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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192 - ‘Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Psychological Well-being and Quality of Life: Is Increased Mindfulness Indeed the Mechanism?’. Annals of Behavioural Medicine. 35(3), 331-40

Reference Number: 192

Year: 2008

Authors: Nyklícek I, Kuijpers KF

Link: Link to original paper

Health: Mindfulness

Summary

Background: Although several studies have reported positive effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on psychological well-being, it is not known whether these effects are attributable to a change in mindfulness.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the effects of MBSR to a waiting-list control condition in a randomized controlled trial while examining potentially mediating effects of mindfulness.

Methods: Forty women and 20 men from the community with symptoms of distress (mean age 43.6 years, SD=10.1) were randomized into a group receiving MBSR or a waiting-list control group. Before and after the intervention period, questionnaires were completed on psychological well-being, quality of life, and mindfulness.

Results: Repeated measures multiple analysis of variance (MANCOVAs) showed that, compared with the control group, the intervention resulted in significantly stronger reductions of perceived stress (p=0.016) and vital exhaustion (p=0.001) and stronger elevations of positive affect (p=0.006), quality of life (p=.009), as well as mindfulness (p=0.001). When mindfulness was included as a covariate in the MANCOVA, the group effects on perceived stress and quality of life were reduced to non-significance.

Conclusion: Increased mindfulness may, at least partially, mediate the positive effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study was aimed at reduction of psychological symptoms of distress and enhancement of quality of life is increasingly applied and popular in various kinds of settings in both mental health care and somatic health care. We believe that mindfulness is essential to well being. Ii is in the end it is about the way you feel. So we use the sourdough process, both the mixing, stretch and folding and the time built in during the rest periods of proofing the dough to as structured moments to practice mindfulness. In the study above it is suggested that this helps relieve stress, exhaustion and helps people sleep better.

Take a look at our courses at The Sourdough School

All reasonable care is taken when advising about health aspects of bread, but the information that we share is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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