Baking soda and water are a useful combination, both in the kitchen and in first aid. The chemical properties of baking soda lend themselves to numerous practical applications. Neither your pantry nor your medicine cabinet should be without a supply of this remarkable ingredient that can be used for everything from treating insect bites to renal disorders.
Sodium Bicarbonate
The active ingredient in baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. When dissolved in water, sodium bicarbonate dissociates into sodium ions and bicarbonate ions.The health benefits of baking soda are derived from the basic properties of the bicarbonate ion. A substance is a base if it has a pH higher than 7.
Insect Bites
Many insect bites sting, leaving behind a rash or itchy red mark called a wheal. Pastes made from baking soda and water are among the many home remedies for these annoying symptoms. Mayo Clinic recommends making a paste from 3 tsp. of baking soda and 1 tsp. water. This paste can be applied several times a day. This paste can also be used for poison ivy.
Acid-Base Disorders
Healthy kidneys remove waste products from the blood. Acid-base disorders are common among kidney patients with advanced disease because the pH of the blood gets slightly more acidic when wastes accumulate in the blood. Nephrologists treat this by adding sodium bicarbonate to the dialysis mixture if the patient is on dialysis. If the patient is not yet on dialysis, the patient takes sodium bicarbonate in capsules, along with water.
Heartburn
The Mayo Clinic suggests tossing back a mixture of baking soda and water to treat heartburn. It recommends dissolving 1/2 tsp. of baking soda in a glass of water. This can be taken every two hours for relief from sour stomach and heartburn. If the heartburn occurs frequently, let your doctor know, because this is symptomatic of gastroesophageal reflux disorder, or GERD.
