If you regularly suffer from a cough, a stuffy nose, warts and insect bites, and you've never heard of camphor, it's certainly time you got to know this useful material. Camphor is an organic compound produced from an Asian tree of the same name, and can be found in health and nature stores and is sold as an oil or solid wax-like tablets.
Its smell is strong, its strength is tremendous, and its medical abilities will help you effectively and naturally deal with a variety of health problems. Get to know camphor’s characteristics and the 10 health benefits you can get from it.
Camphor is an organic compound produced mainly from the Asian camphor tree and is found in several other plants as well. The white-transparent compound has a strong odor and a texture similar to wax that becomes solid at room temperature and is known for its wide range of uses. Camphor can be obtained as an essential oil or in the form of solid wax tablets. Camphor is commonly used in Vix Vapor Rub that some of you may be familiar with.
Its uses range from perfume and preservation needs, but beyond that, camphor has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, and anti-congestive properties, making it a "star" with many advantages in natural medicine. Camphor is intended for external use only and may be used for internal use following consultation with a physician. Also, be sure to mix the camphor oil with another oil before applying it, because camphor is a strong compound that can irritate the skin.
Camphor has the power to relieve a variety of symptoms of respiratory diseases such as irritable coughing and congestion in the chest, and therefore various decongestant salves that are applied to the throat and chest contain this effective substance. Some of camphor's benefits derive from its strong smell, which is a bit reminiscent of mint, and its ability to open the airways.
How to use:
Mix 4-5 drops of essential camphor oil with a tablespoon of almond oil and gently massage the chest. Another possibility of relieving a bothersome cough: put several drops of camphor into a bowl of hot water and breathe in its steam.
The anti-inflammatory properties of the camphor help it to help us with the treatment and relief of swelling, redness, and inflammation of the skin, as in the case of acne, which is actually inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles.
How to use:
Pour a cup of olive oil into a jar with a lid, add one teaspoon of camphor essential oil, seal the jar with the lid and mix well. After cleansing your face, and drying it with a towel, apply a little of the oil mixture that you prepared on the acne sores and massage the face for 5 minutes. Leave the oil on your face for the night, and wash it off in the morning with lukewarm water and a mild facial soap. Repeat once a day.
Camphor has medicinal properties that help relieve congestion in the respiratory tract and therefore is effective in treating a stuffy and runny nose and unblocking the airways.
How to use:
To get a quick relief, mix a few drops of essential camphor oil with a teaspoon of lightly heated mustard oil and apply the mixture on your chest, back and throat with circular massage movements before you go to bed at night.
Cold sores on the lips are common, irritating, painful and non-aesthetic, resulting from the contagious herpes virus. The use of camphor oil on cold sores will at least temporarily relieve pain and irritation of the lips due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
How to use:
Mix 2-3 drops of essential camphor oil with one tablespoon of cold pressed coconut oil (if the coconut oil has solidified, put the oil jar in a bowl of hot water). Use a cotton pad to rub the mixture on the lips and repeat 3-4 times a day.
The camphor compound, combined with coconut oil, also comes to the rescue in parents’ endless battle against head lice. Coconut oil suffocates the lice and the camphor joins in to finish them off due to its antifungal properties. If that's not enough, using both of these oils will soften and add shine to your children’s hair.
How to use:
Mix a tablespoon of crushed camphor tables with two melted tablespoons (as explained in the previous section) of cold pressed coconut oil, and apply it to the lice-infested hair. Gather the hair in a shower cap and leave the mixture on the head for the night. Wash the hair the next day and repeat 2-3 times a week for a month to completely get rid of the lice.
The anti-inflammatory properties of camphor are very effective in treating and healing muscle pain. In addition, the use of camphor oil to massage the painful muscles encourages blood flow to areas that are cramped and also reduces the feeling of stiffness.
How to use:
Mix 5-6 drops of essential camphor oil with 1-2 tablespoons of lightly heated olive oil, and massage the painful muscles in your body once or twice a day.
Cracked and dry heels can be a bothersome problem that is primarily aesthetic but can also be exacerbated by pain and irritation. Camphor not only reduces the pain but also accelerates the healing process by increasing blood flow to the injured area.
How to use:
Mix a small camphor tablet in a tub of hot water and place your feet in it for 10 minutes. Rub your feet with a pumice stone to remove hard skin, wash your feet with clean water and dry with a towel.
Warts are caused by a viral infection that causes small growths on the surface of the feet and pain while standing or walking. Camphor, with its disinfection properties, is used as an effective and quick treatment against warts.
How to use:
Mix ¼ cup of melted coconut oil (place the jar of coconut oil in a bowl of hot water to melt), together with one tablespoon of pine oil and 2 teaspoons of camphor essential oil and pour into a large tub. Soak your feet in the mixture for 5 minutes every day, and rinse your feet with clean water at the end. In addition, apply the oil mixture directly to the wart 2-3 times a day.
The strong smell of camphor is an excellent insect and mosquito repellent that acts as a natural and safe substitute for products loaded with chemicals and dangerous substances that we usually use.
How to use:
Mix ½ cup hot water with 20 drops of essential camphor oil, let the mixture cool down slightly and pour it into the spray bottle. Spray the areas where you notice the presence of insects or mosquitoes. For another treatment, add 2 drops of essential camphor oil to a humidifier and turn it on in a room with mosquitoes.
RLS is a neurological sensory disorder that is expressed by a strong and involuntary need to move the legs and interferes with the sleep of those who suffer from it. The active ingredients in camphor oil help reduce the appearance of the irritating syndrome and relieve the difficulties of falling asleep.
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