+ What is seed cycling? What are the benefits of seed cycling?

Seed cycling is a daily routine of eating certain combinations of four seeds to regulate and improve your menstrual cycle and reduce its uncomfortable symptoms. Eat 1 tablespoon (tbsp) flax seeds & 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds during the follicular phase and 1 tbsp sunflower seeds & 1 tbsp sesame seeds during the luteal phase.

Seed cycling supports your body in restoring and maintaining its natural balance at different phases of your cycle and therefore it helps alleviate all symptoms related to hormonal imbalance. Menstrual cycles can regulate themselves, period cramping softens and bleeding intensity normalises. You can also experience reduced premenstrual symptoms (PMS) including migraines, mood swings, breast pain, water retention & digestive problems. Your skin health, sleep quality and energy levels can improve as well. If you are preparing for pregnancy, seed cycling can boost your fertility and increase your chances of conceiving. Seed cycling is also suitable for peri-menopausal and menopausal women as it can help lessen menopause symptoms. Moreover, seed cycling is also a PCOS- and endometriosis-friendly practice.

The seeds are also incredibly healthy and nutritious. Thus, it will never hurt to eat a bit more of them ;) Click on each seed type to learn more: flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.

+ How to eat Moonchy Bars?

It’s totally up to you ;) Moonchy Bars are just delicious bars, full of healthy ingredients and superfoods that are good for your body.

But what is special about Moonchy Bars is that they are designed to sync with your feminine cycle and to support it. That’s why we advise you to eat Moonchy Bars Phase 1 during the follicular phase of your cycle and Moonchy Bars Phase 2 during the luteal phase of your cycle.

Moonchy Bars also contain the exact quantities of organic seeds needed daily to practice seed cycling. If you want to fully enjoy the benefits of healthy menstrual cycles, we advise you to consume our bars daily or to practice seed cycling also on the days you don’t eat Moonchy Bars.

But again, we don’t want to make your life more complicated with Moonchy Bars. Just follow your intuition and don’t stress yourself too much. Find a way that works best for you.

+ How to determine the follicular and luteal phase (phase 1 & phase 2) of my cycle?

The new research studies (1, 2, 3) show that we can’t really standardise a breakdown of the menstrual cycle. A common belief that ovulation occurs almost always on the 14th day of the cycle proves false. In reality, ovulation occurs on different days for different women. This also makes the length of follicular and luteal phases different for every woman.

That’s why you need to get familiar with YOUR cycle. A cycle tracking app can help you keep records of the changes in your body and mind.

It is easy to determine the follicular phase (phase 1) since it always starts with the first day of menstrual bleeding. It can be a bit more challenging to find out when you step into the luteal phase (phase 2). The follicular and the luteal phase are separated by ovulation. Consequently, the luteal phase is the time period between ovulation and the start of the next menstrual bleeding. You can observe that you are ovulating by physiological symptoms such as a slight increase in body temperature and a more slippery vaginal discharge (similar to the texture of egg whites). Some women also experience a short-term pain on one side of their low stomach once the egg is released from the ovary. Moreover, when you are ovulating, you can also experience increased libido, improved verbal skills, and a sharper mind. You can read more here about other possible symptoms during ovulation.

+ How to eat Moonchy Bars if my menstrual cycle is irregular / I lost my period? Can they help me regulate my cycle?

First of all, don’t let anyone tell you that only a 28-day menstrual cycle is “normal” and “regular”. The truth is that a normal cycle length is between 24 to 38 days (1). What’s more, relatively small fluctuations in the cycle length are also normal.

So, what is an irregular cycle? The cycle is considered irregular if it is shorter than 24 days or longer than 38 days or if the length of cycles varies greatly.

If you are experiencing irregular cycles or not getting your periods at all, we advise you to give your body love and time to heal naturally and find its natural rhythm. Take care of your body and mind. Anti-inflammatory diet + gentle workout routine + healthy mind + less stress + enough sleep can really do wonders. And Moonchy Bars can obviously support this process. Our bars are full of many essential micronutrients and healthy fats that help promote timelier and more regular ovulation, thereby bringing your cycle back on track.

You can start straight away with Moonchy Bars Phase 1 on any day. You can either eat our bars daily or every few days. But if you want to regulate your cycle, we advise you to practice seed cycling also on the days you don’t consume Moonchy Bars. After 14 days switch to Moonchy Bars Phase 2. And after another 14 days, start again with Moonchy Bars Phase 1 and so on. Just follow a 2-week rotation plan. This way you are nudging your body to follow a 28-day rhythm.

You can also try to sync your cycle with a lunar cycle since the moon cycle and an average menstrual cycle are almost equal in length. The full moon corresponds then to ovulation and the new moon to the first day of your menstrual bleeding. Following this logic, start with Moonchy Bars Phase 1 at the new moon and switch to Moonchy Bars Phase 2 at the full moon.

+ Can Moonchy Bars bring me benefits if I’m peri-menopausal / post-menopausal?

We believe that Moonchy Bars can have a beneficial impact on both menstruating and menopausal women. Seeds in our bars can help alleviate symptoms resulting from lower estrogen and progesterone levels during and after menopause. In particular, sesame and flax seeds can improve hormone status and enhance the life quality of peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Flaxseeds can help reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and vaginal dryness (1, 2, 3), while sesame seeds can affect positively the blood lipids, antioxidant and hormone status of menopausal women (4).

Moreover, seeds are a real powerhouse of many vitamins and minerals, so it will never hurt to eat a bit more of them ;) It is also worth taking notice of the superfoods we use in Moonchy Bars: Maca and Ashwagandha. Maca can help minimise menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and poor sleep quality (5). Ashwagandha is known for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety (6, 7).

+ Can I eat Moonchy Bars when I'm pregnant / postpartum?

When you are pregnant your hormones don’t follow the same cycle as before the pregnancy. Throughout the entire pregnancy estrogen and progesterone are steadily increasing, therefore, seed cycling practice is unnecessary at that time.

However, you can still enjoy Moonchy Bars from time to time without a schedule, just as a healthy and delicious snack. Pregnancy substantially increases the requirement for various micronutrients (1). Nourish your body well in that special time to reduce the risk of complications. Moonchy Bars can help you with following a nutrient dense diet as they contain a significant amount of magnesium, cooper, zinc, iron, calcium & selenium. Moonchy Bars (Phase 1) are also rich in omega-3 fatty acid, which is vital during pregnancy as it is highly beneficial for the child’s development (2, 3, 4). It is also worth taking notice of a significant amount of fiber in our bars. Fiber improves digestion health and can help with pregnancy constipation.

After childbirth, estrogen and progesterone levels drastically drop down. It takes around 6 months for your hormones to go back to normal. Moonchy Bars can help you get back on track with your cycle after postpartum period.

However, during and after your pregnancy, always make sure to consult your diet with your doctor.

+ How soon will I start experiencing improvements?

Each one of us is different. We differ in our body sensitivity, health condition but also in a level of expectations. That’s why we can’t guarantee you when exactly you can start noticing positive changes. Some women may start seeing improvements already in the first few weeks, others may need to wait a bit longer, up to 3-6 months.

The truth is that natural solutions aren’t a quick fix. You need to give your body some time to find its natural balance. Our mission in Moonchy is to make you feel more in tune with your body, therefore, we would like our bars to be a positive stimulus for you to work on that goal. Even small steps make a big difference, so start making healthy choices. An anti-inflammatory diet + gentle workout routine + healthy mind + less stress + enough sleep can definitely speed up positive results.

However, one thing we can promise you for sure. There is no better feeling than enjoying daily a delicious snack, that supports your health, the environment, and the less privileged women.