Planting the Seeds of Relief

Seeds, by their very nature, hold a lot of potential. They have everything they need to grow into a full-grown plant.

As it turns out, these seeds hold a lot of potential for us in managing endometriosis. Some of our best food remedies in our herb/spice cabinet.

Which seeds in particular are tiny powerhouses for us endo ladies?

• Pumpkin
• Sesame
• Sunflower
• Fenugreek
• Fennel

Typically, a one-quarter cup or a palm full is a good gauge for a serving size. Keep in mind that once you get the seeds home, to preserve them best, you want to store them in an air-tight container and ideally store in the refrigerator.

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy seeds...

Toss them in a salad

Seeds offers healthy fat, protein, flavor, texture and pain-relieving benefits. There’s a tendency to find one salad that you like and just keep making the same exact salad over and over again. While it may be tasty and contain healthy ingredients, it’s important to mix it up not only for your interest, but your body needs a variety of nutrients to maintain a healthy gut.

Enhance your dinners

Seeds are a great addition to stir fries, sautéed veggies, and other side dishes. It actually will make the meal seem more gourmet with having to do little more than simply tossing seeds in at the end of cooking or even garnishing your plate with them.

Roast them

Yes, by roasting them, especially at a high temperature, you run the risk of slightly altering the nutrients in the seeds; However, they still have a lot health benefits to them. And in my opinion, if you choose roasted nuts over chips or cookies, that’s a big win. Roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds in particular are a yummy year-round treat. You could even get fancy if you’re roasting them yourself by sprinkling different flavors on them – cinnamon, salt and pepper, old bay, or cayenne pepper. Mix it up a bit!

Create your own trail mix

Visit the bulk food aisle of your grocery store and create your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, and maybe some dried fruit or coconut flakes. This is a great travel snack as it doesn’t need refrigeration and can easily be tossed in a purse for an on-the-go bite.

Use for natural mints

Fennel seeds may be my favorite natural breath freshener. I often keep a small container or bag of the seeds in my purse, so I can enjoy a few of them after a meal to support digestion and freshen my breath. But again, they’re also suggested to support the relaxation of muscles.