Personalising Bread and baking for Health Understanding the intersection between traditional baking and modern health science can revolutionise patient care. Personalised bread making as part of lifestyle medicine offers a therapeutic approach that addresses various health conditions. This guide provides some of the topic areas covered on the Diploma and some explanation of how medical professionals can incorporate baking into personalised health plans to enhance both physical and mental well-being of there patients.
Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM) Protocol The BALM protocol, an evidence-based framework, transforms baking from a neutral or potentially harmful activity into a health-enhancing practice. By personalising bread recipes to meet specific health needs, we ensure that each loaf supports optimal health outcomes.
Community and Support Central to this approach is the community support system. Weekly live meetings facilitate shared learning, experience exchange, and collective progress. This community aspect is crucial for sustaining behavioural changes and integrating healthy baking into daily routines.
Detailed Health Benefits:
1. Obesity Management Engaging in bread making promotes a healthy diet rich in essential nutrients and fibre. Personalised bread recipes can help manage weight by providing satiating, nutrient-dense options that combat obesity and improve overall health.
2. Mental Health Baking in a community setting enhances mental health by fostering a sense of achievement, routine, and creativity. Personalised bread supports cognitive function and mental health by ensuring the availability of key neurotransmitters and metabolites necessary for brain health.
3. Children’s Health Personalised bread making for children addresses rising rates of obesity and other health issues. Involving children in the process of making and understanding bread can instil healthy eating habits. Our bread provides the essential nutrients and fibre needed for their growth and development, making it an excellent addition to their diet.
4. Teenagers and Pizza Teenagers often prefer fast food, but our approach includes making healthy, delicious options like sourdough pizza. This not only appeals to their taste preferences but also ensures they receive the necessary nutrients and fibre. Baking together can also serve as a bonding activity, promoting mental health and well-being.
5. Bowel Cancer Prevention Increasing fibre and nutrient diversity in the diet is crucial for families with a history of bowel cancer. Our bread enhances the bioavailability of key minerals and promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which are vital for preventative health measures. The diversity in fibre supports gut health and may reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
6. Cancer Support For individuals undergoing chemotherapy, our bread recipes are designed to accommodate changes in taste and texture preferences. Chemotherapy can alter taste buds, making certain foods unpalatable. Our recipes are tailored to provide essential nutrients and maintain calorie intake during treatment, ensuring patients receive the necessary nourishment.
7. Blood Sugar Management Proper management of blood sugar levels is essential for overall health, especially for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes. Our bread helps manage blood sugar levels by providing a steady release of carbohydrates, reducing spikes and crashes. This contributes to better overall glycaemic control and supports long-term health.
8. ADHD, ASD, and Autism Our bread is specifically designed to support neurodiverse individuals by providing increased fibre and nutrients that create metabolites beneficial to brain function. The fermentation process reduces gluten and FODMAP content, making the bread easier to digest and reducing bloating and discomfort. This is crucial as it can help manage the unique dietary needs associated with these conditions.
9. Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity and IBS While we do not specifically work with coeliac disease, our fermentation process degrades gluten and FODMAPs, making the bread easier to digest for those with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity and IBS. This reduces bloating, pain, and discomfort, supporting better digestive health.
10. Women’s Health During menstruation and menopause, women often need additional support for managing symptoms like constipation and bloating. The soluble fibre in our bread aids gut transit and supports overall digestive health during these times. Additionally, our bread provides nutrients that can help balance hormone levels and support women’s health.
11. Athletic Performance Athletes benefit greatly from our focus on gut microbiome support and nutrient availability. Our bread helps maintain blood sugar balance and extends nourishment through polyphenols, aiding muscle repair and overall performance. Athletes often suffer from gut dysbiosis, and our bread helps restore gut health, which is essential for peak performance.
12. Anaemia Management The fermentation process in our bread neutralises phytic acid, making key minerals like iron more bioavailable. This is particularly beneficial for those managing anaemia, as it helps in the retention and absorption of iron levels, thereby improving overall health.
13. Sleep Quality Proper sleep is crucial for overall health, and our bread supports this by providing essential nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins. These nutrients help regulate sleep patterns and improve sleep quality. The fermentation process also enhances the production of serotonin, which is a precursor to melatonin, further supporting restful sleep and managing insomnia.
14. Elderly Nutrition Supporting the elderly in maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for their overall well-being. Our bread provides essential nutrients, easy digestibility, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which are vital for older adults. Baking also provides a sense of purpose and community engagement, enhancing mental health and well-being. Personalised bread making offers a holistic approach to health through the BALM protocol. With over two decades of experience training healthcare professionals and bakers and the dietary intervention studies supporting our methods, we offer a proven way to improve both physical and mental health to your patients and customers.
The joy of baking, the sense of community, and the health benefits make personalised bread making a unique and enriching experience. We invite you to explore the transformative power of baking as lifestyle medicine.
