The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

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Who Should Enrol on a Diploma? Do I have to be a medical professional?

Anyone can enrol.

The Diploma is about understanding bread and especially the intact on our health and the planet.  We teach both medical professionals and bakers.  You do not need to be medical to do this course, but you do need to be curious about bread, and how the bread that we eat impacts us.

Who Has Benefited from This Course?

Over the past decade, the diversity among our students has been nothing short of remarkable. From farmers to professional bakers, including artisan bakers and large plant bakery managers, the course has welcomed all. The roster extends to flour millers, GPs, psychiatrists, nurses, oncologists, physiotherapists, and even microbiome specialists ranging from professors to local small artisan bread makers.

I love this eclectic mix of backgrounds highlights a unique aspect of the course: it’s not about your prior knowledge of baking or your professional background. We start from ground zero, often challenging and debunking myths around bread-making.

The Ideal Candidate

So, who is the course for? It’s for those with an open mind. It’s for those who recognise that bread, a staple in 99% of British households, plays a pivotal role in our diet, culture, and well-being. The course goes beyond teaching the art of baking; it’s about understanding bread’s potential in promoting equality and empowerment and delivering optimal nutrition affordably and equitably.

Applying Your Knowledge

The crucial question isn’t about your ability to bake but how you intend to use this knowledge. Whether you aim to nourish, initiate behavioural change, support your community, or advocate for environmental and systemic change in our food systems, this course offers the tools and insights to make a difference.

Consider how integrating this knowledge into your practice could enhance what you offer to your clients, patients, or customers. Nutritionists, for instance, can tailor recipes to specific dietary needs, providing advice that transcends generic guidelines and addresses individual conditions where dietary intervention is crucial.

Why Bread?

Bread connects us all, yet it’s often misunderstood and undervalued. This course seeks to restore bread to its rightful place as a nourishing, affordable staple, challenging the misconceptions that have diminished its value.

Your Next Steps

The best way to ascertain if this course resonates with you is through dialogue. I’m not just here to teach but to engage, discuss, and help you see how personalising bread can empower you and those around you. If understanding and leveraging the true value of bread to foster social and systemic change aligns with your goals, then yes, this diploma is indeed for you.

So, if you’re ready to explore how this knowledge can transform your approach to bread and its place in our lives and society, let’s have a conversation. Your journey to becoming an advocate for better nutrition, community support, and systemic change in our food system starts here.

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