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Baking as Lifestyle Medicine is about making bread central to lifestyle.
In so many ways, this is about connecting to the process of eating and sharing bread. Understanding the biochemical pathways that support the immune system is important.
Reducing stress means lowering cortisol, a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Elevated cortisol levels during prolonged stress can lead to issues such as depression, anxiety, weight gain, heart disease, and other non-communicable diseases.
Cortisol also has an anti-inflammatory role in the body by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. When the body becomes less sensitive to cortisol, this suppression becomes less effective, leading to low-grade inflammation. Combined with poor lifestyle and food choices, increased stress levels can weaken the immune system.
We’re beginning to understand more about the role the gut plays in supporting our immune system. The gut is linked to the brain by the vagus nerve, acting as an information superhighway between the two organs. Researchers are finding associations between the gut and the brain that impact cytokine production and their inflammatory effects.
This suggests one of the best ways to fight non-communicable diseases is through looking after your gut, particularly the intestinal microbiome that helps regulate cytokines. Although we are learning more about the role of stress, cortisol, and cytokines, one well-known association is between stress and cardiovascular events like stroke and heart attack. Reducing stress through activities like exercise and relaxation techniques is crucial. For me, making and enjoying sourdough is one of the best ways.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System: Rest, Regulation, and the Role of Bread
As I deepened my understanding of the gut, it became impossible to ignore its intimate relationship with the nervous system—particularly the parasympathetic branch. This part of our autonomic nervous system is responsible for rest, digestion, repair, and recovery. It’s the body’s natural counterbalance to the stress-fuelled ‘fight-or-flight’ response. Crucially, it is the state in which we are best able to digest food, absorb nutrients, and regulate inflammation.
The parasympathetic system is activated when we feel safe—when we slow down, breathe deeply, and take time over meals. Baking as Lifestyle Medicine recognises that bread, when made slowly and shared mindfully, supports this physiological shift. The act of baking can be meditative, grounding the baker in the present moment. Sitting down to eat bread—especially when shared—becomes more than nourishment; it becomes a biological signal: you can rest now.
This is deeply relevant when we talk about stress and the immune system. Chronic stress leads to elevated levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. While short bursts of cortisol are helpful—mobilising energy, heightening alertness—prolonged exposure can desensitise the body’s natural response. Over time, this impairs cortisol’s anti-inflammatory function, resulting in low-grade, chronic inflammation—a major contributor to non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mental health conditions.
Cortisol normally acts to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines—the signalling molecules that regulate immune responses. When this suppression becomes less effective, inflammation quietly builds. High cortisol can also alter gut permeability and shift the composition of the microbiome, creating a feedback loop that perpetuates stress, inflammation, and immune dysregulation.
This is where the gut–brain axis, particularly the vagus nerve, comes into play. The vagus nerve serves as a bidirectional communication channel between the gut and the brain. Its tone—or activity—can influence everything from heart rate variability and digestion to the production of calming neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin. Engaging in activities that stimulate the vagus nerve—such as slow breathing, laughter, or eating sourdough bread made with intention—reinforces parasympathetic activity and helps modulate inflammation.
Understanding this interplay gives new meaning to baking and eating bread. Within the BALM framework, bread is not just food; it is a tool for nervous system regulation. The fibres and ferments feed our microbes. The act of baking anchors us in time. The ritual of eating signals safety. Together, they invite the parasympathetic nervous system to restore balance, support immunity, and gently nudge the body towards healing. There is more on this in the lectures with Pauline Beaumont.
