Baking Soda for Skin Problems

In a typical household, baking soda has many important functions. It removes odors from the refrigerator, cleans the kitchen sink, freshens laundry, and makes an appearance in a variety of tasty recipes. But baking soda can also play an important role in your beauty regimen when its used to treat and relieve skin problems.

Benefits

A natural cleaning agent, baking soda is an effective product for cleansing the skin and removing cosmetics, lotions, perfumes, dirt and oils. For deep cleaning, add half a cup of baking soda to bath water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes. And with its mildly gritty texture, it can also be used for gently skin exfoliation. To exfoliate the skin -- whether your face, knees, elbows or heels -- mix the baking soda with a small amount of water to form a thick paste and massage it into the skin in a circular motion. Some people might also notice that baking soda helps relieve redness, treat acne, even skin tone, or minimize the appearance of pores.

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Considerations

Although baking soda is a mild and gentle product, the potential for skin irritation is always possible. If your skin becomes red, itchy, dry or painful after applying the baking soda treatment, rinse it immediately and avoid using baking soda in the future.

Other Uses

Along with treating various skin problems, baking soda can also be incorporated into other aspects of your beauty routine. A bit of baking soda mixed into your shampoo can help remove hair product build-up. And if you don't have time for a shower, sprinkle dry baking soda onto the hair to absorb oil and freshen hair quickly. Baking soda can also be used to whiten the teeth, refresh the fingernails and toenails, and relieve pain from heat rashes, sunburns and insect bites.

Other Home Remedies

If your skin care frustration has inspired you to give up beauty products and seek out new remedies from your kitchen cabinets, baking soda is not your only option. The Ladies' Home Journal website recommends using banana and avocado to moisturize skin or coarse sea salt mixed with olive oil to exfoliate skin. Additional ingredients to use include egg whites for skin toning and oatmeal for treating acne and soothing skin.

Allergy Concerns

Before applying any type of product to your sin -- baking soda or otherwise -- do a patch test to check for allergies. For a patch test, make a small amount of the concoction you plan to apply to your skin. Gently massage a small amount of the mixture onto the skin of your inner arm. Over the next 24 hours, check the area for signs of an allergic reaction, including redness, rash, swelling or itchiness.

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Foods That Provide High Iron

Iron is an important part of our daily diet. The mineral helps create hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the cells. Those who don't have adequate hemoglobin will develop anemia. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, increased heart rate, and cold hands and feet. Females ages 11 to 50 require 18mg of iron per day. Children, men over age 19 and women over age 50 require 10mg of iron each day. Pregnant women require 30 to 60mg per day. You can increase your iron intake by taking supplements, or by eating iron rich foods on a daily basis. Ask your doctor to draw an iron level if you are concerned that your iron level is low.

Meat

Animal sources provide heme iron, the form of iron that is more readily absorbed than non-heme iron, which comes from plants. Three ounces of beef provides 4.5 to 7mg of iron. Pork provides 7.4mg of iron in the same size serving. Chicken and turkey both have 4.5 to 7mg iron in a half cup portion. Beef liver provides 7.5mg of iron in a 3-ounce serving.

Seafood

Seafood is a good source of iron. Oysters are high in iron, with 13.2mg in each 3-ounce portion. Clams have 4.2mg of iron in a 2-ounce serving. Shrimp has 2.6mg of iron in a 3-ounce serving, while sardines have 2.5mg in an equal serving.

Vegetables and Fruit

Vegetables are a source of non-heme iron that is not as easily absorbed as heme iron. The amount of non-heme iron absorbed by the body is directly dependent on how much iron the body is lacking. The body absorbs more non-heme iron when it is more deficient, explains Ohio State University. Potatoes have the most iron of any vegetable, with 4mg when they're eaten with the skin on. Green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, have about 2mg of iron in a half cup serving. Watermelon is a good source of iron, with 3mg in a six-inch by half-inch slice.

Cereals and Grains

Total cereal has 18mg of iron per serving. Cream of Wheat has 10mg of iron in a one cup serving. Enriched rice and pastas have 1 to 2mg per serving. Raisin Bran cereals have 6.3mg of iron in one serving.

Beans, Lentils and Nuts

Lentils have 3.2mg of iron and black-eyed peas have 2.6mg. Lima beans, pinto beans and navy beans have 2.2 to 2.5mg of iron per serving. Chick peas are a good source of iron as well, with 6.2mg per half cup serving. Pumpkin seeds have 2.5mg of iron in two tablespoons.

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Foods With Lots of Iron & Protein

 

 

Iron occurs in two forms--heme and non-heme. Non-heme iron is present in grains and vegetables, and is not easily absorbed into the body because the other compounds present within the plant foods blocks its absorption. Heme iron, however, makes up part of the protein hemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscles. It is easily absorbed from animal source foods, which are also high in protein. To meet your daily needs of both iron and protein, choose food sources that are rich in both.

Meat

Protein from meat sources is more digestible than plant proteins, as some plant proteins are protected by the hardened cell wall of the plant and cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes. However, 90 to 99 percent of proteins in animal sources are digestible, and these proteins can be found in abundance in popular cuts of meat such as beef, poultry and pork. Depending upon the variety of meat and the cut, each 3-oz. serving can provide 18 to 30g of protein. For meats that are also rich in iron, try sirloin steak, which provides 1.8mg of iron per 3-oz. serving, or dark meat turkey, which provides 2mg of iron.

Fish

Fish is also a good source of protein and iron, as well as other important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. Fish typically provides between 12 and 21g of protein per 3-oz. serving. Choosing varieties such as canned mollusks, canned tuna, or shrimp can also provide 23mg, 1.3mg and 2.6mg of iron, respectively. An important note to remember, however, is that fish can contain high levels of mercury, so young children and pregnant or nursing women should limit their consumption.

Beans

While beans have a lower protein digestibility score than meat and fish, they still contain more protein per 1/2-cup serving than other non-meat protein sources. This makes beans a valuable source of protein for vegetarians and those looking to cut back on their consumption of meat. Beans can provide 5 to 9g of protein per 1/2-cup serving, and depending upon the type of bean can provide between 1 and 2.5mg of iron. Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, provide 2.4mg of iron per 1/2 cup, while lima beans, kidney beans and black beans provide 2.2mg, 2mg and 1.8mg, respectively.

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Good Sources of Iron & Protein

A balanced diet that includes a variety of foods from all of the food groups helps a person meet his nutrient needs. Adequate intakes of protein helps to make and repair new cells and adequate intakes of iron helps to keep cells oxygenated. Many foods high in protein also act as a source of iron.

Beef

Iron deficiency anemia is the number one nutritional disorder in the world, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Beef contains high amounts of both iron and protein. A 3 oz. portion of cooked beef contains approximately 30g of protein and 3g of iron. Adult men over the age of 19 and adult women over the age of 50 need 8mg of iron a day and adult women between the ages of 19 and 50 need 18mg of iron a day.

Poultry

Poultry also contains both iron and protein. A 3 oz. portion of skinless light meat turkey contains about 26g of protein and 1.3mg of iron. Dark meat skinless turkey contains about 24g of protein and 1.9mg of iron in a 3 oz. portion. Meats, such and beef and poultry, contain iron in heme form. The heme form of iron is well absorbed, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Fish

Fish also contains both protein and heme iron. A 3 oz. portion of tuna packed in water contains 26g of protein and 0.8 mg of iron. A 3 oz. portion of halibut contains 22g of protein and 0.9mg of iron.

Legumes

Legumes act as a source of incomplete protein and non-heme iron. An incomplete protein lacks one or more of the essential amino acids and non-heme iron is not as well absorbed as heme iron. However, eating a variety of plant foods throughout the day will provide all of the essential amino acids and eating vitamin C rich foods, such as tomatoes and potatoes, with non-heme iron foods increases absorption. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked lentils provides 9g of protein and 3.3mg of iron and a 1/2 cup serving of cooked kidney beans provides 8g of protein and 2.6mg of iron.

Soy Foods

Soy is the only plant-based food containing all of the essential amino acids, making it a complete source of protein similar to animal proteins. Soy foods also act as a source of non-heme iron. One cup of cooked soybeans contains 29g of protein and 8.8mg of iron and 1/2 cup of tofu contains 9g of protein and 3.4mg of iron.

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Good Sources of Iron in Food

Iron, a mineral required by the body to produce red blood cells, occurs in two different forms in the diet--heme and non-heme. Heme iron derives from the hemoglobin in animal tissue. Non-heme iron derives primarily from plant tissues, although a small amount of the iron in animal foods is non-heme. The body absorbs heme iron more efficiently than non-heme iron. Eating a wide variety of iron-rich foods, and combining foods that contain heme and non-heme iron will help prevent deficiencies.

Meat, Fish and Poultry

Animal foods such as red meat, poultry and fish are particularly rich in heme iron, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Chicken liver contains the greatest concentration of iron, with 12.8 mg per serving, or about 70 percent of the recommended daily value. Other animal foods that contain significant iron include all organ meats, oysters, beef chuck, clams, beef tenderloin, dark and light meat turkey, beef eye of round, pork loin, chicken leg and breast pieces, fresh and canned tuna, halibut, sardines, crab and shrimp.

Nuts, Seeds, Beans and Legumes

Nuts, seeds, dried beans and peas, and other legumes are good sources of non-heme iron, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Soybeans and lentils provide the most iron, however. Each 1-cup serving of cooked soybeans supplies about 8.8 mg of iron, and each 1-cup serving of cooked lentils contains about 6.6 mg. Other nuts, seeds and legumes that provide substantial iron include kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, black beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, pumpkin seeds, cashews and peanuts.

Vegetables and Fruits

Numerous vegetables and fruits also contain non-heme iron. Boiled spinach, dried prunes, seedless raisins, acorn squash and apricots are particularly good sources of iron, according to the EBSCO Health Library, a leading health and fitness research database. Each 1/2-cup serving of boiled spinach contains about 3.2 mg of iron, and each 1/2-cup serving of seedless raisins provides about 1.5 mg. Other fruits and vegetables that supply iron include dried peaches, figs, watermelons, dates, peas, bananas, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, apples, cantaloupe, oranges and pears. Apple juice and prune juice are also good sources of iron.

Other Foods

Several other foods contain added non-heme iron, according to the "Food and Nutrition Encyclopedia." Bread, cereal, rice, flour and pasta are the most frequently fortified foods, to help restore the iron lost during processing. Each 3/4-cup serving of 100 percent fortified cereal contains about 18 mg of iron, for example. Many whole-grain products provide iron including oatmeal, grits and whole wheat bread. Each 1-cup serving of fortified oatmeal prepared with water provides 10 mg of iron, or about 60 percent of the recommended daily value. Tofu, blackstrap molasses, bran flakes and egg yolks also supply considerable amounts of the mineral

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High Iron Foods, According to the Food Pyramid

Meat and Beans Heme Sources

Dietary iron comes in two forms, heme and non-heme. The meat and beans group of the food pyramid contains both types. Heme iron, the best absorbed type of iron, comes from animal sources such as beef, pork, poultry and fish. Liver, lean red meat, pork, dark meat poultry, oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, tuna and halibut all serve as good heme iron sources. These sources once contained hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries iron.

Meat and Beans Non-Heme

Non-heme iron sources in this part of the pyramid come from beans, including kidney, navy, pinto, lima and black beans. Soybeans and lentils also belong to this pyramid class. Nuts, which also fit into the meat and beans group, also serve as good sources of iron, particularly almonds and Brazil nuts.

Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables comprise the best source of non-heme iron in the vegetable portion of the food pyramid. Spinach, kale, greens, asparagus, black-eyed peas and broccoli all contain iron. Vegetables that enhance iron absorption when eaten with other non-heme iron sources include potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and green and red peppers.

Grains

Enriched grains can supply non-heme iron. Iron-fortified cereals, including oatmeal, enriched breads, pastas and rice can help you meet your daily iron requirements from the grain category on the pyramid. Iron-enriched grains contain non-heme iron, so eat them with heme sources for best absorption of iron.

Fruit

Although most fruits don't contain large amounts of iron, they enhance iron absorption, making them a valuable addition to an iron-rich diet. Dried fruits such as raisins, apricots and prunes contain the most iron in the fruit group. Fruits high in vitamin C that enhance iron absorption include oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes and grapefruit.

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