There is one ingredient in nearly every kitchen cupboard capable of doing wonders for your hair, skin, and body. This inexpensive, multipurpose item goes by the name of baking soda, and you don’t need to be a culinary expert for it to ring a bell.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a natural substance that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. This alkaline substance has antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
* Brightens Yellow Teeth
Baking soda is excellent in making your pearly whites shine. It works as a mild abrasive to remove yellow stains from your teeth.
- Simply put a little baking soda on your toothbrush along with your regular toothpaste. Brush your teeth as usual for 2 minutes. Do this once daily for a few days.
- Alternatively, prepare a homemade teeth whitener with 4 tablespoons of turmeric root powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, and 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin coconut oil. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Use a small amount of this paste to brush your teeth once daily for a few days.
* Relieves Sunburn and Sunburn BlistersDuring the summer, keep a box of baking soda handy. Due to its alkaline nature, baking soda has a soothing effect on sunburned skin, which helps relieve the itching and burning sensations.
- Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 cup of cold water. Soak a clean washcloth in this solution, wring out the excess water, and apply the washcloth as a cool compress on the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat this two or three times a day until you get relief.
- Alternatively, add a ½ cup of baking soda to a bathtub filled with water. Stir well and soak yourself in this water for 10 to 15 minutes. After getting out of the bath, pat your skin dry or allow your body to air-dry. Do this once daily for a few days.
* Improves Skin ComplexionUneven skin tone is a major problem for many. If it’s a brighter and more uniform complexion that you aspire, baking soda is an easy and inexpensive solution
- Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda with enough filtered water or rose water to make a paste. Apply the paste on your face. Allow it to sit for 1 minute, and then gently rub it off using only the tips of your fingers. Finally, wash your face with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry to reveal brighter skin. Follow this remedy one or two times a week only. Make sure to moisturize your skin after using baking soda.
- Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon each of baking soda and fresh lemon juice along with 4 or 5 drops of extra-virgin olive oil. Apply this paste on your face. Leave it on for 5 minutes, and then rinse it off with cold water. Repeat this two or three times a week.
* Acts as a Natural AntacidBaking soda works as a neutralizing agent for the treatment of acid reflux.This digestive condition is characterized by a backwash of stomach acid into the food pipe. As the corrosive acid comes in contact with the esophageal lining, it is likely to cause heartburn, a burning feeling that can occur anywhere between the abdomen and throat.
* Keeps Your Kidneys HealthyWell-functioning kidneys are vital to your overall health, given that these bean-shaped organs perform a number of essential bodily functions such as removing toxins and waste from the blood.
The kidneys also promote healthy hormone production and work with other organs 24/7 to regulate blood pressure, increase red blood cell production, and synthesize vitamin D. Suffices to say that kidneys are among the most hard-working organs of the body.Given the mounting toxic load prevalent in today’s times, your kidneys often succumb under the pressure and give way to renal dysfunction and disease.