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The Sourdough School

DIVERSITY BREAD® || PERSONALISED BREAD || BAKING AS LIFESTYLE MEDICINE

Bake With The Hands Of An Artisan And The Mind Of A Clinician

Set within the walled gardens of Dr Vanessa Kimbell’s beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, The Sourdough School is home to the Proven Bread Programme, teaching the art and science of nutrition, the gut microbiome and fermentation in bread. We train bakers to produce Diversity Bread® and healthcare professionals to personalise bread through Baking as Lifestyle Medicine. Arrange a conversation today.

WhatsApp: +44(0)7813308301
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  • Workshops
    • Book a Call
    • 2 Day Workshops
    • 3 days Personalised Bread Workshops
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  • About
    • About The Sourdough School
    • Priority Access: Join the Waiting List
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • Reviews
    • General FAQ’s about The School
    • Diversity Bread™
    • Where to stay & more
    • Training Bakers & Healthcare Professionals
    • Educational Awards Programme
    • The Team
    • A Social Enterprise
    • Contributors & Guest Tutors
    • What Our Students Say
  • Learn
    • The Diploma – January 2027
    • Request a callback
    • Graduation Recipe Collection
  • What is Proven?
    • Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM)
    • Bread as Preventative Health
    • BALM & Bread in The Blue Zone
    • Proven Bread Documentary
    • Prove it – The Case Studies
    • Proven: Bread Podcast
    • Proven
    • Login
  • Personalised Bread
    • Personalising Bread Using Nutrigenetics
    • Personalisation
    • Personalising Bread
  • Workshops
    • Book a Call
    • 2 Day Workshops
    • 3 days Personalised Bread Workshops
    • Tuscan Retreat
    • 12 Week Post Course Support
    • Request a Callback
  • About
    • About The Sourdough School
    • Priority Access: Join the Waiting List
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • Reviews
    • General FAQ’s about The School
    • Diversity Bread™
    • Where to stay & more
    • Training Bakers & Healthcare Professionals
    • Educational Awards Programme
    • The Team
    • A Social Enterprise
    • Contributors & Guest Tutors
    • What Our Students Say
  • Learn
    • The Diploma – January 2027
    • Request a callback
    • Graduation Recipe Collection
  • What is Proven?
    • Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM)
    • Bread as Preventative Health
    • BALM & Bread in The Blue Zone
    • Proven Bread Documentary
    • Prove it – The Case Studies
    • Proven: Bread Podcast
    • Proven
    • Login
  • Personalised Bread
    • Personalising Bread Using Nutrigenetics
    • Personalisation
    • Personalising Bread

Contraindications

CONTRAINDICATIONS

While the BALM® Protocol and Proven® breads are designed to be highly nutritious, fibre-rich, and microbiome-supportive, there are circumstances in which they are not appropriate. when attending the Sourdough School Dr Kimbell will likely speak to your personally and check your suitability, however on the 12 week Gut Health Reset we require you to check you are able to participate in the course by reading the information below before you enrol and subscribe to our bread.

  1. Coeliac disease
    Proven® breads contain gluten from wheat, rye, and other gluten-containing grains. In people with coeliac disease, gluten triggers an autoimmune response that damages the small intestinal lining, leading to malabsorption, inflammation, and increased risk of long-term complications. Consumption of gluten is strictly contraindicated.
  2. Wheat allergy or other cereal grain allergies
    Individuals with an IgE-mediated allergy to wheat or other gluten-containing grains may experience severe, potentially life-threatening reactions. Proven® breads are unsuitable for anyone with confirmed cereal grain allergies.
  3. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)
    Although some individuals with NCGS can tolerate long-fermented sourdough better than industrial bread, Proven® breads still contain gluten and should be approached with caution. Medical supervision is recommended if trialling any gluten-containing bread.
  4. Certain autoimmune conditions
    For people with autoimmune diseases beyond coeliac disease—such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis—dietary triggers can vary. While fibre-rich sourdough may benefit many, gluten can be a potential inflammatory trigger in some cases. Clinical assessment is essential before inclusion.
  5. Severe gastrointestinal disease or acute flares
    Conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during active flare, severe diverticulitis, or other acute GI conditions may require temporary reduction of high-fibre foods. Proven® breads are intentionally high in dietary fibre (12g per serving) and are not suited to such phases without medical guidance.
  6. FODMAP intolerance
    The diverse plant fibres in Proven® breads include FODMAP-containing ingredients. While fermentation can reduce FODMAP load, sensitive individuals may still experience symptoms.

IMPORTANT
Anyone considering Proven® bread as part of a therapeutic or preventative dietary approach should consult with a qualified healthcare professional, particularly if they have a diagnosed medical condition, are immunocompromised, or are undergoing significant dietary changes

ALLERGEN INFORMATION
Our bread is baked in a facility that handles sesame seeds, tree nuts (including walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts), peanuts, soy, and cereals containing gluten. Cross-contamination with these allergens is possible despite all reasonable precautions.

The botanical blend may include seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax/linseed, hemp, and poppy. We also work with ingredients that may contain or come into contact with mustard seeds, lupin, and celery.

If you have a severe allergy or intolerance, please do not order as there are 30 ingredients in the bread and I cannot guarantee that there is no cross contamination. I would far rather you made your own version and you can email me for the recipe.

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All reasonable care is taken when writing about health aspects of bread, but the information it contains is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader’s sole discretion and risk.

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