The link between food systems, gut health and neurodegenerative disease
Policy specialist Sara El-Sayed (right) speaks during the “From the Ground to the Gut and Beyond: Why Where Our Food Comes from Matters” panel on Thursday, April 30, at the Biodesign Institute. Other panelists included (from left) ASU Assistant Professor Ramon Velazquez, from the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center; organic farmer Matt Vanderhart of Desert Sonoran Natural Foods; and ASU School of Transborder Studies Baker-in-Residence Don Guerra of Barrio Bread. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
Experts from across Arizona’s food and health sectors spoke at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute on April 30 to discuss how historic and modern food and agriculture systems shape long-term brain health for humans.
The panel discussion, “From the Ground to the Gut and Beyond: Why Where Our Food Comes From Matters,” brought together leaders in agriculture, food creation, food systems and neuroscience to examine the connections between how food is grown, prepared and consumed.
Ramon Velazquez, assistant professor at the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, discussed growing attention to glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, and its potential indirect and long-term effects on the body.
“What we found is that this (component in) herbicides, glyphosate, actually did have the ability to penetrate the brain and induce inflammation, which we know is a signature of many neurodegenerative disorders,” he said.
With studies suggesting that a large majority of Americans carry trace levels of the chemical, the question is less about eliminating exposure entirely and more about understanding safe thresholds and long-term impacts.
Sara El-Sayed, assistant research professor at the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, highlighted the cultural and policy dimensions of food. Tracing the roots of the organic movement to a post-World War II response to industrialized agriculture, she emphasized how heritage grains and traditional farming practices remain deeply tied to community identity and well-being.
“Organic came as a movement against the industrialized farming system. But organic farming takes up a really small space in USDA funding. There isn’t much that actually supports farmers in that transition,” she said.
She noted that although many communities are working to restore native crops to their original regions, organic farmers still face limited policy support beyond certification incentives.
Matt Vanderhart, head of marketing, sales and logistics at Desert Sonoran Natural Foods offered insight into the realities of organic farming and distribution. He described how many farmers view glyphosate-based herbicides like Roundup as safer alternatives to older chemicals, even as concerns persist. Transitioning to organic farming, he said, often requires significant financial risk, particularly when stable markets are not guaranteed.
“The solution never comes from the top. You know what moves the needle way more? It’s you people — the consumer,” he said. “What we need is the consumer and the farmer and the baker and the miller to have relationships.”
For Don Guerra, James Beard Award winner, founder of Barrio Bread bakery in Tucson, Arizona, and ASU baker-in-residence with the School of Transborder Studies, the path to change began at a much smaller scale. Starting as a home baker, Guerra turned to Sonoran wheat, an ancient grain adapted to the Arizona region, after facing supply challenges.
“It started with gathering grains to make bread, but it turned into supporting a whole community,” he said. “I can make a bread that’s highly digestible — bread without glyphosate.”
He noted that heritage grains have more health benefits than modern varieties, while also carrying cultural and regional significance.
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“Ancient and heritage grains have a totally different protein structure. They haven’t been modified, which means (they are) lower inflammatory,” he said.
Guerra's concept of “breaducation,” he explained, is rooted in a hyper-local approach that can be adapted globally.
Across the panelists’ different fields, they returned to a shared message: Food systems are deeply interconnected, linking environmental practices, economic structures and human biology. Addressing today’s challenges will require not only scientific insight, but also collective action from policymakers, producers and consumers alike.
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