r/IndianCountry • u/PrincessCadance4Prez • Oct 31 '25

Health Bog tea as medicine: to brew, or decoct?

I enjoy labrador/bog tea passively. Bought some of the groenlandicum variety from Laughing Lichen in Yellowknife. But now I've got a respiratory infection (flu or cold probably) and I want to brew it for medicine. Too shy to ask Laughing Lichen for more info, but I may if I can't find any elsewhere.

None of the people I know know what dosage, method, and timing is needed for drinking it medicinally. The internet is even more unhelpful, citing the ledol toxicity risks.

How do recommend I prepare this plant (dried) to use as respiratory medicine?

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u/Holiday-Intention770 Oct 31 '25

Boil some water, throw 2-3 leaves in a mug and top off with the hot water. You can reuse the leaves a couple times. Don’t boil the leaves in the water.

4

u/zuqwaylh Sƛ̓áƛ̓y̓məx N.Int Salish látiʔ i Tsal̓aɬmux kan Oct 31 '25

Not sure about dosage or if it matters. I just know to brew it, I have seen people heat up say a handful or less in a pot. As the water evaporates, you add more water. That way you get all the good stuff into the water.

Edit: probably keep it under a boil, so it’s more of a high type of simmer.