After decade of baking and teaching I knew the way I was approaching bread was having a remarkable effect on peoples health. It wasn’t just the bread it was the whole Proven Bread Programme. It took me over two years of work alone to complete these studies. I was supported from friends including Paul from Mockmill and Andrew from Gilchesters. I set out initially to show what I thought to be true which has that the bread we make and the way we eat it support gut health and mental health. Professionally throughout this period Dr Miguel Mateas, and Dr Alexandra Davidson brought their expertise to bring a clinical lens to the process. Especially helpful was the clinical design, supported throughout by Professor David Veale , brining hi expertise in Nutritional Psychiatry and single case Study Design.
As a baker I often found that clinical reports are dry and hard to understand and a key part of my work has been in understanding the real life meaning to findings so in these clips, you’re seeing something remarkable—the feedback sessions from participants in my doctoral dietary intervention studies. Under the guidance of Professor David Veal of Kings College London, using a single case study design from nutritional psychiatry, three functional health practitioners—Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas, Dr Elizabeth, and Dr Alex Davidson—gave feedback to participants about what happened when they changed their bread.
The main changes we saw were improvement in the gut microbiome and improvement in anxiety and mental health. On its own, that’s phenomenal. But we’ve clipped together some of the major moments, and what emerged were these other incredible outcomes.
The way that you bake, eat, and share your bread every day is functional medicine and lifestyle medicine. It is supportive of gut health and overall health on every level.
Further Reading: Baking as Lifestyle Medicine: BALM Protocol. This is the adaptogenic power of the BALM Protocol—one intervention, multiple remarkable outcomes—and the clinical evidence behind Proven bread.
The Adaptogenic Approach: One Method, Multiple Outcomes
What makes this intervention remarkable is its adaptogenic nature. When you follow BALM (Baking as Lifestyle Medicine) and eat Proven bread that is:
- Long slow fermented (18+ hours)
- Made with 30+ different ingredients (botanical diversity)
- From known provenance (you know where it’s from)
- Eaten consistently for 12 weeks
…something remarkable happens. The same method produced different outcomes for different people—each person’s body took what it needed. This is the hallmark of an adaptogenic intervention.
Further Reading: Understanding how the BALM Protocol Supports Gut Health | Proven Foundation Programme: 12 Week Gut Reset
The Remarkable Outcomes: Participant Highlights
1. Deanne — Sleep Transformation
The Problem: Struggled to get more than 4 hours sleep, waking several times a night. Fitbit consistently showed “poor” or occasionally “fair” sleep scores. Constipation so severe she was frightened of eating carbs and would take laxatives after just two days.
The Transformation:
- Sleep scores now consistently “good” with several “excellent”
- No longer sleepy in the afternoons
- More energy throughout the day
- Constipation resolved—can now eat bread without digestive consequences
The Insight: “Not all carbs are created equal. Just like not all calories are created equal.”
2. Stefan — Bloating and Digestive Discomfort Resolved
The Problem: Gut problems, stress, pressure in neck, bloating after eating bread.
The Transformation:
- Decrease in pressure in the neck “week after week”
- Overall wellbeing improved throughout the project
- Bloating reduced
- Detoxification pathways improved
The Insight: What if the bread you eat could actually improve your bloating rather than cause it? What if it could transform your gut health and your detoxification so that your whole digestive system feels better?
? Deep Dive: How Proven Bread Supports Detox Pathways
3. Andrew — Blood Pressure Without Medication
The Problem: Discovered he had sky-high blood pressure at a family gathering—”a walking heart attack” with no symptoms. Put on medication.
The Transformation:
- Six years medication-free
- Blood pressure now monitored and down
- Pulse wave velocity dropped from 7.5 to 6.7
Dr Alex Davidson’s Commentary: “What we know with blood pressure is you can actually make decent drops in the numbers just with lifestyle intervention. The profound shift you can have in your physiology—the numbers have gone down significantly, I would say, as a medical doctor.”
Key Terms: Inflammation | Stress
4. Carl — 25 Kilos Weight Loss Eating 300g Proven Bread Daily
The Problem: Overweight, slightly elevated blood pressure.
The Transformation:
- Lost 25 kilos total
- Lost 7 kilos in just 12 weeks following BALM
- Blood pressure improved significantly (from borderline high to 117-128 over 80s)
- Eating up to 300 grams of wholemeal Proven bread per day
- Included lots of legumes, ate less meat
Dr Alex Davidson’s Commentary: “I’d be very happy if you were my patient because again, what you are showing is the profound shift you can have in your physiology. That really is lifestyle medicine in practice.”
The Myth Busted: “Oh, bread makes you fat, right? I mean, everyone knows. Or is that a myth?”
? Deep Dive: Glycaemic Index (GI)
5. Ruth — Eczema Healed and Pre-Diabetes Reversed
The Problem: Two-year journey with inflamed skin/eczema. Family history of diabetes. Pre-diabetic at health check.
The Transformation:
Skin:
- Marked difference in skin inflammation over 8-10 weeks of eating Proven bread regularly
- “It was only when I looked back at photos that I realised how much healing my skin had gone through”
- Dr Alex: “Your skin looks incredible”
Diabetes:
- One year later: no longer pre-diabetic
- “Maybe just coincidence, but I was no longer pre-diabetes just in that one year”
Digestion:
- Feeling fuller for longer
- More consistent bowel movements
- Blood sugar balanced—no more “hangry” feelings
The Insight: BALM was designed for lowering inflammation. Most bread increases inflammation—Proven bread had a phenomenal transformation on Ruth’s skin.
Key Terms: Inflammation | Polyphenols | Prebiotics in Bread
6. Charlotte — Gut Diversity Soars, Bifidobacteria Flourish
The Problem: Average gut diversity, low bifidobacteria levels.
The Transformation:
- Gut diversity went from 6 to 9 (out of 10)—”almost top of the range”
- Similar increase in probiotics
- Butyrate-producing bacteria increased
- Bifidobacteria increased from 0.06 to 0.1 in three months
Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas’ Commentary: “A lot of people struggle to have even half of that increase in years of doing even more things than you have done—going into whole gut protocols and probiotics and so on. So I’m actually really impressed with this tiny amount of movement because it can be very difficult to actually shape bifidobacteria. You’ve obviously improved the environment that has enabled those bacteria to live in.”
Key Terms: Microbiome | Short Chain Fatty Acids | Probiotic
7. Karen — Severe Anaemia Reversed
The Problem: Lifelong severe anaemia. Ferritin at 28 when the healthy range is 50-150. “The first thing on my medical chart: severely anemic.”
The Transformation:
- After 6 months of eating Proven bread: ferritin rose from 28 to 50
- Hematologist asked: “What are you doing?” She said: “Sourdough bread.” He said: “No.”
- He told her to eat it every day
- 6 months later: 50 to 80
- Eventually reached 130-150—normal range for the first time in her life
- Energy levels transformed: “The energy level in me—it’s just amazing”
Karen’s Insight: “Could it be that the fermentation, and the enzymes in there, is finally breaking down the iron in the grain to allow my body to absorb it?”
Key Terms: Bioavailability | Iron | Fermentation | Phytic Acid
? Deep Dive: What influences the bioavailability of Folate in humans?
8. Shelly — Anxiety, Headaches, and Mood Transformed
The Problem: Stress, anxiety, headaches, gut issues. “When I’m stressed, my gut goes off.”
The Transformation:
- Anxiety decreased
- Headaches decreased and became “non-existent”
- Mood improved
- Less stomach aches
- Pleasant feeling of fullness
- Baking became grounding and stress-relieving
Dr Miguel’s Commentary (Gut-Brain Connection): “In this particular space of time that we looked at your gut, these bacteria seem to have taken over slightly. They may have prevented you from getting more diversity, but in that snapshot of time, they may have actually contributed to this health outcome that is positive in your case—less anxiety, better mood, fewer headaches. That’s what I’m seeing with my gut-brain connection hat on.”
Dr Alex’s Insight: “How much of it was your gut being unhappy that built up to a point that you actually then got stressed? Because the gut talks to the brain as well as the brain talking to the gut.”
Key Terms: Gut-Brain Axis | Serotonin | Cortisol
? Deep Dive: Baking, Brain Health & Bread | Psychobiotics: Probiotics and Mental Health
The Broader Pattern: Beyond Nutrition
What emerged from these studies goes beyond the nutritional benefits of Proven bread. BALM encompasses not just what you eat, but how you bake and share:
The Mindful Practice:
- “Baking was a useful distraction”
- “It’s grounding”
- “The smells when you’re milling the blends—they do smell gorgeous”
- “It brings you back into the moment”
- “This is what helped me through some of the early days of lockdown”
The Learning:
- “I’m learning something and I know what I’m going to eat—I’m going to feel good afterwards”
- “Not just the impact on my gut health, but learning something new and getting creative”
The Sharing:
- “Baking and sharing with other people”
- “Should I make a jam with it? Should I make some cultured butter? Should I make some yogurt?”
Key Terms: Parasympathetic Nervous System | Vagus Nerve
The Akkermansia Story: A Trendy Bug That’s Hard to Shift
One of the most remarkable findings was around Akkermansia muciniphila—a bacteria everybody wants but struggles to increase.
Dr Miguel: “People try literally eating red berries every day for a whole year and they get really frustrated because it doesn’t move.”
In this study:
- One participant went from 0.28% to 1% Akkermansia in three months—”remarkable because not many people are able to do that”
- The healthy range is only 0.02% to 1.4%
- Clinical trials show Akkermansia improves insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, and self-reported wellbeing
Summary: What Happens When You Follow BALM for 12 Weeks
| Participant | Primary Outcome | Secondary Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Deanne | Sleep transformed (poor ? excellent) | Energy, constipation resolved |
| Stefan | Bloating resolved | Neck pressure relieved |
| Andrew | Blood pressure controlled (no meds) | Pulse wave velocity improved |
| Carl | 25kg weight loss | Blood pressure normalised |
| Ruth | Eczema healed | Pre-diabetes reversed |
| Charlotte | Gut diversity 6?9 | Bifidobacteria increased |
| Karen | Anaemia reversed (28?150) | Life-changing energy |
| Shelly | Anxiety decreased | Headaches gone, mood improved |
Essential Glossary Terms
| Term | Relevance to Study |
|---|---|
| Gut Microbiome | Primary outcome measure—diversity and composition |
| Short Chain Fatty Acids | Butyrate production increased in participants |
| Bioavailability | Key to Karen’s iron absorption transformation |
| Fermentation | The mechanism that unlocks nutrients in Proven bread |
| Inflammation | Reduced—shown in skin healing and blood pressure |
| Gut-Brain Axis | Explains anxiety and mood improvements |
| Serotonin | Neurotransmitter affected by gut changes |
| Cortisol | Stress hormone modulated by intervention |
| Glycaemic Index | Lower GI supports blood sugar control |
| Polyphenols | Anti-inflammatory compounds in botanical blends |
| Prebiotic | Feeds beneficial gut bacteria |
| Probiotic | Live bacteria increased in participants |
| Iron | Bioavailability transformed Karen’s anaemia |
| Fibre | Feeds microbiome, improves bowel function |
| Sleep | Dramatically improved for multiple participants |
Featured Resources
Gut Health & Microbiome:
- Understanding the Role of The Gut Microbiome
- So does our approach really change the gut microbiome?
- Why does your gut microbiome matter?
Mental Health & Brain:
- Baking, Brain Health & Bread
- Psychobiotics: Probiotics and Mental Health
- Miguel Toribio-Mateas on Sourdough and the Gut Microbiome
Bioavailability & Nutrients:
Clinical Approach:
- GP Dr Alex Davidson discussing Sourdough, Gut Microbiome & Mental Health
- The Gut Microbiome by Miguel Toribio-Mateas
BALM & Proven:
- BALM & The Blue Zone
- Proven Foundation Programme: 12 Week Gut Reset
- Ready to Reset Your Gut? Proven Bread Starts Here
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