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Long-reads, guides, and reviews on herbal medicine and nootropics — evidence-based, and written to be useful.
01 The Sunlight Experiment, Reborn I built The Sunlight Experiment in university, then let it sit for years. Here's why I'm reviving it — a new site, a stack of new herbal monographs, and a return to learning by writing. 02 Which Catuaba Should You Be Using? (Best Catuaba Supplements) Catuaba is the common name of over 8 unrelated species of plants. Learn the difference between these species so that you know which ones to use and which ones to avoid. 03 What Are Nootropics? Why Should I Be Interested? It's amazing what this class of substances can do for your brain — here's a plain-English introduction. 04 Why We Should Be Interested In Natural MAO Inhibitors A herbalist's evidence-based guide to natural MAO inhibitors — the difference between MAO-A and MAO-B, how the pharmaceuticals work, the ayahuasca connection, and a ranked list of MAO-inhibiting herbs with potency meters for both enzymes. 05 Using Pau D'Arco to Fight off Candida Candidiasis is an overgrowth of the common fungus known as candida. When candida overgrowth occurs, getting rid of it can be challenging and time consuming. Although there are drug therapies for eliminating candida, many of them are beginning to lose their effectiveness to drug resistant… 06 How is THC Metabolized? THC is the main psychoactive chemical contained in the Cannabis plant. But how is this molecule metabolised and used within the body? Read on to find out. 07 What is Altitude Sickness? Signs, Symptoms, & Supplements Altitude sickness (acute mountain sickness) is caused by the low oxygen of high elevations. Here's how it works, how to spot the danger signs of HACE and HAPE, the medical drugs that treat it (acetazolamide, dexamethasone, nifedipine), and the herbs traditionally used to help the body acclimatise. 08 Ultimate Guide To Herbal Aphrodisiacs Of The World Herbal aphrodisiacs have been used for thousands of years — but which ones actually hold up to scrutiny? An evidence-graded tour of 34 libido herbs from around the world, with honest notes on what's proven, what's only traditional, and what's unsafe. 09 What is Ayahuasca? Ayahuasca is a blend of 2 Amazonian plants, brewed to produce one of the most psychoactive substances in the world. It's commonly used in the treatment of drug addiction, chronic depression, and anxiety disorders but has also seen a surge in global interest for non-medical reasons. 10 A Herbalist’s Guide to Using CBD Oil CBD is sold for everything from anxiety to cancer — but what is it actually proven to do? A herbalist's evidence-based guide to CBD's real uses, dosing, quality, and drug interactions. 11 Herbs to Optimize Athletic Performance Some of the best athletic enhancement supplements are actually from herbs! Read on to find out which ones would work best for your athletic regimen. 12 Heart Palpitations: Top 6 Herbs According To A Herbalist Heart palpitations can be very uncomfortable. Effective treatments are hard to find and often involve harsh pharmaceuticals (like beta-blockers) or surgically cauterizing the heart. There are, however, a few excellent herbal options you can employ for managing heart palpitations. 13 What is Bioprospecting? Why is it Important? A large share of our medicines began as compounds made by plants and fungi — from aspirin and penicillin to modern chemotherapy drugs. Bioprospecting is the search for those natural compounds, and this guide explains how it works, why patent law drives it, and nine famous drugs it has given us. 14 What is Typhoid Fever & Why Are Researchers So Worried About A Recent Outbreak In Pakistan? Typhoid fever has been around for a very long time, but for the past 70 years, we’ve had antibiotics to manage it. With a new strain emerging in Pakistan, scientists are beginning to fear falling back to the pre-antibiotic era with potentially devastating global implications. 15 An Intro To The Ketogenic Diet Many people have heard about the ketogenic diet, but not many understand how it is or why someone would do it. This article breaks the ketogenic diet apart and interprets how it’s gotten some of its health claims. 16 Making The Connection Between B Vitamins And Cognitive Function What's the deal with B vitamins? Can they really improve cognitive function? 17 Guide to Using Elder For Influenza Virus Elder has been used to treat upper respiratory tract infections for hundreds of years. Only in recent times, however, have we really begun investigating the mechanisms of how elder works so well for treating these conditions. Here, we have a look at the phytochemical makeup of elder, and how it… 18 Drug Therapies For Influenza Most of us that fall ill from influenza will recover within a few days. For some, however, the infection can lead to much more serious complications like pneumonia and death. What medications are available? What are their strengths and weaknesses? 19 How Does The Influenza Virus Make Us Sick? For all of human history we have been plagued by viruses. Influenza has been especially virulent over the past 100 years, and has led to what has been deemed "the worst catastrophe in human history". How does influenza infect us and make us sick? What are the risks of influenza catastrophe in… 20 What Are Racetam Nootropics? Racetams were the first class of nootropics ever discovered, and remain one of the most popular nootropic substances on the planet. Why you ask? Find out more here. 21 Caffeine Doesn't Make You Smarter We love caffeine... we drink it every day in our coffee, tea, and yerba maté... pretty much all day actually. But it's a common misconception that caffeine will make you smarter. Here we look at the chemistry and pharmacology behind caffeine and why it doesn't make us smarter... fortunately, it… 22 Is Psilocybin a Nootropic? Psilocybin is the chemical found in magic mushrooms. It has been getting some attention lately as a possible nootropic in small doses. Here we have a closer look at how this chemical works, and consider how this may or may not offer nootropic benefits.... 23 How to Lower Cholesterol Levels Naturally An honest, evidence-checked look at lowering cholesterol naturally — the diet changes and herbs (artichoke, pu-erh tea, fibre) that actually help, how they compare to statins, and where the popular claims overreach. 24 A Beginner's Guide to Heart Disease A plain-English guide to what heart disease actually is — atherosclerosis, angina, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, and hypertension — plus an honest look at the traditional herbs studied for heart health and their drug interactions. 25 Alzheimer's Disease: An Overview An overview of Alzheimer's disease — its stages, what actually goes wrong in the brain (amyloid, tau, and the acetylcholine story sorted out), how the newer anti-amyloid drugs work, and an honest look at the herbs and supplements studied for cognitive support. 26 The Hippocampus: Remembering our Past and Imagining our Future The Hippocampus is a special region of the brain, crucial for memory development, and imagining future events. We discuss the functions of the hippocampus, what makes it special, and tips to optimising memory storage using the specialties of this brain region. 27 Is Parkinson’s Caused By Poor Gut Health? Recent evidence suggests that the neurological condition "Parkinson's", may have its origins in the guts, rather than the brain... 28 Skepticism About Homeopathy Homeopathy often falls under the umbrella of "natural therapies". What is homeopathy? Is it effective? This investigative article identifies what homeopathy is, and offers an evidence-based investigation of this modality on its effectiveness. Should homeopathy be considered a viable form of… 29 Bitter Herbs: What Are They & How Do I Use Them? Bitters are one of the mainstays for herbal medical practice. The bitter flavor has the ability to stimulate the vagus nerve, and triggers the release of bile into our duodenum. Triggering this response is useful for a surprising range of benefits in the human body. 30 How To Improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Herbs. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of those conditions we still remain fairly uncertain of. It is more of a set of complex symptoms than it is a real diagnosis, yet it is incredibly common. What we do know about IBS is that it tends to have certain patterns in the lifestyles of those… 31 Botanical Cognitive Enhancement A practical field guide to plant-based nootropics — ginkgo, bacopa, lion's mane, huperzine-A, gotu kola and more — what each one actually does for focus and memory, how strong the evidence is, and an example formula for blending them. 32 How Stress Can Make You Sick How chronic stress actually makes you sick — the cortisol and HPA-axis story behind "adrenal fatigue," the old concept of vitality, and a practical guide to adaptogenic herbs (ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola and more) matched to "hot" and "cold" constitutions. 33 Managing Osteo-Arthritis Naturally Osteoarthritis affects roughly half of adults over 65. It's driven by low-grade inflammation and gradual breakdown of joint cartilage — here's an honest, evidence-graded look at the topical and internal herbs studied for easing it, from capsaicin cream to turmeric and devil's claw. 34 Treating Migraine Headaches With Feverfew Migraines are a bane to all who experience them. Here is some insight as to using feverfew to treat and prevent them. 35 The Ultimate Guide to Essential Oils What are essential oils anyway?