Baking soda is my lifesaver. I use baking soda mostly for cleaning around the home, but also internally for the body. You've probably heard about how you can use baking soda for cleaning. I'll describe it briefly and then go into ways to use baking soda for the skin and body.
The advantage of baking soda is that it is cheap and you can easily buy it at the grocery store. Sodium bicarbonate is completely natural and is gentle on nature and is therefore a sustainable alternative.
Cleaning with baking soda and vinegar
What can you clean with baking soda? Almost everything. I use baking soda to clean the bathroom, grout, the dishwasher and the patio, to name a few surfaces. Sometimes I use baking soda together with vinegar. Note, vinegar is corrosive and should be used with caution. It is not a good substitute for chemicals, as it can also have harmful effects in nature.
You probably know how to unclog simple drains in the sink, right?
Take 2 dl of bicarbonate and pour it down the drain. Pour over 4 dl of vinegar. Let it work! Then pour in a litre of boiling water.
Use bicarbonate internally for digestion and heartburn
Bicarbonate alkalizes the body. Our diet is often too acidic and we need to neutralize the PH value with alkaline counterbalances. Most heartburn medications contain some form of bicarbonate, as it neutralizes acids and relieves digestive problems.
Take half a teaspoon of baking soda and dissolve it in half a glass of water. You can take this as needed, but be careful not to overuse it. And read about when to use baking soda with caution. And last but not least, make sure it is food grade baking soda.
One of my strongest memories from growing up in Italy is my grandmother's cure for upset stomachs. Small, hard, sour and tasty flakes of bicarbonate laced with a little bit of other stuff. A teaspoon in a glass of water. Or a flake on the tongue, which sizzled and popped. It helped my stomach straight away.
Use bicarbonate to alkalize and oxygenate the body
Many diets are intended to alkalize the body. As I mentioned above, we need to counteract acidification and the resulting diseases. Bicarbonate is great for instantly alkalizing the body. Bicarbonate oxygenates the body. That's why athletes use it for physical performance and for longer endurance.
I don't know if that's true, but in the same way you can use baking soda to relieve a hangover. Alcohol is acidic, which contributes to an imbalance in the stomach. Drinking a solution with baking soda (which is alkaline) can help neutralize stomach acid. And maybe reduce the hangover.
You can therefore use bicarbonate as a preventative measure and as a promotional measure. Drink a glass of water with 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate for a limited period.
Note: Please inform yourself about contraindications. All my sources state that bicarbonate should be used internally for a limited period.
Clean your teeth with bicarbonate
I use baking soda to clean and whiten my teeth. I simply sprinkle some baking soda on my toothbrush, moisten it with a little water, and brush my teeth. I let it sit for a while, then rinse. The abrasive particles effectively remove plaque and stains from my teeth. Baking soda is also antibacterial.
I'm careful not to overuse this super tip. Max a couple of times a year. Here you can read about more natural ways to support your teeth and oral health .
Natural scrub with bicarbonate
I got this recipe from my Latvian friend Ilga. She uses this bicarbonate scrub in the ancient Latvian sauna ceremonies. Read more about this unique and beautiful sauna tradition here .
This scrub will give immediate results. It will give your skin a different glow and you will feel cleansed, to say the least. The base of this scrub is sugar or salt. Salt stings if you have small wounds, but it is no worse than being able to wash off the scrub if it stings too much.
Mix
2 dl salt or sugar
1 dl bicarbonate
Optionally 1 cup green leaves and flowers (or dried)
2 tablespoons clay
You can find the full recipe here .
Bicarbonate or baking powder?
Is bicarbonate the same as baking powder? No, it is pure sodium bicarbonate that I am referring to above. Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, acid phosphates and starch.
