Estrogen-Boosting Crackers [oven method]

Two tablespoons of flaxseed or pumpkin seeds per day have shown to help boost estrogen production. Pumpkin seeds are also known to be phytoestrogenic.

This can be equally valuable for menstruating women in the first part of the cycle (day 1 to 15, refer to the chart) as well as women going through peri- and menopause who would benefit from an estrogen boost.

This recipe is using an oven. If you have a dehydrator, feel free too use it and set it to 115F for 8 hours.

Time to prepare: 20 minutes
Time to soak: 12 hours
Time to bake: 6 hours
Serves: 20 servings
Equipment: thermometer, parchment paper and 18’ x 13’ baking tray

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup flaxseed
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup dried apples, roughly chopped
• 1 cup roasted coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Soak almonds for 12 hours.
2. Soak flaxseed and pumpkin seeds in 3 cups of water for 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 150F or the lowest temperature your oven allows. The trick to keeping the temperature low (ideally in the range of 120 to 150F) is to leave the oven door ajar. This will prevent the crackers from burning and will create air circulation to dry the crackers.
4. Strain all the excess water from the almonds and combine with all the remaining ingredients. Toss to mix them well.
5. Line the baking tray with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly.
6. Bake for 6 hours or until fully dried. It’s recommended to check your crackers regularly using the thermometer to be sure they are getting dried but not burned. If the oven gets too hot, just open the oven door slightly wider. I use a metal tool (like a can opener) to keep the oven door ajar. The second batch will be easier to make as you will know how to keep the oven temperature in the 120-150F range.
7. These crackers store well for two weeks in an air-tight container.

Progesterone-Boosting Crackers [dehydrator method]

This cracker is an ideal daily snack for women in the luteal phase (second part of the menstrual cycle which is about day 15 to 30) when progesterone production is essential to feeling healthy and calm.

These crackers help mitigate PMS which can often be caused by excessive estrogen as compared to progesterone levels.

Time to prepare: 20 minutes
Time to soak: 12 hours
Time to dehydrate: 8 hours
Serves: 20 servings
Equipment: dehydrator and parchment paper.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds
• ¾ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• ¾ cup goji berries
• ½ cup pomegranate syrup (you can get it from Middle Eastern stores, Wholefoods or Amazon)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Soak almonds for 12 hours.
2. Soak sunflower and sesame seeds for 4 hours.
3. Soak chia seeds in 2 warm cups of water for 3-4 hours in a In a separate bowl.
4. Strain all the excess water from the almonds and combine with in all the remaining ingredients. Toss to mix them well.
5. Line the dehydrator trays with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly to 1/3 of an inch in thickness.
6. Set the dehydrator to 115F, for 8 hours.

These crackers store well for two weeks in an air-tight container.

As you can see, food can also be used to rebalance our hormonal health and help us feel balanced and nourished. Hormonal imbalances in women are often times the underlying cause of weight struggles, depression, anxiety, infertility, miscarriages, hair loss and more.

This article was contributed by Magdalena Wszelaki, a nutritional coach, hormone specialist and a chef. She has a long history of hormonal challenges herself; from Hashimoto’s, adrenal exhaustion to estrogen dominance. She is in a full remission today and lives a symptoms-free life.

Sources:

European Society of Endocrinology

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Journal of Steroid Biochemistry

Nutrition and Cancer, Taylor Francis Group

European Journal of Gynecology and Reproductive Biology