Clinical Diploma Online || 100% Online

Don’t just take our word for it.

‘Vanessa’s work on sourdough and the gut microbiome is changing the way we think of food, health and baking.’– Professor Tim Spector, Founder of Zoe

Student interview – Dr Ed Copley 

How can you prescribe Baking as Lifestyle Medicine?

Our Diploma Students are trained to prescribe BALM clinically. The BALM Protocol is the framework for the way the Sourdough Club teaches people to approach baking.  By inviting their patients to join the club, they learn to bake nourishing bread that enhances mental and physical and mental health as a social prescription.

BALM can be used to support health in the following clinical areas:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
• Cardiovascular diseases.
• Chronic constipation.
• With symptoms that are indicative of social isolation.
• High-stress levels due to life events (e.g., grief, menopausal transition, life stressors).

• Mood disorders,

  including depression and anxiety.

• Blood glucose dysregulation (e.g., pre-diabetes, insulin resistance).
• Obesity or weight management issues.
• Anxiety from situational challenges that include parenting difficulties, caregiving stress, or adolescent issues.
• Any other medical or psychosocial conditions where the Licensee perceives that the BALM approach could provide therapeutic benefits, such as chronic loneliness.
• For individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early-stage dementia, as participating in baking activities could help stimulate cognitive functions and provide a sense of accomplishment.
• For persons with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Fibromyalgia  -baking and reducing inflammation serves as a therapeutic activity.
• For individuals recovering from addiction, baking serves as a mindful activity that contributes to their recovery process.
• For patients with sleep disorders –  the grounding and relaxing nature of baking might and blood sugar management aid in establishing better sleep routines.
• Carers looking after a patient with cancer or the patient themselves.
• Patients who are at risk of bowel cancer, as the extra fibre in BALM is clinically shown to be protective.
• Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), are subject to following the strict guidelines on retarded wholegrain and the 12-week introduction of wholegrain protocol to ensure that gluten is broken down, reducing potential inflammation from unfermented gluten.

 The membership includes engaging with both medical and baking experts in live sessions, encouraging patients to use baking as a therapy to support health and well-being in a warm, supportive, friendly community, and supporting patients with the tools they need to engage in their health journey actively.

How can I prescribe?

To understand the licensing and how practitioners can access and the extensive resources offered to graduates as they become part of the systems change. Notably, each licence enables medical professionals to prescribe patient vouchers worth over £10,000 subsidised by The Sourdough Club social discount vouchers, reducing monthly membership to less than the cost of the average supermarket sandwich.

Course Prospectus

We highly recommend that you download THE FULL COURSE PROSPECTUS before enrolling on the course.

‘Vanessa’s approach to baking nourishes both the gut and the mind.’
– Dr Michael Mosley

‘This is a journey. And these aren’t just courses. Kimbell wants to change the bread we eat, one loaf at a time. She’s the real deal: a total inspiration.’
– Diana Henry, the Telegraph.