Camphor the Alternative Traditional Remedy

As you’re might know, camphor is a waxy compound which can be naturally extracted or synthetically produced. Camphor can be white or transparent and has a very strong aromatic odour. Do you know? For a long time ago camphor has been used as a traditional remedy and also for culinary purposes.

Nowadays, there are many people using camphor for its healing powers and they normally keep some camphor to hand for a large variety of purposes such as religious ceremonies and medicinal purposes.

Camphor as the one alternative home remedy is extracted from the wood of the Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), a large tree native from Asia and Japan, but particularly from Borneo and Taiwan. There is also synthetic camphor produced from oil of turpentine.

Solid camphor blocks have many purposes. The anti-rust properties make it useful in tool chests to prevent the tools to rust, since the fumes released form an anti-rust coating.

In medicine it's used to prevent colds, so it's very effective as a cough suppressant and topical analgesic. For a long time it has been used with a string around the neck with the camphor block near the chest or under the pillow when sleeping. It is absorbed through the skin and has a cooling effect such as menthol and acts as an anesthetic and antimicrobial.

Camphor blocks are also used as an insect or moth repellent due to its strong odor. In insect collections tiny crystals are added to prevent other bugs to damage it.

For religious ceremonies or for spiritual purposes it is burn like a candle. It leaves no residue like ashes but has high deposits of carbon, so it's not recommended to burn large quantities indoor.

However, it is not recommended to use camphor as the remedies in small children, has it may cause intoxication. Be careful on the dosage level because synthetic camphor blocks can be toxic on higher quantities.