Allergies and intolerances can look alike but behave very differently once you dig into the biochemistry. Ivy Ham unpacks onset timing, dose thresholds, and mast-cell dynamics so you can communicate clearly with your provider and chart a smarter path to relief.

Researchers have now tested tampons, pads, cups and period underwear for metals, PFAS, phthalates and fragrance compounds. Here is what they found, which claims hold up, and how to choose products when ingredient labeling is not required.

Bayer swapped glyphosate for diquat dibromide in consumer Roundup. A clinical herbalist reviews the toxicology, the Parkinson's data, the EU ban, and what EPA changed in 2019.

Hair is one of the first tissues the body downgrades when something systemic is off. A clinical herbalist walks through the thyroid, hormone, and nutrient drivers of hair loss, the evidence for rosemary and other herbs, and a scalp routine you can start this week.

The average woman is exposed to more than 168 chemicals via her personal care products. Many of these chemicals are banned in other developed nations and are linked to detrimental health effects. Being informed about what you’re applying on your body is super important to preventing health issues.

Sitz baths, astringent herbs, softer stool, and a footstool cover most mild hemorrhoid flares. Here is what I use, what the research supports, and when to see a provider.

Synthetic fragrance is in cleaners, laundry products, candles and cosmetics, and US labels do not have to name what is in it. This article covers what studies report on fragrance and indoor air, how the evidence compares with secondhand smoke, and the fragrance-free cleaning spray I use at home.

Delta-8 is not a natural plant medicine. Independent testing found undisclosed impurities in commercial products, and a law signed in November 2025 removes most of them from shelves by late 2026. Here is what changed and why I avoided these products from the start.

Discover how the raw carrot salad, popularized by Dr. Ray Peat’s bioenergetic diet, can help support hormone balance, reduce estrogen dominance, and improve digestion. Backed by its unique fibers and anti-inflammatory benefits, this simple recipe is a powerful tool for gut, liver, and thyroid health.

Most clothing is now made from plastic. Here are the swaps I make, the natural fiber and non-superwash wool brands I buy, how I thrift, and what the research on microplastics, viscose and PFAS shows so far.

Explore the differences between grass-fed and conventional red meat, and examine the research that challenges the common view of red meat as unhealthy. This article highlights the nutritional benefits of pasture-raised beef and addresses the flaws in studies that group it with processed meat.

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.

What the research says about acne, the skin barrier, and the gut, plus the food-first changes and simple unscented routine I use after years of severe acne.

You don’t need a certification to be an herbalist — in fact, the title is unregulated and based more on experience than credentials. This article explores why self-taught herbalists can be just as skilled as certified ones, and how institutional bias plays a role in who gets to be considered “official.”

Butterbur, freeze-dried nettle, quercetin, and spirulina have the strongest research among natural options for seasonal allergies. Here is what the trials show and how to use each safely.

Most electrolyte powders lead with sodium. I looked at what Ray Peat wrote about salt and potassium, compared three brands by ratio and ingredients, and rebuilt my potassium drink recipe with nettle and hibiscus instead of stevia and natural flavors.

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.

Nearly one in three adults has fatty liver disease, most without symptoms. Here is what causes it, how to spot it, and 11 tips ranked by the strength of the evidence behind them.

Chaparral (Larrea tridentata) is a resinous desert shrub with deep roots in Native and Mexican folk medicine, one of Earth's oldest living clones, and a 1990s liver injury record that every account of it should include.

Discover how gelatin, praised by Dr. Ray Peat for its stress-busting and anti-aging benefits, can transform your health with this simple broth recipe. Packed with glycine and easy to make, it’s a tasty way to support wellness inspired by Peat’s groundbreaking insights.