The image shows a loaf of artisanal sourdough bread sliced open to reveal a beautifully airy and open crumb structure. The crust is golden brown a with oat flakes scattered on the top. The inside of the bread appears soft and slightly glossy, with a network of irregular holes typical of well-fermented sourdough. The background is a simple, neutral surface, allowing the focus to remain on the bread’s texture and inviting appearance.

Nutrition & Digestibility of Bread: Initial Health Consultation

£299.00

Gut Health, gluten intolerance Bread Consultation

If you experience bloating, IBS, or fatigue after eating bread, it’s often a clear indication of a more complex underlying issue. While many healthcare professionals might advise avoiding gluten and bread entirely, the story is rarely so simple. For many, the ability to digest sourdough but not ordinary bread points to more complex nutritional needs.

What if bread wasn’t the problem but part of the solution to your health challenges?

When we closely examine your symptoms, history, and relationship with bread, a deeper connection often emerges—a thread linking your digestion, lifestyle, and genetics to the way your body responds. Ignoring this thread not only leaves potential health issues unresolved but also misses the chance to develop a proactive, preventative health strategy tailored to your needs.

This consultation goes far beyond simply finding a bread you can tolerate. It’s about uncovering the underlying factors affecting your digestion and relationship with bread, such as:

Understanding Your Body’s Response to Bread: Examining why certain breads (like sourdough) may work better for you than others.
A Tailored Bread Strategy: Personalised recommendations for bread recipes, flours, and baking techniques to align with your unique digestive and nutritional needs.
Insights into Your Gut Health: A deep dive into how bread interacts with your gut microbiome, identifying whether further testing (e.g., gut microbiome or nutrigenetics) is needed.
Preventative Health Guidance: Using bread as a lens to address larger health concerns, helping to create a proactive plan for improving digestion, energy levels, and overall wellbeing.
Personalised Recommendations: Bespoke advice on flour types, fermentation techniques, and even the role of bread in stabilising blood sugar or reducing inflammation.

By examining the “thread” that connects your response to bread this consultation gives you actionable insights to create a preventative health strategy while enjoying bread in a way that supports your body.

1 in stock

Categories: Bread & Health Assessments, Personalisation

Personal Healthy Bread Consultation with Dr. Vanessa Kimbell (45-Minute Session) or Gut Health and Wellbeing – Initial Assessment.

Gluten intolerance, tiredness, IBS symptoms and bloating when eating bread are often signs of a more complex issue. You don’t necessarily need to have a gut health test or a nutrigenomics test to begin working with Dr Kimbell on personalising bread.

If you already have a diagnosis from a healthcare practitioner, that can often be sufficient. During this initial consultation, Dr Kimbell will take a detailed history of your relationship with Bread, and often, she can work together with you without the need for further investigation or referrals.

Other times, your history may indicate that you need to look deeper. During this consultation, Dr. Kimbell will determine whether a nutrigenomics test or gut health test is necessary. She may recommend additional steps ( outlined in options 2, 3, or 4 below), further input from your healthcare practitioner, or whether we can proceed with tailored recommendations without additional investigation.

Skipping directly to testing and analysis without this consultation is not recommended. First, it’s important to establish a clear direction tailored to you, and this initial consultation will help you decide the best route.

Bread as Functional Nutrition testing chart flow diagram showing the options we use for bread and gluten — Bread as Functional Nutrition

Why Have a Bread Consultation?

When it comes to how your body responds to bread, there’s often more to the story than meets the eye. Dr Vanessa Kimbell takes a unique functional nutritional approach, looking beyond surface symptoms and your healthcare provider’s diagnosis to uncover deeper issues that traditional healthcare professionals may overlook. While she does not diagnose medical conditions, Dr Kimbell excels at piecing together insights from your symptoms, lifestyle, and bread-related issues to create a tailored approach to bread that supports your overall health.

This personalised guidance is a form of preventative healthcare, empowering you to address potential imbalances before they become bigger problems. By adapting bread-making techniques and ingredients specifically to your body’s needs, this session improves your relationship with bread and promotes long-term gut health and wellbeing.

Bread as a Diagnostic Tool – Do you feel better with sourdough but can’t tolerate ordinary bread? Let’s find out why.

A bread consultation is a deeply insightful process. When someone experiences difficulty digesting bread, it often serves as a red flag—an indicator of underlying imbalances. Bread itself is rarely the sole cause but frequently highlights patterns linked to broader health concerns. By examining symptoms, how bread affects digestion, and its overall impact, Dr Kimbell identifies root issues through a functional medicine approach, uncovering key insights about gut health and dietary habits.

The Role of Functional Nutrition

Functional nutrition is central to this process. By tailoring how bread is baked and consumed, it becomes a delivery system for high levels of fibre and specific nutrients. Using nutrigenetics and gut testing when necessary, Dr Kimbell personalises bread to support mitochondrial function, reduce inflammation, nourish the gut, and stabilise blood sugar levels. This bespoke approach transforms bread into a powerful tool for improving overall health.

The Power of Fermentation

Fermentation plays a critical role in enhancing bread’s nutritional value. This natural process predigests the bread, breaking down gluten and increasing nutrient availability, which can reduce inflammation and support gut healing. For those with digestive issues, fermentation allows bread to deliver nutrients in a way that avoids triggering discomfort, making it a key component of preventative health strategies.

A Holistic Approach to Bread and Lifestyle

Dr Kimbell’s consultations go beyond nutrition. They consider lifestyle, routines, and individual preferences to create bread recipes that are both practical and nourishing. These recipes are designed to fit seamlessly into everyday life, bringing joy and ease to the baking process. Baking itself becomes a therapeutic act, helping to manage stress and promote a sense of calm. This holistic approach aligns with lifestyle medicine principles, ensuring bread contributes to both physical and emotional wellbeing.

The Bespoke Bread Consultation

Each consultation is entirely bespoke, designed to uncover the unique ways bread interacts with an individual’s health. The process often includes exploring familial patterns, as genetics and digestion frequently influence dietary habits across generations. Through a detailed pre-consultation questionnaire, Dr Kimbell builds a comprehensive picture of dietary history, symptoms, and how bread impacts overall health.

Bread is an invaluable diagnostic tool. By examining its effects, Dr Kimbell can investigate gut health, genetic predispositions, and dietary habits to recommend a personalised approach. Every aspect—from the choice of flour and sourdough starter to fermentation timings and enzyme activity—is tailored to optimise digestibility and health outcomes. Where necessary, she incorporates DNA and genetic analysis to guide preventative healthcare strategies.

Add-On Options for Gut Testing and Lifecode GX Reports – Are you ready to understand your body’s unique relationship with bread?

This personalised session can also be booked alongside a gut test or Lifecode GX report, provided the report has already been conducted with another practitioner. Please note that each 45-minute session is dedicated to the analysis of one report only, ensuring a focused and thorough review tailored to your unique health needs. If you have multiple reports, additional sessions will be required to give each the attention it deserves. This approach ensures that you receive clear, actionable recommendations for optimising your gut health and relationship with bread.

For Nutrigenetics Booked Students

Students who have enrolled in the Nutrigenetics package do not need to rebook this as two consultations (pre- and post-course) are already included in your package. Please ensure you complete and return your Bread, Health, and Digestion History questionnaire at least one week before your initial session to allow for a thorough review.

Who This Consultation is for?

This versatile session is designed for a wide range of purposes:

Existing students: Follow up on coursework, tests, or guidance related to your learning at The Sourdough School.
Bakers: Gain professional advice on techniques, recipes, or the nutritional and digestibility aspects of bread.
Health and wellness seekers: Explore personalised insights into bread, health, digestion, and the role of the microbiome.
Industry professionals: Discuss research, trends, and innovations in bread and health.
Anyone with specific questions: Whether related to baking, gut health, or nutrigenetics, this session is an opportunity to gain personalised advice and actionable recommendations.

This consultation is designed to support individuals with:

Digestive Health Concerns:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
- Food intolerances (e.g., gluten sensitivity, lactose intolerance)
- Coeliac disease (in collaboration with a healthcare professional)
Hormonal Health and Balance:
- Menopause-related changes
- Male hormonal health and androgens
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Mental Health Support Through Nutrition:
- Anxiety and depression (part of a multidisciplinary approach)
- ADHD and its connection to diet and gut health
Autoimmune and Inflammatory Conditions:
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or hypothyroidism
- Rheumatoid arthritis (in collaboration with healthcare practitioners)
Personalised Nutrition and Nutrigenetics:
- MTHFR or COMT gene mutations
- Tailored dietary approaches based on genetic insights
Metabolic Health and Blood Sugar Balance:
- Blood sugar regulation
- Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes (as part of a multidisciplinary approach)
Bread-Related Concerns and Transitioning Diets:
- Bread sensitivity and digestibility challenges
- Exploring sourdough or low-gluten diets
General Wellbeing and Bread’s Role in Health:
- Individuals or healthcare professionals seeking evidence-based advice on bread’s nutritional impact

Collaboration with Healthcare Practitioners

As a specialist in bread, Dr. Kimbell works collaboratively with healthcare professionals, including GPs, functional practitioners, and nutritionists. Many consultations are recommended by these professionals, and any formal diagnoses or test results you provide can help build a comprehensive and holistic picture.

Please note: Dr. Kimbell does not provide diagnoses, nor does she work with non-evidence-based tests. While she respects individual approaches to health, her recommendations are rooted in scientifically validated information. For areas outside her scope, such as menopause, male hormones, or antigen testing (IgG + IgA Combined), she may recommend trusted healthcare practitioners better suited to assist.

What kind of symptoms can Nourishing bread help with?

Digestive Issues

Bloating
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Constipation
Diarrhoea
Acid reflux

Gut-Related Concerns

Gut microbiome imbalances (dysbiosis)
Leaky gut syndrome (intestinal permeability)
Food intolerances or sensitivities
Difficulty digesting certain grains or ingredients

Metabolic and Blood Sugar-Related Issues

Blood sugar imbalances
Insulin resistance
Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
Energy crashes after meals

Inflammatory and Immune-Related Conditions

Chronic inflammation
Autoimmune conditions (e.g., coeliac disease, though diagnosed cases would require specialised advice)
Allergies or histamine intolerance

Neurological and Psychological Symptoms

Brain fog
Fatigue or low energy levels
Mood swings related to diet

Nutrient-Absorption Concerns

Poor absorption of essential nutrients (e.g., iron, B vitamins, magnesium)
Signs of malnutrition despite eating a varied diet

Lifestyle and Preventative Health

Desire to transition to a more gut-friendly, wholefood-based diet
Interest in preventative healthcare through personalised nutrition

It’s important to note that this session supports these conditions by addressing bread and gut health in a complementary, preventative manner, not as a substitute for medical treatment

Booking Policies:

London time (GMT/BST): All sessions are scheduled in London time.
24-hour cancellation policy: Cancellations or rescheduling requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
Non-refundable: Missed sessions or cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance will not be refunded.

What’s Included:

What Does the Consultation Include?

A 45-minute 1:1 video session with Dr. Kimbell, conducted via Zoom.
A detailed review of your Bread, Health, and Digestion History questionnaire, which provides valuable insights into your symptoms, lifestyle, and dietary habits. (This must be returned at least one week prior to the session.)
A recorded video of the session (available upon request) to allow you to revisit key points and recommendations.
A follow-up email summarising Dr. Kimbell’s personalised recommendations, including guidance on tailoring bread recipes, flours, and fermentation techniques to suit your unique health needs.
Specific instructions on how to optimise your bread and integrate it into your daily routine to support your overall wellbeing.
Recommendations for tools, techniques, or additional assessments (e.g., gut health or nutrigenomic tests) that can further refine your approach.
Guidance on whether further input from other healthcare practitioners may be beneficial, with a supporting letter provided for your GP or healthcare practitioner if needed.

Additional Notes:

The consultation includes a personalised review of one test result of any test we already offer ( such as Genova Diagnostics Gut Test or Lifecode GX nutrigenetics reports, if applicable). Additional test results will require a separate consultation (at an additional cost).
Dr. Kimbell takes a functional nutrition approach, examining your health holistically to provide actionable strategies to improve digestion, energy, and overall well-being through bread.
You will need to complete a comprehensive questionnaire providing your relationship history of symptoms and lifestyle around bread. Dr. Kimbell reviews this before the session to ensure recommendations are tailored specifically to you.