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Schwarz Reviews

FAO Schwarz Plush Stuffed TEDDY BEAR 18″ Brown Tan Toy Embroidered Paw $34.99

STEIFF/FAO Schwarz 1993 MUSICAL Teddy Bear EAN #652080 – Lmt Ed 975/2000 – RARE $195.00

FAO Schwarz 36 in Stuffed Teddy Bear – Brown, Discontinued Item $39.99

FAO Schwarz Fifth Ave. 9″ BEAR Winter Jacket Mittens Multi-colored Knit Shirt $19.99

Barbie Hot Pink Plush Bear Silhouette on Paw Only at FAO Schwarz Black Bow 16″ $49.99

FAO Schwarz Toy – Large Plush Long Eared Brown & White Bunny Rabbit – 16″ $19.99

25 TH ANNIVERSARY MOHAIR BEAR ,ONLY A 1000 MADE IN GERMANY FOR FAO SCHWARZ $155.00

Lot of 2 Retired Steiff Plush AKC Beagles: Dog & Puppy FAO Schwarz w/ All ID”S $50.00

Lot: 3 Steiff Plush AKC Puppy Dogs: Dachsund, Poodle, Chihuahua FAO Schwarz ID’s $30.00

Vintage FAO Schwarz Stuffed Teddy Teddie Bear 5358 $26.99

16″ Dark Brown FAO Schwarz Shaggy TEDDY BEAR Embroidered Foot Plush Stuffed Toy $17.99

Rare Steiff Mohair F-A-O Schwarz Sleepy Keepsake Bear 652196 – New Tag Attached $69.99

HUGE PLUSH POLAR BEAR FAO Schwarz 28 + inches tall 24 inches wide $75.00

FAO Schwarz 140th anniversary teddy bear $25.00

FAO Schwarz 2008 Teddy Bear Coat Plush Stuffed Brown $49.99

FOA SCHWARZ TEDDY BEAR 17″ $9.99

STEIFF Evangeline Pink Angel Bear FAO Schwarz MINT NWT $499.95

FAO Schwarz Plush Bear- 23″ $24.00

FAO SCHWARZ Brown Plush Stuffed Bear 14 Inches Fluffy Soft Mint Condition 2008 $21.24

FAO Schwarz FRIDAY Teddy Bear Week Day Plush Pajama PJ Plush LOVEY Toy VGUC $12.99

SILICA, THE FORGOTTEN NUTRIENT

Silicon is the earth’s second most abundant element in the earth’s crust, after oxygen. Its water-soluble form is silica, a naturally-occurring element.1 Silicon is distinct from silicone which has been used in breast implants and contains a synthetic form of silicon.2

Our two main dietary sources of silica are drinking water and plant fibre. Silica occurs in foods such as whole grains, alfalfa, root vegetables, peppers, seaweed, as well in beer and the herb horsetail.3,4 A study of dietary silicon intake in Scottish women over 60 found that cereals provided the greatest amount in the diet, followed by fruit, beverages and vegetables.5 However, silicon intake in the modern diet is said to have been reduced due to modern food processing and refining techniques, water treatment and purification, as well as growing vegetables under hydroponic conditions.6 Because the highest intakes come from diets rich in grains, cereal products and plant-based foods rather than meat and poultry or and dairy products, silicon levels are higher in Asian and Indian diets than in the Western diet. The authors of a study into dietary silicon intake and absorption, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, have noted that it is interesting that these communities also have a lower incidence of hip fracture than in the West.7

Essential for collagen formation, silica is now known to be vital for healthy bones, cartilage and connective tissue (including ligaments, tendons, arteries, the aorta and trachea), as well as for hair skin and nails.3 It is also said to help strengthen teeth and gums, heal burns and wounds, as well as rebuild and maintain the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. As we age, collagen formation becomes less efficient and silicon levels in the body also decline. It is believed that these two factors contribute to age-related conditions such as wear and tear on joints, osteoporosis, wrinkled skin and hardening of the arteries.

History

As long ago as 1878, Louis Pasteur predicted silicon’s bright future as a nutrient, announcing that it would be found to be therapeutic for many conditions. And in the early 20th century reports from France and Germany suggested atherosclerosis, hypertension and dermatitis were being successfully treated with silica and with a tea made from the horsetail plant, a rich source of silicon. But its popularity waned and it wasn’t until 1972, when silicon was confirmed to be essential for bone formation, that it came again to the fore, with further reports that an inadequate dietary intake of silicon may be connected with atherosclerosis and hypertension, as well as some bone disorders and the ageing process.8

During the 1970s groundbreaking research into silicon was conducted by one of France’s most renowned forensic scientists, Loïc Le Ribault, who also had a doctorate in geology. In 1972, while testing sand samples with an electron scanning microscope at 10,000x magnification, he discovered what looked like flower blooms on the surface of the sand grains. These “mineral flowers” represented secondary crystallisations on the grains from micro-organisms which break down the sand under certain environmental conditions. The result is a form of silica with more carbon and hydrogen, making it organic in nature. In health terms, this was highly significant as the carbon in organic silica makes it more easily assimilated by animals, including humans. In nature, minerals created by micro-organisms or plants are available in organic, bioavailable form. However, even the plants that contain good amounts of silica (such as horsetail and bamboo) cannot provide sufficient for the daily requirements of humans, which increase with age.9

In 1975, Le Ribault developed a method of recovering the aforementioned deposits from sand and his papers were published by the French Academy of Science. And in the 1980s his work became directed towards the therapeutic qualities of organic silica, with particular focus on its benefits for bone health.9

Promoting healthy bones

Osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, ankylosing spondylitis and painful joints are among some of the conditions for which silicon has known benefits. The roles of calcium and vitamin D for promoting bone health are well known, but it was the work of Edith M Carlisle, at UCLA’s School of Public Health in the early 1970s that first highlighted silicon’s importance in this area. Carlisle found that chicks given a diet of purified amino acid showed retarded growth and development within two to three weeks, while chicks given the same diet plus a silicon supplement showed 50 per cent higher growth and normal development.10

Silicon has been found to influence bone formation by affecting the composition of cartilage. Carlisle found silicon was localised in areas of active growth of bones and that the more mature the bones, the lower the levels of silicon. According to research nutritionists Carol Seaborn and Forrest Nielsen, there is little doubt that silicon deprivation affects bone health. They go on to explain that because silicon apparently affects the initiation and rate of calcification of bone, it may be an important factor in disorders characterised by an imbalance between bone formation and resorption. And because silicon affects cartilage composition including articular cartilage, Seaborn and Nielsen suggest inadequate dietary silicon “may be of consequence in some joint disorders such as osteoarthritis”.8

A minimum daily requirement for silicon has not been established, but research published in 1977 estimated it to be in the range of 10-25mg per day. In a more recent study by the Rayne Institute at St Thomas’s Hospital in London, an intake of 30mg/day was associated with significantly increased bone mineral density in pre-menopausal women and men, compared to those with an intake of 18mg/day or less.5 The 2004 cross-sectional, population-based study set out to examine the association between silicon intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in men and pre- and post-menopausal women, aged 30-87 years. It found silicon intake correlated positively with BMD at four hip sites in men and pre-menopausal woman, but not in the postmenopausal women.11 These findings were said to be consistent with the role of silicon in bone formation, rather than in preventing bone resorption.6

Hair, skin and nails

Silicon dioxide is often included in “hair, skin and nails” supplements as it has been found benefit ageing skin, as well as brittle hair and nails. Based on its important role in forming and maintaining connective tissue, silicon’s potential for helping sun-damaged skin was investigated in a study in Belgium. A group of 50 women with photo-damaged facial skin were given 10mg of silica a day for 20 weeks or placebo. At the conclusion of the study, skin roughness had increased in the placebo group, but decreased in the silicon supplement group. Nail and hair brittleness were also found to be decreased in those taking silicon and it was concluded that oral intake of the silicon supplement during the 20 weeks resulted in “a significant positive effect on skin surface and skin mechanical properties, and on brittleness of hair and nails”.12 And the University of Cincinnati’s College of Pharmacy in the US found that oral intake of a silicon supplement had a positive effect on strength and elasticity, resulting in thicker hair.13

A silica-based gel was found to have a positive effect on acne in a 1996 study by the Department of Dermatology at Helsinki Research Centre in Finland. In the double-blind study, 30 patients with chronic papulopustular acne of the face were treated topically with either silica gel or placebo for 20 minutes twice daily. A “highly significant” difference was seen in six weeks of treatment, with the number of comedones (blackheads]) in the active group reduced from a mean of 48.5 to 15.1. Also in the silica gel group, papules were reduced from 10.7 to 1, pustules from 6.8 to 0 and cysts from 0.6 to 0, while no improvement was observed in the placebo group. In a follow-up three months later, no deterioration was observed and the 14 ‘active’ patients showed either complete cure or improvement.14

Another study by Helsinki Research Centre found that patients with chronic plaque-type psoriasis who were treated with silica gel, orally and topically, experienced “clear improvements in scaling, induration and erythema after treatment”. In regard to other features of the psoriasis, nail changes resolved in five out of the 10 patients with this symptom. In the four evaluable patients suffering psoriatic arthropathy, joint pain was reduced by nearly half.15

Cardiovascular support

Silicon has been seen to inhibit atheromas [fatty deposits or plaques resulting from atherosclerosis] in rabbits fed an atheromatous diet, making plaque formation rare and lipid deposits more superficial.16

In a comparative study, published in The Lancet in 1977 Klaus Schwarz suggested that low levels of silicon may be implicated in the development of atherosclerosis, pointing out that “unusually high amounts of bound silicon are present in the arterial wall”. In experiments conducted at the time, dietary fibre had been found to help prevent atherosclerosis by reducing cholesterol, blood lipids and binding bile acids. High levels of silicon were found in the fibre products used in the tests and it was concluded that “silicate-silicon may be the active agent in dietary fibre which affects the development of atherosclerosis”. Schwarz added that: “The fact that atherosclerosis has a low incidence in less developed countries may be related to the availability of dietary silicon”. He presented two instances in which silicon was reduced by refining processes – white flour and refined soy products were found to be much lower in silicon than their less processed, more natural equivalents.17

Promising research

As mentioned previously, our silicon levels decrease as we age and it has now been suggested that silicon may have a role to play in helping to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Links have been made between aluminium and the development of AD, while silicon has been seen to help excrete aluminium from the body. Rats given a low-calcium, high-aluminium diet accumulated aluminium in all brain regions when silicon intake was low. But when supplemented with silicon, no increase in brain aluminium occurred with the same diet.8

A 2005 epidemiological study found that silica in drinking water may help reduce the risk of developing AD in elderly women. The study of 7598 women aged 75-plus, in five different geographic areas of France, looked at concentrations of aluminium and silica in drinking water in relation to AD incidence over a seven-year period.1

A cross-sectional analysis showed a significant association between silica concentration in drinking water and cognitive function. The analysis also showed that women with AD were 2.7 times as likely to have a low daily intake of silica than the others.1

The researchers felt their work suggested that the silica in drinking water may have a protective effect against the impairment of cognitive function and the presence of AD. They refer research which indicate that silica “may be the natural antidote to aluminium”, which has been implicated in AD. Silica, it is suggested, may help to decrease aluminium availability by reducing its gastrointestinal absorption and increasing its rate of excretion.1

REFERENCES

1. Gillette-Guyonnet S et al, Cognitive impairment and composition of drinking water in women: findings of the EPIDOS study, Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81:897-902.
2. What is silicone? www.mhra.gov.uk
3. Scheer JF, Silica: health and beauty from nature, Better Nutrition, December 1997.
4. Silicon, healthlibrary.epnet.com
5. McNaughton SA et al, Dietary silicon intake in post-menopausal women, British Journal of Nutrition (2005), 94, 813-817.
6. Ellman M, Life Extension Magazine, January 2004, www.lef.org
7. Jugdaohsingh R et al, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;75:887-93.
8. Seaborn CD, Nielsen FH, Silicon: a nutritional beneficence for bones, brains and blood vessels? Nutrition Today, August 1993.
9. Yanke M, A tribute to Loïc Le Ribault, Idaho Observer, November 2007.
10. Carlisle EM, Silicon: An essential element for the chick, Science, 10 November 1972.
11. Jugdaohsingh R et al, Dietary silicon intake is positively associated with bone mineral density in men and premenopausal women of the Framingham Offspring cohort. J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Feb;19(2):297-307.
12. Barel A et al, Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails an hair in women with photodamaged skin, Arch Dermatol Res 2005 Oct;297(4):147-53.
13. Wickett RR et al, Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength and morphology in women with fine hair, arch Dermatol Res 2007, Dec; 299(10):499-505.
14. Lassus A, The effect of Silicol gel compared with placebo on papulopustular acne and sebum production. A double blind study. J Int Med Res 1996 Jul-Aug;24(4):340-4.
15. Lassus A, Colloidal silicic acid for the treatment of psoriatic skin lesions, arthropathy and onchyopathy. A pilot study, J int Med Res 1997 Jul-Aug 25(4):206-9.
16. Loeper J et al, The antiatheromatous action of silicon, Atherosclerosis 1979 Aug;33(4):397-408.
17. Schwarz K, Silicon, fibre and atherosclerosis, Lancet 1977, Feb 26;1(8009):454-7.

Now test your knowledge

QUESTIONS

1. Name the two principal dietary sources of silicon.
2. Name the plant/herb that is one of the richest sources of silicon.
3. Name two skin conditions that have shown improvements when treated with silicon.
4. Complete the sentence: Silicon is vital for connective tissue due to its role in the formation of ………….
5. Name three of the main areas of health for which silicon has known benefits.
6. What benefit does organic silica have over the mineral silica?

ANSWERS

1. Water and plant fibre.
2. Horsetail.
3. Acne and psoriasis.
4. Collagen.
5. Hair, skin and nails, bone strength, cardiovascular health.
6. It is more easily assimilated by animals and humans.

Bodum Bistro 2-Slice Toaster with Bagel and Bun Warmer $79.95 The two-slice BISTRO Toaster is designed to toast breads and baked goods to perfection. Features include: 900 watts of power; variable browning and temperature settings; defrost and cancel buttons; built-in, pop-up warming rack for keeping bread, bagels,…

Dualit Lite Soft Touch Toaster $120.00 Commercial-quality Dualit toaster operates efficiently and exactly every time, durably constructed to toast hundreds of slices an hour with precise browning accuracy. Extra-wide 1 1/2″ slots feature inner wire racks that tighten to secure slices of bread and release to automatically accommodate bagels, Texas toast, even bakery buns. Convenient high-lift mechanism elevates toasted breads and makes …

CHEFSKIN CHEF HAT RED VELCRO ADJUSTABLE TWILL BEST GIFT COMFORTABLE Kochmütze Kochhut Bistromütze Mütze Hut uni ROT NEU $5.99 ADULT CHEF MUSHROOMHAT ADJUSTABLE W/ VELCRO ON THE BACK NICE 65/35 POLYCOTTON FABRIC REINFORCED…

Sesame Street: Kids’ Favorite Songs $3.49 Elmo’s getting ready for his Top Ten Countdown on the radio and everyone on Sesame Street wants him to play their favorite songs! But with so many great songs to choose from, how will Elmo pick which ones to play? Maybe you can help him decide. Which of these favorites is your favorite song?Recommended Ages: 12 months & up…

Sesame Street – Learning About Letters $4.12 With the help of his Sesame Street friends, Big Bird leads Snuffy on a fun-filled trip through the alphabet. Cookie Monster sings the praises of “C” (for “cookie,” of course), while Oscar loves “I” and “icky ice cream cones.” Special guest Lena Horne joins in on all the musical fun as well. Whether you have a favorite letter, or love’em from A to Z, you’ll find them all here in delightful alphabet…

Sesame Street: Old School – Volume One (1969-1974) $26.33 When the Children’s Theater Workshop’s Sesame Street first aired on television in 1969, it was a revolutionary new show aimed specifically at preschool children–an audience previously untargeted by television programming. Exhaustively-researched and tested on real audiences of preschoolers, this “experiment in kid programming” aimed to teach preschoolers the alphabet, numbers, body parts, rhymin…

Sesame Street – The Best of Ernie and Bert [VHS] $9.98 Perhaps a better title for The Best of Ernie and Bert would be Visits with Ernie and Bert, since the daunting prospect of culling the choicest episodes from more than three decades of Sesame Street is subjective at best. Only eight skits are included in this 30-minute program, which may result in viewer disappointment as countless “favorites” have been omitted. Having said that, the chosen sc…

Sesame Street – The Best of Elmo [VHS] $4.49 The Sesame Street character has fun singing some catchy new songs (you and your toddler just might, too), explaining the difference between light and heavy, having a laugh over pictures and numbers, and sharing the screen with a good-natured Whoopi Goldberg and Julia Roberts. Of the various Elmo videos, this one really does have the choicest material and stands up to repeat viewings–a big plus wi…

Sesame Street – Do the Alphabet [VHS] $9.00 When Baby Bear must learn his alphabet in one day, Big Bird patiently takes him under his wing in Do the Alphabet. Only “The Method,” (a hilarious combination of dance, song, visualization, and group therapy) can help Baby Bear on such short notice. The result is 40 minutes of ABC’s Sesame Street style, where vibrant educational cartoons, enthusiastic kids, famous guest stars (here, Billy Joe…

Gerber 22-41545 Black Diesel Multi-Plier with Sheath $50.29 With its industrial strength, easy handling, and super versatility, the Gerber 22-01545 Diesel Black Needlenose Multi-Plier offers everything you need to tackle tough tasks and tricky problems. The Diesel Black has all of the features of the original, plus it sports a non-reflective black finish. It showcases a robust design with 12 stainless steel tools that are larger and more durable than avera…

FAO Schwarz is located at 58th Street and 5th Avenue. Take the “R” or “W” trains (Yellow Line on the subway map) to Fifth Avenue/59th Street. Once you exit the subway, just walk a block south to the toy store.

Good luck