Book excerpt: The Miracle of Bicarbonate of Soda is a compact yet comprehensive and authoritative guide to this inexpensive household chemical - a white crystalline powder of outstanding versatility. The first section of the book shows how to use 'bicarb' in cleaning, with instructions for making cleansers, polishes and deodorisers that will leave our homes sparkling, shining and freshly scented. The next section looks at its uses in cookery - especially to leaven dough and cake mix. There are recipes for various breads (including soda bread) and cakes (including gingerbread), as well as many other ways to use the magic of this simple ingredient in the kitchen. Then comes a section outlining the role of bicarb in personal care, with practical guidance on using it for toiletries, toothpaste, deodorants and sensuous bath 'bombs'. The last major part of the book offers guidance on using the substance to maintain health by treating common symptoms, in particular those related to an imbalance in the body's acidity. An A-Z of common ailments details which ones respond to bicarb used topically on the skin, which respond to taking it orally as a medicine, and which respond to dietary changes that will encourage our body's internal bicarbonate of soda to correct our acidity levels.