Silica: Deeper Than Skin
Is it true that beauty is only skin deep? We would say no, true beauty is deeper than skin because it springs from within: flexible joints, strong bones and teeth, hydrated muscles and a healthy heart and eyes are just some of the ways to create beauty from within. And radiant skin, lustrous hair and strong nails are reflections of inner health.
In other newsletters, we have introduced you to collagen, MSM and hyaluronic acid all of which contribute to good health and mobility in a number of ways. In this article, wed like to discuss an often overlooked mineral, silicon, that also contributes to inner health and beauty.
What is Silicon?
Silicon is a non-metallic micromineral that does not exist in nature in its pure form because it readily reacts with oxygen and water. Instead, silicon is found accompanied by four oxygen molecules to form silica. However, silica has very poor bioavailability, even from the much-touted herb horsetail (Equisetum).
BioSil to the Rescue!
BioSil is the trademarked name for choline-stabilized Orthosilicic Acid (ch-OSA). Orthosilicic Acid occurs naturally in the bloodstream and is easily assimilated and used by our bodies. Choline is not only an effective OSA stabilizer, it also offers other benefits. Choline, an essential nutrient, is a component of our cell membranes (as phosphatidylcholine) and is important for cellular health, helping to transport OSA and other nutrients across cell membranes. In addition, choline is involved in neurotransmitter production, fat and cholesterol metabolism plus it offers multiple benefits to the nervous and cardiovascular systems, to name just a few benefits.
BioSil has no known side effects, is vegan and free of common allergens like gluten, soy, corn and nuts. It is available as liquid drops or in veggie caps.
Create & Protect Collagen with BioSil
As we age, we produce less collagen, but BioSil helps generate new collagen by turning on collagen-producing cells, fibroblasts and osteoblasts, in skin and bones. As we age, our homocysteine level increases. Choline helps prevent the natural breakdown of collagen by converting collagen-damaging homocysteine into the antioxidant amino acid methionine. (Homocysteine is a marker for cardiovascular disease risk.)
Healthy Joints
Silica is concentrated in our bones and cartilage. It enhances calcium deposition in bones and stimulates chondroblasts (collagen-making cells) to incorporate hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and keratin sulfate into the cartilage matrix. (See previous newsletters on hyaluronic acid and the importance of sulfur.) Silicas role in maintaining healthy connective tissues, like tendons, makes it useful for tendonitis and pulled or stiff ligaments. Silica may also help those suffering from osteoarthritis and be useful for osteoporosis and fractures. When taken with calcium and vitamin D, ch-OSA has been
clinically proven to increase bone mineral density after 12 months.
Healthy Skin, Hair & Nails
As discussed in a previous newsletter, wrinkles and sagging skin are a result of insufficient collagen because we make less as we age and also because of other factors like stress, sunlight and poor diet. BioSil helps by creating more collagen that is isotropic (multi-directional as opposed to anisotropic or one-directional). When collagen fibers are in a tangle, so to speak, they add strength and elasticity to the skin. Think of it this way: if shipping a fragile item using packing paper, placing the papers flat (anisotropic) would not offer much protection. However, if you scrunch up the paper (isotropic) it provides a plump, bouncy cushion for better protection. BioSil plumps and gives bounce to skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles by 30% and increasing skin elasticity 89%.
Healthy hair starts with healthy skin in the same way that growing nutritious food starts with healthy soil. Connective tissue in the skins dermal layer (the “soil”) supplies nutrients to hair follicles (the “plants”) and silica is essential for healthy connective tissue. Keratin is a protein that comprises 97% of hair. In clinical trials, BioSil optimized keratinization, thereby increasing the thickness of each hair shaft by 12.8% and improving the hairs tensile strength by 13.1% in just 12 weeks. In addition, BioSil can help make hair look more lustrous because the keratin deposition smooths the hair shaft to reflect light more directly, like a mirror.
The nails, like hair, depend on keratin for strength and beauty. By taking BioSil, you should begin to see improvement in the condition of your nails within the first 20 days.
As we have seen in these related articles, Deeper Than Skin, by nourishing and strengthening from within we go straight to the foundation of physical beauty and well being. Collagen, MSM, hyaluronic acid and silica all help to create and nourish our connective tissues without which we would literally fall apart. For graceful mobility and good posture, for radiant complexion and hair, for bright eyes and smile you must go deeper than skin.
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