Silica is the most potent and abundant mineral present in our body. The body contains more silica than the popular minerals such as iron and calcium. It’s a vital mineral and has many beneficial effects on the body. It aids in strengthening the structure of bones and cartilage to prevent osteoporosis and arthritis, detoxifies the body of harmful chemicals to energize the immune system and increase metabolism, and helps in weight loss by destroying bad cholesterol.
Let’s take a look at the natural sources of silica and how it works to perform these functions.
Natural Sources of Silica
Silica is naturally present is oats, wheat, rice, avocados, strawberries, cherries, apple, and dark green vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce, and cabbage.
Functions of Silica
Detoxification and Improved Metabolism
One of the major benefits of silica is detoxification and cleansing of the body. Our body is exposed to a large number of harmful toxins which enter our body either through inhalation or consumption. These toxins are free radicals which consume and destroy the essential nutrients present in our body like calcium, magnesium, vitamins, and more. Other than this, these toxins also slow down or deteriorate other body functions especially metabolism. Hence, by the use of silica, these harmful toxins are destroyed which immensely improves the body metabolism and the essential nutrients are better absorbed in the body which energizes the body and improves the overall health of an individual.
Weight Loss
Silica causes considerable weight loss in an individual as it suppresses the appetite and destroys the bad cholesterol of the body. When silica supplements are taken in the morning, they curb the hunger sensation to a great extent throughout the day which creates a mild anorexic effect. When less food is consumed throughout the day, impressive weight loss is observed.
Silica also has hypocholesterolemic effect. This means that it effectively destroys the bad cholesterol in the body and the overall body fat is decreased. The bad cholesterol i.e. LDL (low density lipoprotein) not also causes weigh gain but is also responsible for many cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, myocardial infarction i.e. heart attack, angina, and stroke. This is because this cholesterol accumulates in the inner walls of the blood vessels, which leads to the hardening of these blood vessels called as atherosclerosis. Because of this, decreased amount of oxygenated blood reaches the heart and arterial pressure is also increased which leads to high blood pressure and ischemic heart diseases. Hence, the use of silica supplements not only causes weight loss but also prevents the onset of hypertension and other heart diseases.
Improved Immune System
Many bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, drug residuals, E-coli, and heavy metals are present in our gastrointestinal tract. These toxins weaken the GI track, decrease the bowel movements and weaken the immune system. Silica, while passing through the GI tract, kills and destroys these toxins because of its sharp-edged structure, which results in a healthier GI tract and improved immune system.