A unique fusion of Artisan Bread Making and Nutritional Science
- Has bread befuddled you? Do you react to some breads and not others? Have you been told to avoid bread, but it doesn’t make any sense to you? The thing about bread is that your gut, and your DNA and your lifestyle uniquely determine your relationship with bread. Good bread is nourishing and is a major step in preventative health, bread that doesn’t suit you can be damaging, and contribute to inflammation and lifestyle diseases. Find out which bread suits you and how to bespoke it to you and your lifestyle.
- In this program you will work with Dr Vanessa Kimbell who combines her doctoral research on bread, nutrigenetics gut, brain and mental health with years of artisan baking with the practical application of evidence based research; Vanessa offers a unique program personified to you, so you can bake, eat and share bread that suits your specific nutritional and digestive requirements.
- Program Philosophy: More than just bread, this approach intertwines artisanal skills with Vanessa’s Doctoral research, an evidence approach got nourishing bread and health scientific insights, creating a novel path to wellness.
A Holistic and Enjoyable Bread Experience
- Education and Understanding: Providing insights into the science behind our recommendations and the importance of each aspect of your plan.
- Delicious and Nutritious: Ensuring the bread you consume is not just beneficial for your health but also pleasurable and suited to your preferences.
- Evidence-Based, Holistic Approach: Integrating lifestyle medicine into your routine, with a focus on bread as a key component of your diet and overall wellbeing
Personalised Bread and Wellbeing Goals
- Preventive Health Goals (e.g., Family History of Bowel Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease Risk): The type of bread and its components, like fibre content, can influence gut health and potentially impact these risks.
- Lifestyle Diseases (e.g., Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, Hypertension): The glycemic index of different breads can affect blood sugar levels, which is crucial for managing these conditions.
- Mind and Body Wellness (e.g., Stress Reduction, Cognitive Function): Certain types of bread can influence the gut-brain axis and thus affect mental well-being and cognitive functions.
- Neurodiverse Needs (e.g., ADHD, Autism Spectrum Support): Dietary adjustments, including types of bread consumed, can sometimes play a role in managing symptoms.
- Nutritional Goals (e.g., Improved Gut Health, Bioavailability of Fibre, Vitamins and Minerals): The nutritional composition of bread can significantly affect gut health and overall nutritional status.
- Weight Management: Choosing the right kind of bread can be a part of a balanced diet for weight management.
- Digestive Health Concerns (e.g., IBS, Gas, Bloating): The type of bread can either alleviate or exacerbate these conditions.
- Digestive Health Support (e.g., Crohn’s Disease, Diverticulitis): Tailoring bread choices to suit these conditions can aid in better digestive health.
- Immune System Support (e.g., Recovery from Illness, Inflammatory Conditions): Bread with high nutritional value can support the immune system.
- Suspected Gluten Sensitivities (e.g., Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity, Wheat Intolerance): Identifying how different breads affect these sensitivities can guide dietary choices.
- Specific Diet Support (e.g., Vegetarian, Vegan, Paleo): Bread choices can complement these specific dietary needs.
- Dietary Management (e.g., Blood Sugar Control): The type of bread can impact blood sugar levels, which is important for those managing diabetes.
- Medical Treatment Support (e.g., Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy or Radiation Therapy): Certain bread might be more suitable during these treatments.
- Clean Eating Goal (e.g., Reducing Exposure to Pesticides and Herbicides): Organic and naturally sourced breads can align with this goal.
- Mental Wellbeing (e.g., Mood Balancing, Anxiety and Depression Management): The gut-brain axis influenced by bread consumption can impact mental health.
- Performance Enhancement (e.g., Athletic Performance, Endurance Support): The right type of bread can provide energy and support physical performance
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Personalised Bread for Health & Wellbeing
The Sourdough School is pioneering a fresh way to think about bread—not as a guilty treat, but as a personalised path to better health. We combine artisan sourdough baking with cutting-edge science (nutrigenetics, gut microbiome analysis and lifestyle medicine) to help you discover the bread that best suits your body through our evidence-based?BALM Protocol—turning bread into a nourishing tool for physical and mental wellbeing.
Whether you’re a health practitioner, an artisan baker, or someone looking to improve health through bread, we guide you to breads that support digestion, metabolism, mood, immunity and more—all while delighting your taste buds.
? Who Can Benefit
Functional Medical Practitioners & Clinicians
Access a delicious, science-backed lifestyle tool to support gut and mental health—use bread as bespoke lifestyle medicine in your clinic.
Artisan & Home Bakers
Enrich your community with breads made using long fermentation, diverse grains, seeds and botanicals—making every loaf a force for good.
Health-Conscious Individuals & Families
If you love bread but don’t always tolerate it, discover the loaf that loves you. We guide you in choosing and baking breads that actively support gut health, energy, mood, and digestion.
The BALM Protocol: Baking as Lifestyle Medicine
This groundbreaking, seven?step framework blends traditional sourdough techniques with modern nutritional science:
- Gut-Friendly Fermentation – Slow, long fermentation increases prebiotics and reduces fermentable carbs and gluten. Learn more in Gut?Healthy Sourdough Techniques
- Wholegrain & Botanical Diversity – Our loaves use whole grains, seeds and herbs to feed your microbiome and regulate blood sugar. Read Why diversity in baking matters
- Symbiotic Eating & Lifestyle – Bread isn’t just food—it’s part of how you bake, eat, and share it. Think mindful meals, community, and sustainability. See Sequenced Eating with Bread
This emotionally uplifting yet scientifically rigorous method has been recognised for supporting digestive, metabolic and mental health.
How We Personalise Bread: Your Journey
- Initial Consultation
In a one-to-one session, Dr Vanessa Kimbell explores your symptoms, dietary history, lifestyle and how bread affects you—forming the basis of your tailored bread plan. Discover more in Our Consultation Process - Nutrigenetic Testing with Lifecode
We analyse your DNA to understand how your body handles carbs, gluten, vitamins and inflammation—using this insight to personalise flours, fermentation and toppers. Read about Nutri?genetics & Bread - Gut Health Analysis (If Needed)
If symptoms persist, we recommend the GI?Effects Stool Profile from Genova Diagnostics—examining your digestive markers, microbiome makeup and inflammation—and then adapt your bread accordingly. Learn more in Gut?Testing for Bakers - Personalised Bread Recipe & Education
You receive a bespoke recipe and plan, informed by your genes and gut data—such as a 24?hour fermented wholegrain spelt loaf with herbs rich in B?vitamins. You’ll also receive support over 12?weeks to embed these changes into your home routine and see real results.
How to Engage with Us
- Bake with Support – Join workshops and training (even practitioner-level), book into courses, or turn professional with our educator pathways.
- Get Nourishing Bread – Opt for our Fresh Bread Subscription for BALM-crafted sourdough delivered to your door.
- One-to-One Support – Ideal for anyone who wants a fully personalised journey—choose consultation, nutrigenetics and gut testing, with guided baking and health support over 12 weeks.
Meet Dr Vanessa Kimbell – Founder, Baker & Practitioner
Dr Kimbell brings unique dual expertise: fourth?generation artisan baker and doctorate-qualified practitioner in nutrition and lifestyle medicine. With over 40 years of craft and clinical experience, she designed BALM to bridge the gap between evidence-based health and the kitchen. She trains both healthcare practitioners and home bakers to use bread as a therapeutic tool. Learn about Vanessa’s journey in her about page.
Join the Bread-as-Medicine Revolution
Join a growing movement combining art, science, community and wellbeing. Our holistic approach to bread empowers all—practitioners, bakers and individuals alike—to reshape health, one loaf at a time.
Explore more to start your journey: consultations, nutrigenetics, gut-testing, subscriptions, kits & recipes, courses, books, and community training. Let’s bake a better world—together.
