Book Review: The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry

Given current events, I thought it would be appropriate to dig up my old copy of The Great Influenza. It was an amazing read when I read it for a college course. In thinking about our current state of world shutdown, I thought it would be a good review, and I realized I should tell the rest of you about it. Continue reading

Procter & Gamble (P&G): 17,600 Products Could Be Affected By Coronavirus Due To Supply Chain

According to Forbes, P&G's Chief Operating Officer (COO) has stated that as many as 17,600 of P&G's products could be "affected" - which means production and availability could be interrupted by corona virus. P&G apparently relies on 387 suppliers in China who have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 virus. Continue reading

Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer – 3 Reasons Why You Should (Includes Instructions)

With the recent outbreak of another infectious virus, and the expanded coverage of the spread as it is unfolding, it seems basic supplies such as hand sanitizer are sold out in many stores. But making your own hand sanitizer is easier than pie. Continue reading

Book Review: The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum

Would you like some formaldehyde in your milk? What about a little mercury in your colored candy? A little borax in your butter? Chalk filled bread? Doesn't it all sound yummy? Or ridiculous? The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century by Deborah Blum may not be an easy read, but it's such an important piece of history that is still very relevant today. Continue reading

The Latest In All Natural Preservatives, and the Truth (Part III)

Are there any natural and safe preservatives to use? Since publishing part I and part II of this series, I’ve had an overwhelming response for wanting to know when part III would be out. It took longer than expected as there are thousands of chemicals out there, and safety data for only a few. But safety alone is not enough. What’s the point of adding an ingredient if it doesn’t do the job it was intended to do? So research had to be done twice, once for safety, and once for efficacy. Continue reading

Prop 65 Warning On Your Supplements: Should You Be Concerned?

As laws change to allow health conscious consumers more knowledge about what's in consumer products, so do the unintended consequences, such as with California's Prop 65 warning requirements. Prop 65 started with good intentions, but as with many other things in the marketplace, has gotten turned upside down, resulting in some unexpected and unfortunate outcomes, especially for supplement manufacturers. Continue reading