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The real question is, what are vitamins for?

Leah Roth — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:56:13 +0000

This question is probably the one we should have addressed in our first post. Working in the health and supplement industry we are constantly asked “So do I really need to be taking _____?” While there is usually no simple answer since it really depends on each person, there are many factors involved that are too numerous to list. However since most people don’t really understand what vitamins are all about they just take anything, without being informed.

So this brings us back to what are vitamins?

The Miriam Webster Dictionary defines vitamins as:

Any of various organic substances that are essential in minute quantities to the nutrition of most animals and some plants, act especially as coenzymes and precursors of coenzymes in the regulation of metabolic processes but do not provide energy or serve as building units, and are present in natural foodstuffs or sometimes produced within the body.

This can be explained in simple English as a substance that the body needs in order to be healthy and can usually be found in the foods we eat and/or can be produced in the body. This brings us back to the question of why some people may need to take vitamins or supplements.

Supplements as the word states is actually meant just to be something added to complete a thing or make up for a deficiency; NOT as a replacement. Many believe they can eat what they want, take a multi vitamin and/or other supplements and still be healthy. This is a myth!

Most healthcare providers will tell you the ideal way to get the nutrients you need to be healthy would be through the food you eat. An example of this would be a 4oz serving of chicken which can provide you with vitamins B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6! However studies have shown as time has gone by most foods that we eat have been robbed of their vital nutrients and now cannot provide us with all the vitamins we need even if we eat the right foods.

Also sometimes eating the right foods all the time is not possible due to health reasons or lifestyle. And sometimes even though we eat healthy we are still missing some vital nutrients and this is where we at KosherVitamins.com come in.

KosherVitamins has vitamins and supplements for all your needs. We carry hundreds of supplements from many different brands such as Maxi Health, New Chapter, Solgar, Bluebonnet and Zahler’s. So you can find the supplement that fits your needs and that you need to take! You can visit us online at www.koshervitamins.com or give us a call at 800-645-1899.

What is L-Ornithine used for?

Leah Roth — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:14:11 +0000

In order to understand what L-Ornithine is, this article is intended to inform the consumer. L-ornithine is a non-essential amino acid. It is considered non-essential because it is produced by the body from the amino acid L-arginine. Ornithine is used by the body to make urea, which helps eliminate toxins in the body. Some natural sources for ornithine would be meat, fish, dairy and eggs.

BENEFITS OF L-Ornithine:

There are many different reasons and uses of L-ornithine, however it is mainly used by Athletes since this is one of the few amino acids that cause a release in the growth hormone from the pituitary gland. Translation, this helps with muscle retention and growth, higher energy levels, healthier skin, improved brain function and even elevated libido.

It is no wonder this is also sometimes taken for its anti-aging effects! Another benefit in taking L-ornithine is for after surgery or for someone with a weak immune system, L-ornthine can help expidite the healing time, and helps with immune support!

HOW SHOULD L-Ornithine BE TAKEN?

· L-Ornithine can be taken alone or in combination with L-Arginine which is said to help the effectiveness: LINK.

· It is best to be taken at night because it is said that the most growth hormones is produced while we sleep.

· It is recommended to take between 500 mg and 2 g daily on an empty stomach.

SIDE EFFECTS:

Currently there are no serious side effects in taking L-Ornithine. However taking over 10 grams a day can cause nausea and diarrhea in some people.

KOSHER:

To ensure that you receive high quality and kosher certified kosher L-Ornithine visit us online at www.koshervitamins.com or call us at 800-645-1899.

Expired Vitamins: Can they be taken?

Leah Roth — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:18:41 +0000

Q: Should I throw out vitamins if they expire or can I keep taking them for a certain amount of time after they expire?

A: This is a very good question that we have been asked countless times. The first thing to understand is what vitamins expiration dates actually mean. Most of us think of expiration dates as we think about milk that spoils and cannot be taken after that date (sometimes even a few days before.) Vitamins unlike milk do not spoil or go bad usually, however the potency is affected. The expiration date on a bottle tells you that based on various factors the manufactures have determined that that date is the last date that the vitamin will be at its full potency.

So now the real question is what do you do with your vitamins when they expire? Ideally it is best to take the vitamins before they expire this way you get the full potency and results you are trying to obtain. However, it is not harmful to take expired vitamins, and while most people cannot do a chemical analysis to see the actual strength of the supplement, you can still “eyeball” the supplement and see if the color or taste has changed.

One of the great things about ordering from Kosher Vitamins is we try our hardest to ensure you get the freshest supplements with long expiration dates. To order visit us online at www.koshervitamins.com or call us at 800-645-1899.

“CONSUMER SATURDAY; STORING VITAMINS, FROM A TO K.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 14 Feb. 1981. Web. 05 Feb. 2013

Do you need to get immunized?

Leah Roth — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:24:22 +0000

With the first day of winter a few days behind us, for many of us the next few months are constant trips to the doctor. If your trip to the Dr. is not for yourself, then it is for your child, sibling and or parent. So we start “winter proofing”. Everyone starts taking multi vitamins and immune boosters. They make sure to get flu shots and use hand sanitizers. What most of us don’t do is immunize ourselves since most healthy adults do not believe they need the flu shot as they believe their bodies are healthy enough to ward off infection on its own.

While not taking the flu shot might only cost you a few days of being sick in bed, it can be very harmful for those around you. When you get sick with the flu it is a major inconvenience to you however it can be dangerous for those around you. Most adults do not realize that while protecting your children or elderly parents from the outside winter with vitamins, flu shots and sanitizers they are not being protected from YOU! Many children catch the flu from a parent, or adult caregiver and not from another child, classmate or stranger.

Another need to get immunized is to protect your infants from Pertussis or better known as the whooping cough. When children get the whooping cough it is easier to spot because of the “whoop” in their cough. However adults with the whooping cough do not show the same symptoms and it may be hard to spot. Pertussis for infants under 1 years old can be deadly, and this can easily be transferred by an adult since they are the ones usually taking care of the child.

So should you throw away the multi vitamins, the immune boosters and sanitizer’s and just get immunized? NO, not at all, as the previous mentioned supplements and other health aids do help protect ourselves and our children from any illness that can be caught in school, at a friend’s house, from the weather and/or any other place. Getting immunized and taking a multi, immune booster, and using sanitizers help give your loved ones a strong healthy body that can help them fight off any infection or illness they may encounter at home or anywhere else.

To order a kosher multi vitamin and or immune booster for children click here: Multi Vitamin

Immune Booster

To order a kosher multi vitamin and or immune booster for adults click here: Multi Vitamin

Immune Booster

To order hand sanitizers or disinfectant wipes click here: Sanitizers

If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear them!

Bad Breath? Finally some help!

Leah Roth — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 15:47:24 +0000

Do you suffer from bad breath? Recently the Council of Scientific Affairs published a report stating that 50% of Americans have suffered/suffer from bad breath. Yes, that means ½ of America! The good news is while bad breath can be a sign of a serious problem; chances are it can be rectified with some simple tricks.

1. Brush your teeth after meals: it is recommended to brush for at least 2 to 3 minutes at least twice a day. Tip- try keeping a toothbrush and kosher toothpaste with you at work.

2. Use a tongue scraper: we all know if we have bad breath you brush your teeth, however your tongue is just as important since your tongue can be home to bacteria, food debris and dead cells.

3. Floss Daily: this will help remove food and plaque that gets stuck between your teeth.

4. Avoid foods with strong smells: like garlic and onions.

5. Drink Water: one of the reasons a lot of us wake up with bad breath or what we call “morning breath” is because in our sleep we produce less saliva then when we are awake causing bad breath. Drinking plenty water while avoiding coffee, soft drinks and/or alcohol can help prevent bad breath.

6. Gum or Candy: both stimulating saliva which like the water will wash away food particles and bacteria.

7. Chew fresh parsley: Or any pleasant smelling herb will temporarily improve bad breath.

8. Try Chlorophyll: liquid can be taken as a natural mouthwash and tablets as a natural cleanser and help with bad breath

If you have tried all these for a few weeks and do not see any improvement, talk to your doctor or your dentist since it can be a sign of lung disease, diabetes or liver failure.

If you are like 50% of Americans that suffer from bad breath and would like to try the above mentioned suggestions don’t forget to pick up one of our kosher toothpastes such as Jason’s, Toms of Maine, Adwe and/or Earth Best. As for a tongue cleaning try the #1 Selling tongue cleaner from Dr. Tung at this link: LINK.

So visit us at www.koshervitamins.com or give us a call at 800-645-1899 for all your kosher vitamins and supplement needs.

Folic Acid: Should you be taking it?

Leah Roth — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:06:16 +0000

Did you know that in the United States each year there are approximately 1,500 babies born with spina bifida, and about 1,000 born with anencephalic?
Did you know that studies have shown that by taking one vitamin it can help prevent the above birth defects?

Folic Acid/Folate is in the B vitamin family and helps the body to produce new healthy cells. Folate is found naturally in some foods, however most people do not get enough folate in foods alone and therefore have to take folic acid which is a man made form of folate to reach the daily dosage.

Various studies have shown that taking at least 400 mcg of kosher folic acid before or during the early weeks of pregnancy can help prevent 50% of Neural tube defects (NTDs).

“The United States Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the March of Dimes recommend that all women who are capable of becoming pregnant supplement with 400 mcg folic acid daily. Daily supplementation prior to pregnancy is necessary because most pregnancies in the United States are unplanned and the protective effect of folic acid occurs in the first four weeks of fetal development, before most women know they are pregnant.

For women who have had a previous NTD-affected pregnancy, the CDC recommends daily supplementation with 400 mcg per day of kosher folic acid. In a preliminary study, this amount of supplemental kosher folic acid before and during early pregnancy resulted in a 71% reduction in the recurrence rate of NTDs.”

Besides being highly effective in preventing birth defects during pregnancy, folic acid is also taken for various other reasons such as:

· Depression

· Schizophrenia

· Age-Related Cognitive Decline

· Breast Cancer

· And a lot more!!

So now that you know the reasons to take folic acid is there any reason you shouldn’t?

Do not consume more than 1,000 mcg of folic acid unless recommended by a doctor since folic acid can hide a B12 deficiency. Although B12 deficiencies are rare among women in childbearing age, for women over 50, studies have shown that B12 deficiency does become a higher risk in those that do not consume meat.

To read more information on folic acid CLICK HERE.

Most people can get enough folic acid daily from a multi vitamin or prenatal such as the ones at kosher vitamins, or if you need a higher dosage or want to take an additional amount of kosher folic acid you can view them here: LINK.

If you have any further questions please feel free to comment or send me an e-mail at Lroth@koshervitamins.com I would love to hear from you!!

Image courtesy of Dynamite Imagery at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You have nothing to lose except your weight!

Leah Roth — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:32:31 +0000

How many times have you tried losing weight this past year? Or even this past month? Doesn’t it always seem to work and then suddenly you gain back most of what you lost and have to start again?

Well rather than wait for your response I will admit I am definitely one of the above mentioned people dieting seems so hard, and after trying for so long and looking into so many supplements it just gets confusing. All the supplement descriptions blur together, all the supplements sound the same and after spending hours reading the time seems to have been wasted…… and that’s why I have chosen to post some Q and A’s from Maxi Health’s very popular supplement Thin Supreme:

With so many Americans on a diet, why aren’t we losing weight?

Scientists believe that precisely because of all that dieting and because of our consumption of over processed foods, we are missing out on essential fats that actually help us lose weight. That’s why we’ve formulated Maxi Thin Supreme™, a blend of essential fatty acids that have proven effective in weight loss. Unique combination of Tonalin® CLA, Borage Oil (providing GLA), Coconut Oil, Flaxseed Oil & Evening Primrose oil. Maxi Thin Supreme™ will help you succeed on any diet.

What makes Maxi Thin Supreme™ work?

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) prevents your body from storing fat, converting food into muscle. Since muscle burns more calories, the more muscle you have, the less likely you are to become overweight. CLA also helps burn existing body fat for fuel. In a year-long clinical study, people taking CLA showed a 20% decrease in body fat, and lost an average of 7 pounds of fat. In another trial, 80 overweight people dieted for several months, then went back to their regular eating habits and regained some of the weight. But in the group taking CLA, half of the regained weight was lean muscle!

CLA works in four parts of our bodies: Adipocytes, Triglycirides, Apoptosis, and CPT.

Adipocytes are fat cells. Most of our body fat is stored in these cells. CLA decreases the number and size of adipocytes, lowering your body-fat mass.
Triglycerides are fats. Most of the fat in our food and bodies comes in the form of triglycerides. Once these fats enter your blood, an enzyme called LPL (lipoprotein lipase) transfers them to adipocytes (fat cells) where they are stored. Studies show that CLA decreases LPL activity, so less fat gets stored overall.
Apoptosis is a process. It’s how our bodies cause fat cells to disintegrate. (It’s also called cell suicide. Seriously.) By increasing the rate at which fat cells disintegrate, CLA decreases the number of existing fat cells stored in your body.
CPT (carnitine palmitoyltransferase) is another enzyme. It transports fatty acids to the mitochondria where they’re turned into the energy you need to keep going. Additional studies show that CLA increases CPT activity, so fat is burned up faster, leaving less of it hanging around in your body.

2. Coconut Oil helps improve thyroid function while reducing hypoglycemic cravings.

At Maxi Health they use TONALIN® CLA the highest quality form of CLA available, the safest supplement you can trust. It is made from a proprietary process that converts linoleic acid from safflowers into CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Safflower is the best source of linoleic acid, it contains no stimulants of any kind, natural or artificial.

Below are just a sampling of the many scientific studies showing the benefits of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid):

CLA deficiency has been implicated in the overweight epidemic. Fat cells, adipocytes decrease in volume with CLA supplementation (Park Et al 1997,’99). CLA decreases fat cells ability to store fat (Experimental Biology 2002). A fascinating study using pigs! Even reduced their body fat by 31% and increased lean tissue by 5% (Ostrowska Et Al 1999). Without changing eating habits, CLA reduced abdominal fat among men (Riserus Et Al 2001)
Other amazing benefits of CLA: Journal of Nutrition (IP Et AL 1999) reports CLA as a potent cancer preventative in animals. Also, inhibition of growth of prostate cancer by CLA (Cesana Et Al 1998).
“Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduced abdominal adipose tissue in obese middle-aged men with signs of the metabolic syndrome: a randomised controlled trial”
“Supplementation with Conjugated Linoleic Acid for 24 Months Is Well Tolerated by and Reduces Body Fat Mass in Healthy, Overweight Humans” “The Effects of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Supplementation during Resistance Training”
Borage Oil providing GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) GLA increases the body’s metabolism and burns fat. In fact, obesity has been linked to low GLA levels. GLA also works as an appetite suppressant by raising serotonin levels, a brain chemical that make you feel full and eat less. GLA is a main component of Borage and Evening Primrose oil. They help prevent the deposit for unsightly white fat and increases energy through extra calorie metabolism. (Braly, 1985).
Flax seed Oil’s omega 3’s helps the body burn off calories instead of converting them into fats for storage (McCarty 1994).

Losing weight is a challenge. But Maxi Health Research® can help you reach your goal without feeling hungry or deprived. Try Maxi Thin Supreme™ at www.koshervitamins.com, you have nothing to lose except your weight!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

Cold Season is here again!!

Leah Roth — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:14:36 +0000

If your weather was like what we recently experienced in New York this past week, which was a mix of cold, then warm and finally concluding into a rainy end, many of us spent this past week reminiscing about the warm summer. Have you been dreaming about the long warm summer days spent outside and hoping that this year we will experience a California winter? Maybe this year we will have a warm winter, however probably not… more likely this year will be a cold snowy winter and with the cold chill that winter brings many of us also acquire colds, the flu, and congestion!!

However as usuall we at kosher vitamins are here to save the day!! Below are two posts that are a must read for anyone that is hoping to fight off colds, or any winter illness:

1. Immune Boosters

2. Vitamin C: Protect your immune system!

So order your Immune Boosters and Vitamin C today at www.Koshervitamins.com or by phone at (800)645-1899. Please let us know if you have any questions or comment!

Image courtesy of Arvind Balaraman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is it Okay to Take Medicines & Vitamins Together?

Leah Roth — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:50:21 +0000

Always check with a reliable resource before taking a supplement, especially if you are already taking medications

Did you know that everything you eat or drink changes your body chemistry? Your morning OJ. Your allergy medicine. Even a turkey sandwich.

Balance your body chemistry

Disease often throws off your body chemistry, which medicine may help correct. Drugs may replace a missing chemical, block a symptom of the disease, or help fight it off. When vitamins or herbs are combined with a medication, they may interact. A medication may cause your body to lose—or deplete—important nutrients, like calcium or folic acid. Or it might make your body need more of a nutrient to work right. Some herbs or nutrients, when taken at the same time as a drug, might reduce the amount of medication absorbed into the body, reducing its effectiveness. (This can often be avoided by taking the drug and the herb or nutrient at different times.)

While some interactions should be avoided, the right combinations can actually help. They may correct nutrient depletions. They might even make a medication work better. Always check with a knowledgeable doctor or other reliable resource before adding a supplement to your self-care practices, especially if you are already taking medications to manage disease.

Possible interactions

“Interactions” between medicines and nutrients include every effect that occurs when these compounds are mixed in a person’s body. A nutrient may affect the way a drug works, or a drug may affect the way a nutrient works.

Interactions can be beneficial or harmful. For example:

A good result of an interaction might be when a person taking the drug fluoxetine (Prozac) also takes the nutrient folic acid. This combination might increase the drug’s effectiveness.
A bad result of an interaction might be a person taking the herb St. John’s wort while taking the drug digoxin (Lanoxin). In this situation, the herb might reduce the absorption of the drug, which would result in lower-than-necessary blood levels of the drug.

Possible depletions

Depletion is a type of interaction that happens when a medicine “depletes” or causes the body to lose a nutrient. The drug might also interfere with the nutrient’s absorption.

A good example of a drug that depletes nutrients from the body is the diuretic furosemide. Furosemide causes the body to lose potassium and magnesium, so people taking furosemide might need to supplement with potassium and magnesium to avoid unwanted problems such as muscle cramps, fatigue, or heart-rhythm disturbances.

Side effects

All drugs have the potential to cause unwanted symptoms, or side effects. Some herbs or nutrients, when taken with a drug, might help to prevent the side effects or make them less severe, though other mixes could make them worse.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How do I know if my drug is causing an interaction?

Usually a person does not know that a drug is depleting a nutrient until the body shows signs of deficiency. In some cases, your healthcare provider might run blood tests to check whether nutrient levels are low. For example, people taking the diuretic furosemide should have potassium and magnesium blood levels monitored regularly to detect depletion.

You might notice a bad interaction if your drug stops working as effectively or if you develop unwanted symptoms when you begin taking a new nutrient or add a new food to your diet. Similarly, you might notice a beneficial interaction if your drug starts working better after adding a new food or nutrient.

When nutrients are depleted, are supplements the only way to replace them?

Though supplements are more commonly used than foods to replace depleted nutrients, certain foods may also work. For example, people who need to replace potassium might choose to eat bananas or other fruit rather than take supplements.

As natural substances, are herbs and vitamins safer than drugs?

Herbs and vitamins are not necessarily safer just because they are natural. Though herbs and vitamins are generally safer than drugs, some might produce unwanted side effects when a person takes too much. Remember, if you are taking medications, you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking new herbs or nutritional supplements.

Do you use your voice daily? Then don’t let a hoarse voice bring you down!

Leah Roth — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:20:10 +0000

The shul is full of people on Rosh Hashanah and you are about to start, when your voice suddenly sounds rough and hoarse……

It is the first day of class you walk in to a room full of eager students, you start to introduce yourself however your voice is hoarse and they can’t hear you……

You spent the last few days yelling instructions to your family to prepare for Yom Tov, and you wake up and find your voice is hoarse and can barely talk….

Although you may not be able to sing ever (like me), or you’re not planning on standing in front of a classroom anytime soon, chances are you do talk at least a little every day (especially us women J)! And chances are you have gotten hoarse at one point too and understand how annoying and hard it can be just to go about daily life during those few days. Now it is a whole different story if your job depends on your voice not only if you are a singer, chazon/cantor and or teacher but even as a sales person or if your work involves communicating with anyone by phone or in person, being hoarse becomes more than just an inconvenience.

This is where we at Kosher Vitamins come in; yes we can help you with our Throat and Voice supplements!!

However before we educate you regarding the use of supplements, lets explain the cause of a hoarse voice and how to prevent it:

What is it:

When your vocal chords become swollen or inflamed and cannot vibrate normally they can produce unnatural sounds or even worse no sound at all! Besides for your voice sounding raspy or weak being hoarse can cause a raw and scratchy pain in your throat leading to discomfort.

Causes:

The most common cause of hoarseness is an infection, especially an upper respiratory viral infection like a cold or the flu. Other causes would be using your voice excessively, yelling, allergies and or smoking.

Medical Help:

1.Most of the time the hoarseness will go away within a few days however if it persist more then two weeks you should seek medical assistant since it can be a symptom of a serious underlying condition.

2. If your child has trouble swallowing, drools more than usual, when inhaling makes high-pitching breathing sounds or has fever of 103F or higher seek medical attention since this could be signs of epiglottitis that requires medical attention.

Prevention:

There is not really much that can be done as prevention, however if you are prone to hoarseness, then making sure you have a voice and throat formula handy to take is advisable. Also taking an immune booster can help since this will help prevent infections which can cause hoarseness.

You are already hoarse now what?!?

First thing is to go online to www.koshervitamins.com or call us at (800)645-1899 to place an order for one of our throat formulas such as Maxi Health’s popular Voice and Throat Formula in Berry Flavor or if you prefer capsules, Sunshine Health’s Throat and Voice Relief, since the sooner you place your order the faster we can send it to you! In the meantime while waiting for your order to arrive from us there are some other things you can do:

· Limit how much you talk, and don’t whisper as that puts a strain on your vocal chords.

· Drink lots of decaffeinated teas that can be bought online: LINK. This will keep your throat moist, gum and or lozenges such as Ricola help too!

· Inhale Steam this will help clear your throat, this can be done either by inhaling deeply while taking a hot shower, or lean over a container of hot water with a towel draped over your head (to contain the steam) and inhale.

While hoarseness is usually nothing but an inconvenience, you no longer have to suffer so don’t forget to order your Throat and Voice Formula such as Sprouts Voice formula that can be easily ordered at www.Koshervitamins.com or by phone at (800)645-1899.