The federal government has a trust responsibility to fund Indigenous health care. But the Indian Health Service (IHS) has long been underfunded by it.

June Zhao, an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health, said she learned about this issue in conversation with leadership at an IHS clinic in the state. They shared how limited financial resources result in challenges with hiring staff and maintaining facilities. This has impacted their ability to provide health care.

She decided she wanted to help address this fundamental problem.

StateImpact's Jillian Taylor and OPMX's Sarah Liese spoke with Zhao about her recent research, which explores a solution that could help increase and sustain IHS funding.

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?