What Are the Healing Qualities of Red Coral?

Red coral is an animal that comes from the Mediterranean Sea and the oceans off the coasts of Japan, India, Australia, the South Pacific and Africa. Coral naturally comes in a variety of colors, but red is the most sought for its healing and metaphysical properties. It is also commonly used in art and jewelry as many cultures believe red coral is a symbol of blood-force energy that protects against depression.

Cough Remedy

• When a person has a dry cough, red coral oxide is often mixed with raw powdered sugar and ingested. If the cough has mucous, the red coral oxide is instead combined with powdered brown sugar to create an expectorant. Should the cough's mucous needs to be dried, a decongestant of sorts can be created by combining the red coral oxide with honey.

Fever Reducer, Bone Fracture and Liver Disease Aid

• When a person has a fever, red coral oxide is mixed with honey and ingested. The same ingredients are also used for those who have fractured a bone or suffer from liver disease. Coral oxide with honey is also used in many cultures as a general tonic.

Eye Pain, Mental Clarity and Acid in the Stomach

• In the practice of alternative medicine, red coral oxide is combined with milk. If a person's eyes are irritated or feel like they are burning, the coral is mixed with ghee (clarified butter), sugar-crystal candy and milk. If a person is feeling tired and their mind is foggy, red coral oxide can be cooked with milk and almond paste to make a drink. When in need of an antacid, red coral oxide (which contains beneficial calcium) can be mixed with cold milk and ingested. Red coral is also used to help rid a person of colic and the hiccups.

To Aid in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

• In some cultures, when there is a fear a pregnant woman may have a miscarriage, a paste is created with red coral powder and rose water or kewra (an extract created from distilled pandanus flowers). Two drops or the mixtures are placed in the bellybutton of the pregnant woman twice a day.

  After a baby is born, many women will consume red coral powder to help gain some extra energy without the use of caffeine.

An Overall Strengthener

• As red coral can help heal broken bones, it is also thought to help regenerate tissues and provide nourishment to blood cells. It's often used to help strengthen a person's circulatory system and treat conditions relating to the spinal cord, nervous system, thalamus and alimentary canal. Red coral is also used a detoxifier to release impurities of the muscular system or treat bladder, kidney and thyroid disorders.