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.
Pick a topic below to get started.
Cold Plunging for Women: Why I Don't Recommend It Regularly
Are cold plunges good for women? Occasionally, in warm weather, when you feel like it, they are fine. As a daily health practice, I do not recommend them. The research on women shows a stress response that never fades, a thyroid shift after each exposure, and no recovery benefit in the one trial done in women. Here is what the studies say, what Ray Peat and the older thyroid writers said about cold, and why I keep cold plunges occasional.
Is Armour Thyroid Being Discontinued? FDA Status Update, September 2026
The FDA walked back its 2025 natural desiccated thyroid ban. What the March 2026 guidance means for Armour Thyroid, NP Thyroid, insurance coverage, and patient access.
What Causes Insulin Resistance? Diet, Thyroid, Stress, and the Herbs With Evidence
Insulin resistance builds from more than diet. Here is what the trials show about sleep, sitting, stress hormones, thyroid, and medications, the food-order method that cut post-meal glucose by a third, and an honest evidence ranking of berberine, gymnema, cinnamon, bitter melon, and kutki.
Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss: How Low Thyroid Affects Metabolism
Low thyroid function slows resting metabolism, shifts estrogen and cortisol, and makes weight loss harder. This article covers what the research and the older thyroid literature say about diagnosis, medications, nutrients, herbs, and desiccated thyroid.
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Is Apeel Discontinued? 2026 Store List
Which U.S. grocery chains have said no to Apeel-coated produce, which have not, and how to shop around it. Updated September 2026.
The Ray Peat Diet Guide
Every food he mentioned in a searchable database of 150, his hormone framework in order, recipes, and links to his first-hand sources.
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.
Best Water Filters for Fluoride, Aluminum & PFAS
A 2026 comparison of reverse osmosis and gravity filters from someone who has used them all firsthand.
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.