Herbalism Articles: Traditional Practice, Primary Research
I'm Ivy Ham, a certified clinical herbalist. Every article in this library combines traditional practice from Western herbalism, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine with primary research you can check for yourself.
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Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth Recipe + Stovetop Method
My weekly chicken bone broth: one whole chicken, garlic, ginger, and a savory base of fish sauce and coconut aminos plus one ingredient that takes the collagen + gelatin to the next level. Done in four hours in the Instant Pot or a slow simmer on the stove.
Sea Moss and Carrageenan: The Same Seaweed, Two Reputations
Sea moss is sold as a mineral supplement. The same seaweed is processed into carrageenan, a compound researchers inject into animals to create inflammation. Here is what the research shows and what to look for on a label.
Herbal Remedies for Dandruff
Dandruff is tied to a yeast that eats scalp oil, not sugar. Here are the herbal and kitchen remedies that have been studied, what each trial found, and how to use them.
Where to Buy Oysters: Sourcing, Harvest Tags, Cadmium & Spoilage
A dozen raw oysters costs a third as much bought live as it does at a restaurant. This guide covers where to buy them, how to read the tag, spoilage signs, storage, and how to tell wood-smoked from flavored.
What Vitamin C Does for Skin: The Evidence, Foods, and Cofactors
Vitamin C is the cofactor two enzymes need to build collagen correctly. Here is what that means in skin, what the human studies found and where their designs are weak, and which foods and cofactors the pathway depends on.
Where to Buy Raw Milk in Charlotte, NC: Local Retailer List
A verified list of Charlotte metro retailers, farmers markets, and herdshare pickups carrying raw pet milk, with addresses, links, and a plain explanation of North Carolina raw milk law.
Soap Additives: What Clays, Sugars, and Herbs Do in Soap
A working guide to soap additives: which clays, sugars, herbs, and oils earn their place in a cold process batch, how much to use, and which ones turn brown.
Tallow Soap Recipe: Cold Process Beef Tallow Bar Soap
My tested two-oil tallow soap recipe with exact weights, working temperatures, and a step-by-step cold process method for 10 to 12 hard, creamy bars.
White Button Mushrooms for Hormone Balance + Garlic Butter Recipe
White button mushrooms inhibit aromatase, the enzyme behind estrogen production, and cooking them low and slow breaks down agaritine. Here is the research and my slow-cooked garlic butter mushroom recipe.
What Is NAC Made From? Human Hair, Feathers, and Better Options
Most NAC supplements start as keratin waste from barbershop floors, duck feathers, and hog bristles, and the label will not tell you which. Here is what NAC is, where the evidence is strong, why some researchers argue against cysteine supplementation, and how to buy fermentation-derived NAC if you still want it.
Lactating Steers and Hormones in Beef: What a 20,000-Head Study Found
New research found thousands of steers producing milk at slaughter. Here is what hormone growth implants are, why grass fed labels do not rule them out, and how to source beef from farms that never use them.
Eating Slowly Raises GLP-1 Naturally: The Case for Meal Hygiene
Eating the same 675 kcal meal over 30 minutes instead of 5 raised natural GLP-1 output by about 41% in a clinical trial. Learn how meal hygiene, eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and eating in a rest and digest state, supports fullness hormones, digestion, and weight management.
Types of Herbal Preparations: Teas, Tinctures, Salves & More
A clinical herbalist's guide to every major herbal preparation type. Learn how infusions, decoctions, tinctures, oxymels, syrups, infused oils, and salves are made, how long each lasts, and how to choose the right form for the plant and the person.
Best Raw Dog Food Brands: Whole Prey Model Rankings by Type
Frozen raw is the gold standard for dog nutrition, but not every brand gets the prey model right. Here are the best legume-free options at every price and convenience level, ranked from best to acceptable, plus the toppers and DIY recipe I use for my own dogs.
Avocado Oil Fraud: Lab Testing Finds Most Products Adulterated
New UC Davis lab testing found nearly 9 in 10 processed foods labeled with avocado oil contain undisclosed cheaper oils, including the seed oils buyers pay a premium to avoid. Here's what the study found, why olive oil has faced the same fraud for decades, and the case for cooking fats that cannot be counterfeited.
Best Spring Water Brands Compared: pH, Minerals, and Lab Data
I pulled the published water quality reports for five major spring water brands sold in glass and compared pH, mineral content, nitrate, and contaminant testing side by side. Here is what the lab data shows and how to read it.
Honey Panna Cotta Recipe with Grass-Fed Gelatin
A five-ingredient honey panna cotta and a closer look at the gelatin, cream, and honey that make it more than a dessert.
Food Folate vs Folic Acid: The MTHFR Angle
Folate and folic acid are not the same thing. Here is a food-first look at vitamin B9 from liver, greens, and legumes, the MTHFR conversation, and what the research actually shows.
Potassium Bromate and Bromated Flour: Health Concerns, the New York Ban, and How to Avoid It
New York has moved to ban potassium bromate, a synthetic dough conditioner that much of the world abandoned decades ago. Here is what the additive is, how it is made, why it raises health concerns, and what the new ban means for shoppers and bakers.
Clean Mineral Sunscreen Brands + Homemade Zinc Sun Balm Recipe
FDA trials show chemical UV filters absorb into your bloodstream, and only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are recognized as safe. Here are the cleanest mineral sunscreen brands worth buying, and the non-nano zinc sun balm I make at home instead.
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Adaptogenic Herbs for Stress
Only seven botanicals truly meet the scientific criteria for adaptogens. Monographs on all seven, drawing on Ayurveda, TCM, and Western herbalism.
Ray Peat Approved Foods List
The complete guide to bioenergetic eating: fruits, dairy, proteins, fats, grey area foods, and a detailed FAQ.
Best Water Filters for Fluoride, Aluminum & PFAS
A 2026 comparison of reverse osmosis and gravity filters from someone who has used them all firsthand.
Clean Mineral Sunscreen Brands + DIY Zinc Sun Balm
The cleanest mineral sunscreens on the market, plus the non-nano zinc sun balm I make at home instead.
Natural Tick Repellent That Works
Plant-based repellents that hold up in studies, a DIY recipe, and the case against DEET and permethrin.
The Clean Coffee Buying Guide
Every brand that passes strict criteria: third-party tested, organic, mold-free, with a Swiss Water decaf option.