Vanessa developed the Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM) Protocol over two decades. It is an evidence-based protocol that lays out the rules governing every level of the bread making process, including baking, eating, and sharing bread and baked goods. It provides a path towards social and political change in the way we approach bread and baked goods, optimising our staple food for social equality. With her extensive understanding of fermentation and the gut microbiome, Vanessa has trailblazed a healthier approach to bread through sourdough culminating in articles on bread, the gut microbiome, and bread and nutrition, along with her books, social media and publicity. She teaches healthcare professionals how to prescribe Baking as Lifestyle Medicine to patients as a social prescriptionalongside her teaching as the course director here at the Sourdough School. In essence, she is an activist whose work to change the way we bake and eat our bread is motivated by the belief that life is precious; our everyday food should not be making us ill, but nourishing us, to live the best life possible.
“You will never ever meet anyone else in the whole world who’s more knowledgeable about bread and the gut microbiome, or indeed more passionate about sourdough bread.” – Dr. Miguel Mateas
How Vanessa’s approach and influence over the years has inspired and supported thousands of bakers
In the video below, Emmanuel Hadjiandreou explains how Vanessa has inspired and supported thousands of bakers through her social enterprise. Friend, master baker, author and renowned teacher, Emmanual gives an overview of Vanessa from a baker’s perspective. She has changed the way the world understands bread and made bakers across the world question the status quo.
