BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast · Immediate Media

Beat cold and flu season with plants, with Dr Kim Walker

January 15, 2026·48 min·4 clips

Elderberries prevent cold viruses from attaching to your cells, cutting symptom time with a tasty syrup.

This episode features medical herbalist Dr. Kim Walker explaining how plants can be used for health, from cold remedies to first aid. Host Catherine Mansley interviews Walker about the science and safety of herbal medicine. Walker clarifies that medical herbalists undergo multi-year training in anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology, similar to conventional medical training. She notes that many prescription drugs originate from plants, citing willow bark as the source of aspirin and cinchona as the source of quinine for malaria. She states about 64% of cancer drugs come directly from plants, including compounds from the yew tree and Madagascan periwinkle. For home remedies, Walker strongly recommends elderberry syrup for cold and flu, explaining studies show it may prevent viruses from attaching to cells and shorten symptom duration. She details a simple onion and sugar cough syrup, enhanced with thyme, which acts as an expectorant and mucolytic. Walker advises that raw elderberries can cause vomiting, but cooking neutralizes this effect. She recommends calendula (pot marigold) infused in oil for topical use on cuts and sunburn, noting the original orange variety with sticky resin is most medicinal. For anxiety, she suggests fresh lemon balm tea, claiming historical use for making the "heart merry" and modern research for cognitive support. Walker explains that covering a cup while steeping captures volatile essential oils, increasing potency. The conversation covers evidence, with Walker acknowledging robust studies for elderberry but less funding for plant research compared to synthetic drugs. She identifies the Apiaceae family, like hemlock and hemlock water dropwort, as particularly dangerous plants to avoid when foraging. Walker differentiates preparation methods: infusions for leaves/flowers, decoctions for roots/berries, and tinctures using alcohol. She emphasizes consulting a trained herbalist, especially for those on medication, pregnant, or treating chronic conditions. Walker concludes that herbs are powerful and effects can be felt quickly, so dosage and seasonal use should be considered. The tone is educational and conversational, blending practical gardening advice with accessible science. This episode is ideal for gardeners curious about practical home remedies or listeners interested in plant-based wellness. Those seeking strictly clinical, pharmaceutical perspectives or definitive clinical trial data might find it less aligned.

As heard by us

A calm, practical listen about herbs, with a clear sense of what they can and cannot do.

This episode keeps its feet on the ground. Kim Walker explains what a medical herbalist does and how the training goes well beyond folk wisdom, then moves into remedies listeners already know: common colds, aches and pains, and the odd patch of anxiety. The tone stays measured.

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Why you'd press play

You want winter remedies that start in the garden, not the medicine cabinet.

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