text: When we think natural remedies, we often tend to think about various foods we can start putting into our body to help boost our immune system, ward off illness, and combat disease.
  We might also think about herbs and spices that work overtime to not only flavor our foods but provide great health benefits as well.
  Rarely do you ever think baking soda? But the truth is baking soda can be used for a wide array of different functions, including some pretty powerful health-enhancing treatments.
  Most people see baking soda as something that's added to baked goods or something you stash in your fridge to help keep odors at bay. But really, it's so much more than that.
  Let's take a closer look at some of the most shocking ways that you can utilize baking soda in your lifestyle plan so you can get an idea where you might be missing out.
  A Note On Baking Soda Versus Baking Powder
  Before we get started, it is important to note however that baking soda is different from baking powder. Many think the two are one of the same and can be used interchangeably but that isn't the case at all.
  If you were to substitute baking powder with baking soda in some of your baked recipes, you would quickly come to find that the end result is far less than desirable. The difference is baking soda is made from 100% sodium bicarbonate, whereas baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate as well as other ingredients. So think of it this way, baking soda is in baking powder but not the other way around. Both do cause baked goods to rise but function differently in many regards.
  One of the first key benefits you'll get from including more baking soda in your diet is improved digestion support. If you often find that you feel stomach pain after eating or are left feeling gassy or bloated, baking soda might just help out with this. This is especially the case if you combine baking soda with a quality digestive enzyme product such as MassZymes. Designed to help provide any of the main digestive enzymes that you might be lacking.
  Those who use baking soda as a means of improving digestion are also likely to notice they see reduced levels of heartburn as well. Especially, if that's something you are dealing with. This is thanks to the ability of baking soda to improve the pH balance in the body. Because so many people are currently in a very acidic state, getting more alkaline can help your entire digestive system function smoother.
  Antibacterial/Fungal Action
  Another nice thing about baking soda is that it offers antibacterial action as well. It can help prevent fungal and yeast infections, especially those that are causing skin and nail issues.
  This is something that you'll want to do as preventative treatments. Using it on a regular basis can stop the fungus from growing before it starts, keeping you feeling great.
  Your kidneys play an incredibly important role in your body so you'll want to ensure that you're always doing whatever you can to keep them optimized. Baking soda can help. Researchers have noted that when subjects consumed baking soda on a regular basis who also had chronic kidney disease, those who had the sodium bicarbonate were less likely to experience further complications with their condition or a worsening of the situation at hand.
  Assistance With UTI's
  If you're someone who is regularly suffering from urinary tract infections, you'll want to take note that adding baking soda to your diet is one of the best ways to help get past this. This is due to the fact that it can help make the urine less acidic, which is one of the primary causes of UTI's in the first place1.
  Just finished an intense workout and can barely move? You might actually benefit from getting some baking soda into your diet. The reason for this is because when you exercise intensely, your muscles are going to produce lactic acid and this lactic acid is then what can lead to ongoing muscle soreness in the days ahead.
  By taking baking soda, you're making the muscle tissues less acidic, helping to clear away some of that byproduct2. The return you'll see is a decreased level of muscle soreness and better performance next time you hit the gym.
  Interestingly, some athletes also choose to take it during their exercise sessions as well. Since the build-up of lactic acid is what also triggers the onset of that intense burning sensation, if you're able to slow the onset of this down, that too is going to help you minimize your desire to stop the exercise. This could allow you to exercise longer during the intense workouts you're doing.
  You probably already know that putting a box of baking soda in the fridge is one great way to help combat the odors that typically occur in the fridge. But did you know that you can also use it as a natural deodorant for the skin as well? If you're fresh out of commercially prepared deodorant, try simply mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with some water to get a milky baking soda paste. Then put that under your arms and let dry.
  Note that this will not stop perspiration however, just the smell that comes along with it.
  Are you self-conscious of your unsightly feet? If you feel like you would do anything just to have prettier looking feet again, consider what baking soda can do for you. Because it acts as an anti-fungal, it can combat any sort of foot fungus you may have going on. Additionally, it can also help to smooth out the skin, getting rid of any rough patches you may be facing. It's also great for helping to slough off dead skin cells, helping the feet look more radiant.
  Finally, it can be used the same way as noted above for a deodorant to help alleviate any sort of foot smell you may be experiencing.
  Assistance With Itchy Skin
  Dry, itchy skin is not a fun time at all and if you're suffering, you may be trying every lotion out there to help relieve this discomfort. Often lotions don't get the job done however and instead, you'll be better off actually turning to baking soda3.
  All you'll need to do for this one is mix some baking soda with water and create a paste. Now apply it to the skin and leave it to sit for a few minutes. Then rinse off. You'll notice your skin feels noticeably softer after doing this and some of that dry, itchy feeling is gone.
  Repeat daily until you have regained the lost moisture in the skin and are no longer suffering.
  It can also work the same way for insect bites as well as sunburns. So those are two additional things that you might find baking soda is useful for.
  Tooth Booster
  Most of you reading this right now will have already heard that baking soda can be useful for helping to whiten the teeth4. It'll help with tooth stains, brightening your smile and possibly even improving dental health as well. It can help to increase the rate in which you remove plaque from the teeth and gums, rising up above what you'd get with just toothpaste alone.
  Do note, you don't want to use straight baking soda on a regular basis as it is abrasive and could wear away at your tooth enamel. Instead, add it to toothpaste, mix it together, and then brush your teeth as normal. If you'd prefer to use a one-shot treatment of straight baking soda, feel free to do so but limit yourself to doing this just once per week.
  All you'll need to do is dip your toothbrush into the baking soda mixed with water and brush the teeth as normal.
  If you do wish to use baking soda to help whiten the teeth, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with water and then rub it onto the teeth. Let it sit for about five minutes then rinse your mouth thoroughly. Just note that you should only do this once a week because you can run into issues with it eating away at your tooth enamel.
  Lowered Ulcer Pain
  Stomach ulcers can produce some seriously bad pain but when you have baking soda at your fingertips, it may not have to be nearly as bad. Baking soda helps to neutralize the stomach acid in the body, which can then help to relieve the discomfort you're experiencing.
  Stomach ulcers happen when you maintain too much of an acidic environment in the stomach. So lessening that and creating more of an alkaline environment instead will provide fast and effective relief.
  This will involve actually ingesting the baking soda. However, be sure to speak with your doctor before doing so.
  If you're going for chemotherapy to treat cancer symptoms, you might want to have baking soda on standby. For many, changes to the throat and mouth are noticed and a baking soda rinse can help to alleviate the discomfort you might feel. You'll want to combine a quarter teaspoon of baking soda with an eighth teaspoon of sea salt and then use this mixed with a cup of warm water to rinse your mouth out each day.
  Do this regularly during the treatment and you might just find it gets you back to feeling normal again.
  You're already making an effort to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables which is great news. Now you just need to make sure those fresh fruits and veggies are clean. There can be harmful bacteria lurking on the skins of these foods so you'll want to ensure you get them as clean as possible.
  Baking soda can actually be used as a scrub for the outside of these foods so they're clean going into your body. Simply mix it with a tablespoon of water and scrub the outside. It's a fast and very affordable solution.
  While this doesn't exactly impact your health per se, here's another tip that baking soda can help out with - cleaning your drain. If you often get clogged drains in your kitchen or bathroom, baking soda can do the trick. It is far less harmful than some of the other drain cleaners out on the market today.
  To prepare the drain cleaner, simply mix the baking soda with some vinegar and then pour it down the drain. Let it sit for a while (you'll likely notice some bubbling taking place) and then flush out the drain thoroughly with some hot water.
  Drain cleaners get pricey and can do real damage to your pipes over time, so this is a much-preferred solution.
  Here's something I bet you didn't know - you can actually use baking soda to help combat the common cold and flu. This has been historically used and can work just as well as over the counter cold and flu medication for some people.
  To use it, you'll want to plan out a three day period. On day one, you'll use six half-teaspoon doses placed in a glass of cool water. Take these doses about every two hours across the span of the day.
  On the second day, you'll do the same but this time decrease it down to four doses instead of six.
  On the third day, you'll be down to two doses and should be drinking them in the morning and evening.
  If the cold still persists after that, then you can continue on with this protocol until you are healed up.
  If you have indigestion you can try to combat it by using baking soda. You'll want to add just a fourth of a teaspoon of the baking soda to a cup of water and then sip this slowly, before or even during a meal.
  Keep in mind that this simply helps to reduce the level of stomach acid that is present in the stomach so if that's the cause of your indigestion, it should help.
  If the condition persists for two weeks or more after using the baking soda treatment, make an appointment to see your doctor. Because indigestion could be due to other factors, and if so, you should be seen by a doctor.
  Before You Use Baking Soda
  We've now outlined a number of reasons to use baking soda and the various ways in which you can make it work for you. There are a few precautions you'll want to know about using it so that you stay safe when doing so.
  First, make sure that you fully dissolve the baking soda in the water before drinking it. If the baking soda is not dissolved, it can cause serious harm to the body so this is one that you don't want to overlook.
  Make sure that you also avoid taking more than 3.5 tsp. a day or 1.5 tsp. per day if you're over the age of 60. You'll also want to avoid taking it continuously for a prolonged period of time. Two weeks seems to be about the magic number here. If you've taken it every day for two weeks, it's time for a break. As good as baking soda is, it can do harm if taken in too often for too long
  Finally, avoid taking it in when you are just too full. If you're suffering from indigestion due to simply eating too much food, baking soda is not going to help and could increase your risk factor for gastric rupture. Avoid it in this scenario.
  So there you have some of the key ways that you can add baking soda into your day. As you can see, there are a great many uses for it and it should not go overlooked. Baking soda can really help in terms of your overall health as well as the home that you live in.
  Pulipati, Sowjanya, et al. "An overview on urinary tract infections and effective natural remedies." Journal of Medicinal Plants 5.6 (2017): 50-56.
  Holt, Kate. "Baking Soda, Could This Be Your Secret Ingredient?."
  Ryther, M. B. Baking Soda Solutions: Economical, Eco-Friendly Ideas for Your House, Your Yard and You. MBR Books, 2012.
  Ghassemi, A., et al. "Effectiveness of a new dentifrice with baking soda and peroxide in removing extrinsic stain and whitening teeth." Journal of Clinical Dentistry 23.3 (2012): 86.