The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Hair
Posted by Kerry (Launceston, Tasmania ....Australia) on 03/03/2008
★★★★★
Baking soda or Bicarb which it is called here...is fantastic to wash hair with I use 1/4 cup of bicarb mixed with a cup of warm water in the shower and just tip onto my hair and rub for just a couple of seconds...then rinse...its amazing when it dries its like ive used shampoo... soft and bouncy if hair is a tad dry at times...iI just add a very small amount of organic conditioner to the ends ..and yes I use organic cold pressed coconut oil for a monthly deep condition...
Hair
Posted by Alib (Swansea, Wales, Uk) on 10/22/2010
★★★★★
I use bicarbonate (baking) of soda to wash my hair - just about a level teaspoonful in a little warm water and stirred well. I pour it over and then give it a good rub before rinsing off. I then pour over half a cup of warm water with a dribble of ACV in it, make sure it has covered my hair and been rubbed in and re-rinse to finish. Some people just pour over the ACV but I prefer to give it an extra rinse because I am not that keen on smelling like a chip shop!!! The bicarb cleans my hair and the ACV makes it beautifully soft.
Bee Stings
Posted by Mare (Auckland, New Zealand) on 02/21/2008
★★★★★
My daughters were playing outside in the garden and one after the other, they both started screaming, crying and running toward the house. I couldn't understand what had happened but they both had similar red marks on their skin. I assumed they had been bitten by spiders as there was no obvious sting. I quickly applied a thick paste of Baking Soda and water and within minutes both girls were calm and happy. Praise God for Baking Soda!!
Baking Soda and Benzene
Posted by Methuselah (Los Angeles) on 08/09/2006
...For sodium bicarbonate, I use the regular Arm & Hammer baking soda that you can find in any grocery store. I contacted them also, and they told me that they do not add anything to their baking soda although they do not have any chemical analysis of the soda ash (a mined mineral deposit) from which they make their baking soda by adding carbon dioxide in a solution--i.e., no additives or stabilizers. I hope that this information answers your question. Please let me know if you need more information. Have a great week and keep up the good work. Also thanks for all the help.
Acid Reflux
Posted by DrJ (Bombay, India) on 03/28/2009
Dear James,
These is alot of science in that post but its not to accurate. ACV may be acid to taste but it forms an alkaline "ash" once digested. ACV is an excellent remedy on its own diluted in water (not mixed with bicarb etc) if sipped through out the day. It simulates digestive enzyme function. Using for low HCL reflux is best. For best results with high HCL reflux try the Lemon/bicarb formula or Citric acid/bicarb formula!
Gum Disease
Posted by Iris (London, Canada) on 11/06/2007
★★★★★
I have braces which means food gets trapped really easily but it is difficult to floss. As a result I have inflammed gums, which often bleed, despite brushing after every meal. Now I use a HUGE scoop of baking soda in a sip of water (so its like a runny paste) and swished it around in my mouth for a couple of minutes. My swollen gums went back to normal imediatly after and have stopped bleeding. It leaves a salty taste in my mouth but I avoid rinsing after the baking soda.
Gout
Posted by Lorraine (Auckland, New Zealand) on 08/27/2007
★★★★★
After suffering with acute pain in my right big toe for one year i heard about this site and what baking soda can do. I took half teaspoon in a glass of water and the pain disappeared in minutes! Previously i couldnt even stand the weight of the sheet on my toe. I am yet to try acv and b.soda. but will do so and report back. have also been suffering from a lot of joint pain and that is subsiding also. I am very grateful for the info on this site. I received no help from doctors who only prescribe dangerous drugs! L.Wilson NZ.
Red, Irritated Eyes
Posted by Rob (Cape Hatteraas, NC) on 03/20/2022
★★★★★
I have redness in the corner of my left eye. I have had it over a year. My eye also produces and lot of sand and grit. My left eye always feels tired even after just waking up I read about adding 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to an 4 ounce glass of water and splashing it in my eye and drinking it. After doing this, almost immediately, my eye felt better! Can't recommend it enough:)
Cyanide Poisoning Antidote
Posted by Natural Healing (New York) on 03/17/2022
★★★★★
Baking soda is the antidote for Cyanide poisoning.
Acne
Posted by Jp (Sydney) on 07/22/2017
I used a mix of baking soda and water on my face for blackheads. Two days later I now have dry rash marks on my skin. So warning. I'm not sure when my skin will restore itself.
High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure
Posted by Connie (Or) on 09/25/2015
Thank you Miles from (Canada) I have very high Cholesterol, so how much Apple Cider Vineger and how much Baking Soda per day?
This information would be greatly appreciated.
Baking Soda and the Pancreas
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 01/24/2013
Hi Dennis... Supplementing Sodium Bicarbonate will not harm the pancreas or the gallbladder. One of the main functions of the human pancreas is to provide pancreatic juices during digestion. These pancreatic juices necessarily contain bicarbonates for a purpose. These juices are important and necessary to neutralize the chyme(food and acid from the stomach) and to create the necessary alkaline medium for proper operation of the pancreatic enzymes for main stage digestion to occur without problems in the duodenum. So supplementing with Sodium Bicarbonate or baking soda is actually beneficial to the pancreas - it restores the important bicarbonate stores in the pancreas necessary for proper digestion -- and will also benefit gall bladder problems.
For gall bladder and gallstone issues Ted also advises adjustments in diet -- no vegetable oils, no dairy, less meat and low sugar intake. Supplement a teaspoon of granulated lecithin(not the oil form) at mealtimes and also taking Ted's citric acid or lemon/lime alkalizing remedy twice a day will also benefit gall bladder problems. I would also advise taking 1000 mgs organic chanca piedra capsules 3 times a day with meals or just take the tea form three times a day. This regimen helps to reduce excess calcium and fat(mainly excess vegetable oils) in the body thereby helping to prevent gall bladder problems and which also helps to remove gallstones as well.
Best Time to Take
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 10/01/2012
★★★★★
Hi Diana... When I had candida in the past and I first started to alkalize, I always took both Ted's bicarb and water and lemon/ lime bicarb and water remedies about 2 hours after eating -- outside mealtimes in other words. This greatly helped against my candida, constipation and bloating issues. In those days, I usually started to alkalize in late morning.
Later, I understood that taking sodium bicarb and water outside mealtimes was good for alkalizing both the intestines and the body. However now, I take sodium bicarb and water about 1/2 hr to 1 hour after meals -- because taking it this way helps to alkalize the intestines, alkalize the blood AND helps digestion issues because it supports main stage digestion in the upper intestines which should always occur in an alkaline to neutral medium(not acid).
Normally, during sleep at night, the body's homeostsis mechanism comes into play to re-adjust the body's pH(and electrochemistry) back to a healthy levels again. Since 90% of the food we eat now is acidic -- taking sodium bicarb in this way, an hour or so before sleep, actually helps the homeostasis mechanism to re-adjust the body's pH to healthy levels again.
What I have also noticed is that taking sodium bicarb at night also helps people with slow digestion ussues caused by GERD and other problems. Similarly, slow or poor digestion can also be caused by too little bicarbonates from the pancreatic juices -- so taking sodium bicarbonate an hour before you sleep actually helps to make digestion more efficient and helps to avoid acid intestines, reflux etc at night.
To keep it simple -- the only times when I would never take the sodium bicarb and water remedy would be directly before a meal, during a meal and directly after a meal ie while stomach acid digestion is still working and doing its job -- because taking thos remedy incorrectly like this during meals would adversely affect and interfere with both stomach acid digestion and main stage digestion in the duodenum.
Therefore Sodium bicarb is OK to take for constipation. But I've also found that if you add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt(once a day) to the sodium bicarb and water and take it that way as Ted advises -- then this tend to work much better to help loosen up the constipation than just sodium bicarb and water alone.
Depletes Calcium
Posted by Lorica (New Albany, Indiana) on 03/15/2011
I have had lots of problems with acididty and after research and a blood test discovered it was probably very much related to being gluten sensitive. I did not find that limes helped me a bit to be alkaline and even wheatgrass only helped somewhat. Baking soda has helped a lot... But I started having terrible cravings for milk products, even though I drank lots of milk. Guess what? Baking soda increases the need for calcium, it turns out. Whatever you use BS for, please be sure you get plenty of calcium!
Baking Soda and Potassium
Posted by Vicky (Melbourne, Australia) on 12/01/2010
Hence the lemon juice squeezed into the bicarb solution.. provides the potassium
Acne
Posted by London (Sandusky , Ohio) on 08/08/2010
★★★★★
Baking soda is very good for acne. I've been using it as a face wash in place of soap for the last 6 months, and I have seen a great difference. However, I wash my face with castile soap in the mornings in the shower as well. I do the baking soda when I wash my face at nite. Make a paste, rinse, etc
Aluminum in Baking Soda
Posted by Grandad (Exeter, Devon, Uk) on 05/11/2010
I have a member of my family suffering from Alzheimers, and as part of ongoing reserch, I recently had a Lab conduct analysis for Aluminium in a number of different brands of Bicarb, inc Dr Oetkers Bicarbonate of Soda.
The result was as follows - Aluminium <0.01 mg/kg.
Basically I am told by the Lab, that this is as low an amount of Aluminium as your going to get with Bicarb,this and anouther brand had the lowest Aluminium content out of the Bicarbs tested.
I consider this to be as safe as it gets for Aluminium within Bicarb, and we continue to use Dr Oetkers on a regular basis for things such as Baking, deoderant and teeth hygene etc.
The content of Aluminium within anouther tested brand was 2.8 mg/kg - so you see the Aluminium content between brands can vary....
A word of caution with regards to any brand claiming to be Aluminium free etc, becouse if the Bicarb is sold in a plastic pot etc, then it can leach Aluminium from the plastic into the Bicarb....
Thats right, Aluminium from plastic! - it came as a shock to me too!
As you may be aware, Manufacturers can and do sometimes play with words....Ie in this instance, what they are possibly saying is - our bicarb at source is Aluminium free, and perhaps that is correct? - but in my experience, what they never mention is the fact the fact that the plastic container has the capability to leach Aluminium into the product....
Perhaps the manufacturers are just unaware that plastic has the capability of leaching?
Through my research I have learnt that this leaching may not always happen, but that it can, and in fact, is an excuse used by one brand for Aluminium being confirmed within their Bicarb??
The bottom line to me is it matters not where the Aluminium came from, but the fact that it IS there!
I can also confirm that there is an agreed safety level for food products and leaching from packaging.
When you look into this further I guarantee you will be stunned as to what they deem safe for our consumption...
For further information on this, you may wish to start by refering to the following EU legislation Document,
Council of Europes Policy Statements Concerning Materials and Articals intended to come into contact with food sources - section 23.
I came across this website by chance, but after reading this topic I joined in order to post this information.
hope it helps?
T
Aluminum in Baking Soda
Posted by Chrissc (Black ) on 07/03/2011
you know, I am one who reaches for naturals above all else, however, sometimes when I see the insane ramblings of some of you, it makes me really wonder how we could possibly have anything in common. THERE IS NO ALUMINUM IN BAKING SODA, there IS aluminum in many commercial varieties of BAKING POWDER... They are NOT the same. Comes down to chemical profiles, people!!
Aluminum in Baking Soda
Posted by Peace Out (Great Britian, United Kingdom) on 07/04/2011
I absolutely love Earth Clinic and the people here but! Nothing personal! Courtney and Carly........... But I feel you guys do sometimes get a little too sarcastic with people here time to time..... And I've noticed you kind of come on together and repeatedly post. I don't know know if your friends or related or if its a coincidence but FWIW....... Sometimes the way people write its true it can be hard to know the exact tone behind the words. Why not give people the benefit of the doubt and only post a comment back if it directly helps someone's suffering?? There's soooooo much good info on Earth Clinic and I pray it stays that way.
EC: Thank you, Peace Out and Thijs, for bringing this to our attention. Sarcastic and attacking posts will be deleted promptly.
Acid Reflux
Posted by Pete (Fort Collins, Colorado) on 11/05/2011
I think you're right. I think that may have been a heart attack too. I had one 4 years ago so I know.
I get gas, reflux, etc too, but a tums, cold water, almost anything going down your throat should at least change the feeling and the pain for a short while. If it doesn't change, it's probably your heart. I think taking the baking soda was just a coincidence and the angina may have been subsiding at the same time.
Please get a stress test and a scan. The doctors saved my butt luckily. I had my heart attack at 44 years old. Two of my arteries were blocked, I now have three stents in my heart and I've lost 45% of the function of my heart. Don't let this happen to you. An EKG will show if that was a heart attack or not too. Good luck.
Aluminum in Baking Soda
Posted by Earth Clinic (USA) on 03/14/2010
For those wondering about the aluminum content in Arm & Hammers baking soda, here's an excerpt from a recent Mark Sircus newsletter:
http://sodiumbicarbonate.imva.info/index.php/administration-methods/product-quality-and-cost/
..."Though I have been using Bob's Red Mill sodium bicarbonate I have recently received two boxes of Arm and Hammers and I sat for quite a while admiring their boxes and all the information on them. I have been in touch directly with the company and have been reassured of its absolute purity meaning there is no aluminum in it . Arm and Hammers is as aluminum free as Bob's Red Mill, which advertizes itself specifically to be aluminum free, and in the process has convinced most people I know that Arm and Hammers has aluminum when it does not....
Skin
Posted by Phoenix75 (Carmel, Ca, U.s.a.) on 01/14/2010
★★★★★
I used baking soda, as an exfoliant, on my hands and arms; it made them super soft and worked wonderfully!!
Acne
Posted by Rose (Gaithersburg, Md.) on 01/20/2010
★★★★★
A friend told me about this website, and its has changed my thinking about the products that I have been applying on my face. I have had bad acne and was put on acutane, which worked. lately I've noticed some little blemish coming back..
I started gently washing my face and body with Baking soda, I haven't used soap at all and find my skin complexion to be clear, and my body is not that itchy. I do have a question about long term use of baking soda on the face? Has anyone out there been using it long term??
Bee Stings
Posted by Carol (Yoakum, Texas,77995) on 08/16/2009
★★★★★
I have used baking soda many times for scorpion bites, for bee stings, for yellow jackets and red wasps. Apply a paste of baking soda and water. Keep applying to bite until sting is gone, usually immediate. I carry a small plastic bottle of baking soda in all vehicles for bites and stings. Thank God for this wonderful inexpensive multiple use powder! My husband and I take baking soda daily as an additional way to alkalize our bodies.
Nausea
Posted by Liz (Melbourne, Florida USA) on 04/30/2009
★★★★★
I have been dealing with SEVERE nausea since starting chemo treatments for leukemia in 2005. I stopped all chemo meds in 2006 but the nausea has stuck around since then. I have tried EVERYTHING that the doctors have given me. I finally got tired of putting chemicals into my body and started searching for natural remedies. I found this website through a cancer community and it has been a GODSENT! I tried the baking soda for nausea and within 5 minutes, my nausea is almost completely gone. It would have taken Phenegren over an hour to help. Thanks SO much for this website!
Stomach Ache
Posted by Ali (Wales) on 12/11/2017
One Tablespoon...?!! Who recommended that? It's usually just half to one TEASPOONful that is suggested......
Acne
Posted by Missy (Thief River Falls, MN) on 02/25/2008
★★★★★
I have been using baking soda in the mornings with my face wash for over 6 months now and I have been acne free since. I am 35 and was still experiencing mild acne with more breakouts around my menstrual cycle. I don't even experience a single pimple around that time of the month! It's truly amazing to me! I started using Hydrogen Peroxide after I washed my face and shortly after I added the baking soda, so I thought it was the combo, but I started to get lazy and stopped using the peroxide, and didn't get any flare ups so now I know it was just the baking soda doing the work!
Acid Reflux
Posted by Echoe (Des Moines, Iowa) on 01/14/2009
I wanted to add on to Ted's feedback on the objection to Apple Cider Vinegar for acid reflux.
It must be understood what the cause of the reflux is. Depending on the cause, the response will be different.
For some, the cause of the reflux is a production of too much acid, in which case, lemon juice in water, baking soda, and if chosen, an antacid of some sort.
However, for others, the cause of the reflux is not that too much acid is made, but too LITTLE acid. You can tell if you have little or no burping when you use baking soda as your remedy. The reason for the reflux in this case is not acid, but fermentation of food that is just sitting in your stomach. This means the remedy called for would be MORE acid. In which case, vinegar is very helpful.
The reason for adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to vinegar is to help stop the burning effect of vinegar as you drink it. However, if you can stand it, vinegar at full strength with no reduction is recommended in this case.
Acid Reflux
Posted by Shinyfun (Greenville, Sc) on 01/30/2010
★★★★★
This worked great for my heart burn. But I was concerned that after one sip of 1/8th teaspoon baking soda to 1 cup water made me sneeze about 30 times and I felt like thowing up to the point I kept VERY close to the bathroom (in a 5 minute span)... but now that I'm done sneezing, my heart burn is gone.
Sore Throat
Posted by Rin (Camas, WA) on 12/23/2007
★★★★★
My daughter has a bad case of mono. Her tonsils were so swollen they were touching her uvula and she couldn't swallow any pain meds. We were having her gargle with a salt rinse, with no real relief. We called my inlaws and they suggested rinsing with a tsp of bs in lukewarm water followed by the salt rinse every two hours. Amazing! My daughter's tonsils are a little less swollen and it took the pain away for her to sleep for a lot longer last night. I found your site this morning when I was researching bs rinses. The doctor's we saw never even suggested it.
