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Home grown remedies coming to BBC Two
A delicious mix of gardening, cooking, health and beauty, Grow Your Own Drugs is an informative guide to plants and how their beneficial properties may help with everyday ailments.
The series, coming to BBC Two next year, introduces James Wong, an ethno-botanist and gardener.
He is passionate about sharing his knowledge of plants to make natural remedies from readily available plants growing in gardens, hedgerows, meadows and woodland.
Inspired by his grandmother in Malaysia who taught him about the health giving properties of plants, James uses his top class academic knowledge of them to show how easy it is to make creams, lotions, lozenges and more which may help relieve the symptoms of a variety of common complaints.
He will also rustle up a few natural beauty treatments too.
James says: "Natural remedies are sometimes portrayed as rather wishy washy and ineffective. This series will reveal that many plants contain the same active ingredients as over the counter drugs.
"It's just that, over the years, we've lost the knowledge of how to make the most of their health benefits in our daily lives.
"The fact that many remedies are cheap to make and can be prepared in five minutes at home, makes them all the more appealing and convenient."
The series covers the potential uses of various flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs, trees, roots and bulbs commonly found in the UK.
Using these as ingredients, James makes simple preparations which could help soothe a range of common conditions including acne and eczema, anxiety, insomnia, cold sores, and general aches and pains.
Covering more commonly known uses, such as Echinacea to boost the immune system, the series gives insights into less well known traditional uses for plants, such as hops for insomnia, pine as a natural deodorant, and liquorice for coughs.
Liz Williamson, Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Reading, is the series consultant.
Her role is to advise on the scientific background and safety of the plant-based remedies James is using.
Professor Williamson comments: "This is a particularly topical subject as there is an ever growing interest from the public in natural medicines.
"In science terms, this is an exciting time too, as so much work is ongoing to discover why plants can help improve health.
"It isn't all old wives' tales – there is now real scientific evidence proving the efficacy of some traditional uses of plants."
To illustrate their use, each remedy is tried out by people with the relevant ailment.
These are not clinical trials, of course, and the programme makes clear that viewers should not self-medicate without first seeking medical advice from their doctor.
Beautifully shot and packed with useful and practical information, this series gives viewers an insight in to the science and history of plants used as natural remedies.
BBC Commissioning Editor, Lisa Edwards, said: "James Wong is an exciting new talent for BBC Two. His knowledgeable and relaxed presenting style matches his genuine passion for this subject and desire to share his wisdom with the wider public."
Notes to Editors
 Grow Your Own Drugs will be broadcast on BBC Two in 2009.
6 x 30 minutes.
This is a Silver River production for the BBC.
James Wong is an ethnobotanist – a scientist who studies how people use plants. He has an MSc in Ethnobotany from the University of Kent and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
In 2004 he became the youngest medal-winner at the Hampton Court Flower Show.
He is currently a lecturer at the University of Kent and is designing a new botanical garden for them.
Liz Williamson, Professor of Pharmacy at Reading University, is the series consultant.
KA
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