem. This means that the goal is to get the body functioning at its best! Chiropractic adjustments shift your body from a sympathetic state (fight-flight mode) to a parasympathetic state (rest, digest, heal). Your body needs to be in a parasympathetic state in order to sleep, heal, and recharge. The body can get stuck in the sympathetic mode due to subluxations that interfere with the brain-body connection, dysregulating the parasympathetic system.

Chiropractic care works to relieve pain, relax the body, and correct subluxation in the spine. Chronic pain is one of the things that keep people up at night. Correcting this problem will help you to get to sleep and stay asleep!

If you struggle with sleep, try adding chiropractic care into your daily routine.

Invest in Good Bedding

Bedding plays a huge part in the quality of your sleep. Investing in good quality bedding can up your sleep game and lead to a better night’s sleep. For example, finding a really good pillow that supports you as you sleep. A cervical neck pillow is a great way to relieve and support tense neck and shoulder muscles and increase the blood flow to your head. It also helps to improve your posture while you sleep! We sell and recommend the Core-Product, D-Core brand at our office.

5 Summertime Health Tips For Your Dog

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Written by Tails Chiropractic

The sun is out and it’s time to play. However, it’s so important to keep your fur baby as safe as possible during all your summertime adventures. Here are 5 ways you can keep your pet healthy and happy this summer.

1. Check That Pavement:

With an increase in temperatures, the pavement can get quite hot and burn your dog’s paws. Use the 5 second rule to determine if conditions are safe by placing your hand on the ground. If you can hold it there for longer than 5 seconds, it is cool enough for your pup, if not, it is best to keep them inside.

2. Keep Your Pup Hydrated:

It’s so simple but so important to keep your pup hydrated. With any outdoor activity that you participate in, make sure your pup has access to fresh water. Don’t rely on lakes, streams or public water bowls as these can be sources of harmful bacteria. Bring your own bowls and keep a few gallons of water in your car at all times.

3. Warm up and Cool Down:

If you are going to take your pup on a summer hike or bike ride, make sure you take some time to warm up beforehand. Get them moving by playing with them or going for a quick walk. This will allow their body to get ready for the more vigorous activity they are about to participate in. Afterwards, allow them to cool down by giving them plenty of water and time to rest in the shade. You can also gently massage their muscles and stretch their legs to further help them recover. 

4. Condition, Condition, Condition:

Like any athlete, you can’t go from couch potato to marathon runner in one day. You need to work up to various levels of activity and this is the same for your pup. Slowly work your way up on hikes, bike rides and runs. This will greatly reduce risk of injury, as well as, unnecessary wear and tear on their joints. The stronger their bodies are, the more protected they can be.

5. Prevent Doggy Sunburns:

Light coated and short haired dogs are the most susceptible to sunburns although all dogs can get burned on their noses, ears and bellies as these spots tend to have less hair. The best way to prevent this is to reduce sun exposure and to use doggy sunscreen. Yes, there is such a thing! One of our favorites is Hemp by Hownd. It is an all natural balm with added sun protection. Just rub on vulnerable areas to keep your pups skin protected.

Prenatal Nutrition

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It’s time to chat on something that comes up in clinic a lot- prenatal nutrition!  We work with a lot of mama’s through their fertility journey, and one of the best feelings in the world is transitioning that patient from a fertility patient to a prenatal care plan. Both of these require nutritional education. BOTH of them!  Meaning not only is hormone-targeted nutrition a valuable tool while TTC, but prenatal targeted nutrition can help ease your pregnancy and nourish your little one!

First, and it must be said, a prenatal vitamin is a supplement.  Meaning, in a perfect world, it’s used to supplement your nutritional intake, not to provide a safety net for Mama to live off drive-through and convenience store purchases.  Truth be told, not all prenatal vitamins are created equal and there are endless healthy food choices Mama can make to improve her health and that of her unborn little babe.

Protein

First, we’re going to touch on protein.  Proteins are the building blocks of cells and during pregnancy, when Mama is growing a whole lot of cells, it becomes super important that protein intake is sufficient. Research shows us that inadequate protein intake during pregnancy can contribute to low birth weight, placental growth, development, and nutrient transfer issues, and an increased risk of vascular defects in baby. On the flip side of this, higher carbohydrate intake during pregnancy can also lead to these concerns. Current research into protein intake recommendations are showing that we have perhaps underestimated need. New numbers are suggesting protein intake around 60g/day for early pregnancy and getting closer to 100g/day later in gestation to reduce and potentially prevent negative risk in both mom and baby.

Needed Vitamins

Vitamins B-12 and folate (B-9) play an essential role in DNA methylation. Making sure mama is getting these nutrients can reduce the risk of negative side effects including anemia, neural tube defects, low-birth weight, placental abruption, and both developmental and long-term epigenetic adverse health outcomes for baby. It’s also important to be sure you’re consuming folate (naturally occurring), and not folic acid (synthesized), during pregnancy.  Choosing a prenatal vitamin with 5-methyltetrahydrofolate optimizes Mama’s ability to use the nutrient when compared to synthesized folic acid. Folate is much more bioavailable than folic acid as it’s already in its active form and can be easily utilized by your body. It’s important for Mama to get good B-12 in while breastfeeding as well as it improves development and growth in baby earth side.

Some of our fave folate-rich foods include spinach, asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, sunflower seeds (add em to a salad!), black beans, and egg yolk.

If you’re looking for B-12 rich foods, it’s important to note this nutrient is found in meats, seafood, and poultry. It’s a little harder to achieve with a vegetarian or vegan diet.

*Both of these nutrients are plentiful in many organ meats!  Many nutritionists refer to organ meats and nature’s vitamins. So if you’re feeling brave, give a little beef or chicken liver a go!

Choline

Choline is another extremely important nutrient for pregnancy and it often goes overlooked and undervalued.  It plays an important role in cell division, brain development, myelination, and gene expression during pregnancy. It’s utilized in placenta formation and contributes to nutrient transport from Mama to Babe. Plus, adequate maternal choline shows beneficial cognitive function in infants! Check your prenatal because many of them don’t have choline at all (and if they do it’s probably not enough and you’ll want to take it in dietarily).  Foods rich in choline include eggs, meat, yogurt, shiitake mushrooms, and, on a smaller scale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and quinoa.  If you have an allergy to eggs or don’t consume a whole lot of animal protein, choline supplementation can be considered.

Omega-3’s

Omega-3’s are also important during pregnancy and often intake isn’t adequate.  Research shows that animal sources of DHA, like what is prevalent in seafood, are important for neurodevelopment and birth weight.  Fetal DHA levels are considerably more affected by animal sources of omegas than plant-based omega sources and even years later the beneficial cognitive effects of DHA were stronger in mothers who supplemented with cod-liver oil over plant sources (such as olive oil, corn oil, or flax).  When choosing what seafood to consume to get all the yummy health benefits of DHA, be sure to pick seafood with lower levels of mercury.  The general rule of thumb is the lower in the food chain the fish, the safer it is! Great sources of DHA include salmon, pollock, and sardines.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D might be in your prenatal and you might enjoy a good dose of sunshine, but research shows the RDA is likely low for pregnancy and deficiency isn’t uncommon.  Adequate Vitamin D has been shown to reduce the risk of gestational hypertension/ preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm delivery, recurrent pregnancy loss, and postpartum depression. Maternal vitamin D intake is important for skeletal development of baby during and after pregnancy with intake deficiency showing a correlation with type one diabetes and asthma/lung health issues later in baby’s life. The 600IU recommendation appears to be outdated, with other countries and research showing levels closer to 2000-4000IU safe and beneficial.

The above nutrients are a small glimpse into prenatal nutrition. In reality, the picture is bigger than what is presented in this blog post. While following a vegetarian or vegan diet presents particular issues around conception and carrying a baby, certain steps can be taken to optimize nutrition for these individuals. The information available via the internet and social media can be useful, but also misleading, misinformed, and sometimes confusing. If you want to self-study, our favorite resource is a phenomenal book called Real Food for Pregnancy written by Lily Nichols, RDN (can be purchased along with some of her awesome recipes here https://lilynicholsrdn.com).  Her book contains 32.5 pages of cited works in tiny font size so there is no lack of research behind her chapters! To get a more personalized approach if you’re struggling with fertility or prenatal nutrition we encourage you to work with a nutrition professional familiar with supporting expecting mamas!

This blog was written by Dr. Meghan Gray, DACM, MSHNFM, L.Ac. https://www.balancedthistle.com/blog/prenatalnutrition

Protein Studies:

https://www.nature.com/articles/pr2003367

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2350090/

https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/145/1/73/4585822?login=true

B-12 and Folate

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322438518_Folic_acid_vitamin_B12_and_DNA_methylation_An_update

https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/185/3/212/2918733

https://cdt.amegroups.com/article/view/24182/26221

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/15648265080292S117

Choline

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6722688/

DHA

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2621042/

Vitamin D

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5585545/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5122001/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4171878/

Best Brunch in Fort Collins

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Blog provided by: Anne Carlson

Are you an avocado toast, granola or eggs and ham kind of person? Luckily I’ve got you covered on all fronts! I love a good brunch so here are some of my favorite brunch restaurants in Fort Collins!

Urban Egg

Everyone deserves to start their day with Urban Egg. Breakfast, lunch, let’s do this … dine in or carryout with curbside pick-up available! Their award-winning menu is made from scratch daily using Colorado-proud, organic ingredients when possible. Bring on the Gourmet Pancakes, Stuffed French Toast, Eggs Benedict Selections, Breakfast Quinoa, Lunch Salads & Sandwiches, Barista Favorites & more. Various locations

Lucile’s Creole Cafe

They developed a Creole menu with the restaurant’s goals to becoming the nation’s premier brunch restaurant. Lucile’s first chef received his training from the famous New Orleans restaurant, “Commanders Palace.” A breakfast and lunch restaurant serving a Creole theme had never been attempted before in Colorado. However, within a brief period, Lucile’s had made its mark with such unique meals as “Cajun Breakfast” (red beans, poached eggs, hollandaise and grits) and “Eggs New Orleans” (fried eggplant, poached eggs, creole spice and hollandaise). Various locations

Snooze an A.M. Eatery

Yes, they are all about delicious. But they know that a better breakfast starts with better ingredients. Snooze is serving up a twist on breakfast by starting with responsibly sourced ingredients and bringing them together in unexpected ways⎪Various locations

La Creperie & French Bakery

The owner grew up in a bakery in Brittany, France the nest of crepes and galettes. After owning his dad’s bakery for a few years, Jean Claude came to the U.S. and found his home for 17 years in Key West, Florida where he owned “Croissants de France”, a business cherished by locals and tourists. Serving the Fort Collins, CO area today, we provide great tasting food that’s prepared fresh with the highest quality of ingredients. Jean Claude takes pride in baking the artisan way: no preservatives, no mixed powders, no chemicals. As a unique provider of French cuisine and French bakery in Fort Collins, you are sure to enjoy the great atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious crepes and pastries. 2722 S.College Ave  Fort Collins, CO 80525 

Silver Grill Cafe

Silver Grill Cafe is the oldest restaurant in Northern Colorado, serving breakfast and lunch since 1933 and with roots dating back to 1912. Wood floors, huge windows looking out on Old Town, original brick walls, and diner-style countertops booths and tables lend the historic restaurant its character. Silver Grill’s breakfasts and lunches are legendary. They have been named the best in  Colorado by news stations and lauded by local and national publications. Silver Grill is known for its huge homemade cinnamon rolls, made fresh daily and oozing with sweet sugary toppings. 218 Walnut Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Rainbow Restaurant

Rainbow Restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Fort Collins specializing in delicious breakfast and lunch food served by a friendly staff in a comfy atmosphere inside and on the outside patio. Both menus offer a wide variety of highly recommended traditional, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes. If you are looking for the best breakfast, lunch and brunch in Fort Collins, you must drop by Rainbow Restaurant. 212 W Laurel St, Fort Collins, CO 80521

https://thatcoloradolife.com/