Baking Soda Bath

A few reasons to add a cup or so of baking soday to your next bath.

Baking soda has been one of those things we've all had around the house for many years. It has so many uses from speeding up super glue bond to cleaning and deodorizing. There was always a box of baking soda in the fridge and by the washing detergent. We even used it to brush our teeth if we were out of regular toothpaste. I still add it to my toothpaste in between dental cleanings for a deep clean that regular brushing can't touch.

Baking Soda is a mixture of sodium ions and bicarbonate ions (sodium bicarbinate or bicarbinate of soda) often found in evaporated lake beds. It's also called a natural mineral or salt. One of the main healing properties of Baking Soda is it alkalizes ph and is a neutralizer.

Like Epsom Salt, adding about a cup of Baking Soda to bath water has healing benefits, though they treat different conditions. Epson salt baths treat circulatory health, blood pressure, and nerve functions. Baking soda baths are normally benefical for skin issues. Some of these benefits are:

Soothes itching and irritation

Calms hives

Relieves tension and pain

Boosts circulation

Encourages healing

Fights skin fungus

Detoxifies body (add epsom salt)

To prepare for the Baking Soda bath, drink plenty of water. If skin is healthy and does not have dam aged skin (excema, psoriasis or other rash), dry brush (starting with feet and brushing upward toward your heart, when you get to your arms start with your hands and brush inward toward your heart).

Run warm bath water and swirl about a cup of bak ing soda into the water. Soak in the bath for 10 to 40 minutes. Rinse off with clean water, dry off and moisturize. Then drink more water.

Note: Check with your physician if you have high blood pressure, are pregnant or nursing. Try a skin patch test if you have allergies to certain chemicals.