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.
Best Vitamin C Powder Without Additives: 6 Acerola Powders That Pass (2026)
Most “natural” vitamin C powders are spray-dried juice on maltodextrin with synthetic ascorbic acid added back, and the best-selling brand is sugar, maltodextrin, and citric acid first. Here are the six acerola powders that list one ingredient and nothing else, the popular brands that didn’t pass, and the label rules to check any product yourself.
Natural Remedies for Insomnia, Part 1: What to Check Before You Reach for Herbs
Part one of a two-part guide. Before reaching for a sleep herb, check light, movement, stimulants, medications, thyroid, and food. Plus tart cherry juice and two gentle teas.
Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide, Carrageenan & Polysorbate 80: Are Supplement Additives Safe?
Six additives show up on the "Other Ingredients" line of most supplements. Here is what the research shows on each, which ones have real evidence behind the concern, and which ones do not.
Stop Taking Fish Oil Supplements: The Seed Oil of the Sea
Fish oil is sold as an anti-inflammatory. Laboratory testing of retail supplements tells a different story, and Ray Peat's objection to omega-3 oils goes further than shelf stability.
What Is a Loading Dose? Meaning, Purpose, and Examples
A loading dose shortens the wait for steady state, but only for compounds that clear slowly and build up in tissue. Creatine, vitamin D, iron, and omega-3s qualify. Most herbs do not, and the vitamin D trials show what happens when loading goes past its endpoint.
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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.