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Baking soda is a sodium salt of carbonic acid which occurs as crystalline powder fine and white odorless, soluble in water and salty taste.
What’s this
It is a substance natural, also produced by our body, free from toxicity and non-polluting. What you buy at the supermarket, pharmacy or home cleaning store can come from natural deposits or be obtained through a chemical process. Despite having a very low price, sodium bicarbonate is a polyvalent product and versatile which can be used for various uses from household cleaning to leavening of baked goods, from washing fruit and vegetables to the treatment of minor health problems.
Benefits
Sodium bicarbonate has an alkaline pH and it is mainly this characteristic that is responsible for its property. Thanks to the basic pH, in fact, bicarbonate is able to alkalize the contents of the stomach and urine, preventing gastric acidity, reflux and kidney stones of uric acid in predisposed subjects. According to some experts, basic urine increases the effectiveness of bearberry-based remedies against cystitis, even if the opinions on this are conflicting. The power abrasive and deodorant sodium bicarbonate then makes this substance useful for whitening teeth, exfoliating the skin and preventing the formation of bad odors.
The deodorant and detergent properties of sodium bicarbonate are used not only for personal hygiene, but also to cleanse and perfume the fur of animals and for ecological cleaning. Thanks to bicarbonate, for example, it is possible to prevent the formation of unpleasant odors in the refrigerator, dishwasher and shoe cabinets, clean carpets and sofas, clean the bathroom fixtures, remove encrustations from the oven, do the laundry, wash fruit and vegetables and much more.
When sodium bicarbonate comes into contact with an acidic substance, it reacts to produce carbon dioxide. This reaction is used to make cake and pancake doughs swell as an alternative to yeast. Not only that: the reaction between baking soda and vinegar is also useful in domestic cleaning and for clearing clogged pipes.
Use for health and well-being
Baking soda has multiple uses for health and well-being. Among the benefits of this substance we find, for example, that of buffering gastric acidity by counteracting gastroesophageal reflux; for this purpose it is sufficient to dissolve a teaspoon of sodium in a glass of water to drink after meals or as needed. This remedy helps relieve thestomach acid and acid regurgitation, but also to improve digestive processes and intestinal transit.
Another use of baking soda concerns thehygiene and mouth care, teeth and oral mucosa. Daily rinses of the mouth with a solution of water and bicarbonate (a teaspoon for a glass of water) are useful for example in case of bad breath, prevent the formation of plaque and tartar, whiten the teeth, counteract the fungal infections of the mouth and protect the gums from irritation. On the other hand, by preparing a paste with bicarbonate and a little water, localized applications can be made useful for relieving canker sores and other inflammations of the mouth and gums. Instead, be careful to use pure bicarbonate to brush your teeth because it could irritate the gums and damage the tooth enamel: to whiten your teeth, it is better to choose toothpastes that contain bicarbonate, rather than using the powder directly on the toothbrush.
Thanks to its deodorant and soothing properties, sodium bicarbonate can also be used, always diluted in water, forPersonal care daily but also for various skin disorders. For example, compresses with bicarbonate in a little water are useful in case of small burns, sunburn, boils, insect bites, warts, herpes and dermatitis that cause redness and itch.
Finally, bicarbonate can be used for the well-being of hands and feet. By adding about five tablespoons of bicarbonate to the water of the foot bath it is in fact possible to counteract the bad smells, fight nail fungus and reduce fatigue and swelling of the feet and ankles. The baking soda powder can then be used to whiten the nails of hands and feet and soften corns and calluses: in this case a little water is added to a tablespoon of baking soda and then used the paste obtained by brushing it on yellowed nails or on hardened areas of the hands. and feet, for example on the heels.
Advantages and contraindications
Baking soda is easily available, cheap and very versatile. After purchase and opening it can be stored for a long time without deteriorating, as long as the package is well closed and protected from humidity. Being a non-toxic and non-polluting substance, it is also an ecological and environmentally friendly product. Baking soda has no particularities contraindications or side effects, although at high oral doses it could affect the body’s acid-base balance, cause diarrhea or increase blood pressure due to sodium content.
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