Baking soda, or nahcolite in its natural form, is part of the natural mineral natron, which is abundant in sodium bicarbonate and has been used since ancient times. Despite being of great help in the household, baking soda offers powerful medicinal properties.
According to Care2.com:
“Baking soda helps regulate pH—keeping a substance neither too acidic
nor too alkaline. When baking soda comes in contact with either an
acidic or an alkaline substance, its natural effect is to neutralize
that pH. Beyond that, baking soda has the ability to retard further
changes in the pH balance, known as buffering.
This dual capability of neutralizing and buffering allows the baking
soda to do things such as neutralize acidic odors (like in the
refrigerator) as well as maintain neutral pH (like in your laundry
water, which helps boost your detergent’s power). It’s a simple
reaction, but one that has far-reaching effects for a number of cleaning
and deodorizing tasks. “
Here are several ways in which you can use baking soda as a natural medicine and a personal care product:
1. Toothpaste and teeth whitener
To improve oral health, whiten your teeth, and destroy bacteria in the oral cavity that lead to cavities, make a paste of baking soda, a pinch of sea salt, and water, and use it instead of your store-bought toothpaste.
2. Relieve heartburn, indigestion, and ulcer pain
Baking soda is made of 100 percent natural sodium bicarbonate, and it neutralizes the stomach acid immediately, so it relieves heartburn, ulcer pain, and indigestion. Just dissolve half a teaspoon of it in four ounces of water, and drink it every two hours.
3. Sunburn remedy
To naturally relieve the painful sunburns, add half a cup of fine baking soda to the lukewarm water in the bathtub, and soak in it for 15 minutes. You can even apply a mixture of water and baking soda directly on the sunburn.
4. Foot soak and exfoliator
Soak the feet in a mixture of 3 tablespoons of baking soda and warm water, to exfoliate the, remove odor, and get rid of dirt.
5. A hand cleanser
Mix baking soda with water, and use the paste to scrub the hands, remove odor, and disinfect them.
6. Natural deodorant
You can use baking soda as a natural deodorant. Just combine it with water, and pat the paste on your body.
7. Splinter removal
Make a paste by mixing water and baking soda, and apply it on the splinter, and put a band-aid over it. Repeat a few times daily. In a few days, the splinter will come out on its own.
8.Hair health
Sprinkle a bit of baking soda into the palm along with your favorite shampoo, and wash the hair as usual. Rinse thoroughly, and it will eliminate any residue from styling products left behind, and leave the hair shiny and stronger.
9. Relieve insect and bug bites
Mix baking soda with water, and apply the paste on the affected area to soothe irritations and the itching.
Therefore, it would be wise to have a box of baking soda at home at all times, wouldn’t it?