There are so many noteworthy experiences to relay from the 6,800-mile journey. Yet one of the experiences that I found most compelling was driving through millions of acres of wheat in the northern plains. As a professional in the field of nutrition, I am aware that refined grain is the largest source of calories for Americans and plays a significant role in our current obesity epidemic. Driving through these wheat fields, talking with local farmers only increased my fascination with wheat.
We depend on wheat. It is a cornerstone of many countries’ food culture. We commit more of the world’s farmland to it than to any other crop and have set it as a focal point of our commercial agricultural industry. Wheat as most of us would recognize is bleached, refined, and tucked into breads, pastas, sauces, bars, cakes, cookies, and other snacks. Americans currently consume an average of 146 pounds of wheat a year, sourced from across the globe. However, the wheat that is grown today is fundamentally not the wheat our distant ancestors grew.
Wheat was originally a much different plant, native to only a small region in western Asia and the Ethiopian highlands. After the tour this fall and reading a term paper that my daughter, Alexandra, wrote on the health impacts of modern wheat, I thought it was time to share my views on this popular little grain.
During the tour, we had the pleasure of visiting Bluebird Grains Farm in the northeast Cascades, Washington in late September, where Sam and Brooke Lucy farm an ancient type of wheat called emmer (www.bluebirdgrainsfarm.com). We spent time on the farm touring the fields, production, and storage areas and learned about the process of bringing this ancient organic grain from farm to table. The more I learned about the importance of seasonality, demand based production and the low gluten, high nutrient content of emmer wheat, the more I began to question the conventional grain industry.
Wheat domestication and hybridization has changed a small grain with a long, narrow shape into a more uniform, larger grain that is a genetic puzzle. Wheat as we know it originates from the hybridization of three ancient grasses. A typical wheat variety is hexaploid—it has six copies of each gene, where most plants have two. Einkorn, spelt, and emmer, which is widely known as faro in European countries, are all genetically closer to their common ancestral grain.
What I find fascinating is that commercial wheat has 42 chromosomes and a significantly higher gluten content that gives bread products the elastic texture that consumers have grown to prefer. The wheat genome is known as the Mt. Everest of genomes; it is five times the size of the human genome and contains a massive 16 billion base pairs of DNA.
Ancestral emmer, on the other hand, contains a total of 24 chromosomes. The gluten proteins found in conventional wheat (triticum aestivum) are noticeably dissimilar from those in einkorn, emmer, and spelt. The comparison of emmer’s genetics to those of conventional wheat clearly illustrates how much wheat has changed during the domestication process.
Modern wheat not only differs from older strains genetically, it is also processed and eaten in dramatically different ways. Due to the emphasis of the commercial grain industry on surplus production, much of cereal grain is stored for up to a year onsite before it is milled and likely stored again for lengthy periods in flour form. Furthermore, grain silos are prone to pest infestation and mold. For this reason they are routinely treated with antifungal agents and industrial pesticides.
In an unprecedented 4-fold increase over the last 40 years, some 20 million Americans experience gluten sensitivity and 3 million have celiac disease. This staggering increase in the incidence of gluten intolerance and celiac disease may very well be caused by our increased consumption of modern wheat. I believe that our digestive system was not meant to eat this genetically manipulated grain.
Visiting Bluebird Grains Farm as one of our first stops truly captured the essence of one of our primary goals of the tour: highlighting America’s very best in agriculture, whole foods, and the people who grow them with passion and dedication to maintaining balance between high-quality food production that nourishes our bodies as well as the planet. For more details on the impact of refined grain on obesity and health, please read my latest book, “The Social Network Diet: Change Yourself, Change the World” (http://www.fastpencil.com/publications/2863-The-Social-Network-Diet). In the book I also provide a 1-Day No Refined Grain Challenge that readers may find interesting.
On May 4, 2007 at 9:45 pm a category 5 tornado leveled Greensburg. The tornado was 1.7 miles wide and traveled 22 miles with a wind speed of 205 mph. Ninety-five percent of the town was completely destroyed and eleven people died. In the four years since the tornado hit, there has been a lot of re-building. Shortly after the tornado, the city council passed a resolution stating that all new town buildings would be built with green technology following the LEED Platinum Standard. They have done just that. Furthermore, the primary energy source for the town now is wind power—ironic, isn’t it?
Colleague Mark Fenton was one of the consultants asked to assist with the planning of the new town. To that end, they have made a concerted effort to rebuild so that the town is completely walk- and bikeable. We arrived into Greensburg after a long drive from Boulder, CO. Eleanor and I strolled through the town and witnessed the rebuilding everywhere—great sidewalks, mixed use, flowers, bike racks, etc. While the population isn’t back to pre-tornado census (1,574), it is getting close. And we heard that new residents are attracted to Greensburg because of all the green technology being used.
We stopped at a convenience store, opened three days before our visit, and talked to the manager. His store was right on the edge of the tornado. What you saw looking out his door were fields, stumped trees, and foundations everywhere. He said it used to be filled with a thriving neighborhood, small businesses, and schools. We drove and walked around following the track of the tornado. There was a lot of clean-up, some re-building, but also a lot of for sale signs. Throughout the town there were small wooden stars on stakes, each with a note, such as “Live,” “Hope,” and “Bless Joplin.”
The blue sky and gentle breezes that we experienced during our two town visits were in stark contrast to the horrors that the residents of these town towns experienced. One can only imagine what it must be like to witness a category 5 tornado in person. We wish both communities well as they rebuild.
The West End differs from many of the other Change Club communities in how close it is to two large metropolitan areas and how rapidly it has grown over the past few decades. The lack of sidewalks, time spent in the car, and the dominance of driving makes it difficult for residents to walk.
Another highlight was our Thursday night dinner at the local high school. Over a meal of haddock, brown rice, and steamed vegetables our group heard from School Food Service Director, Bonnie Grammes about changes that she’s been able to make. The schools now serve brown rice, skim milk, and pizza on whole wheat crust.
The West End Change Club was a great and inspiring group to work with as the last Change Club of the trip. Not only were they dedicated to making change, but they respectful, supportive, and caring toward one another. We can’t wait to see how their group progresses.
Many of us broke through barriers, found our strengths, and learned to trust one another as we balanced on taut high wires, logs, and boards, and finished with a plunging zip-line back down to earth. It was definitely a metaphor for the work ahead.
Finally, I gave a public presentation at the Clinton High School Friday evening to an audience of about seventy people—StrongWomen participants, leaders, and friends. Hearing the stories from women firsthand on what the program has meant to them was inspirational. So many of the women have faced major challenges, and the program has given them the fitness, mindset, and strength to persevere.
Thank you Change Club ladies of Clinton! We wish you well!
Like many other small towns, Lamar has seen its share of economic downturn with a major employer shutting down several years ago. This, combined with the addition of some box stores just outside of town, has drained the beautiful downtown of its vibrancy. There is a keen interest among residents of Lamar and Barton County to revitalize the downtown area. At one time there was a baker, shoe store, clothing store, coffee shop, restaurants, and hardware store; now, many of the storefronts are looking for new occupants. In addition to improving the health among residents, the wellness center has the potential to boost the health of the downtown as well.
Months ago Tammy proposed that the Physical Activity Challenge in Lamar be a community walk/run. The event was a big success! There was a 1-mile walk/run around the park, in which forty or so children participated. There was alsoa 5K walk/run from one town park to the other, going right through the center of town and past the Truman birthplace. The route highlighted how easy it would be to connect these resources with road paint, signage and a few sidewalks! The downtown of Lamar is one of the biggest town squares in Missouri and it is stunning. Certainly worthy of a coordinated effort to get people walking and coming into the downtown.
The challenge showed many of the ladies that they can break through tough personal barriers with the right attitude and support!
Eleanor and I left Lamar filled with re-newed energy and excitement. The Change Club of Lamar is a dynamic group of ladies. They come from Extension, the hospital, local churches, farming, real estate, schools, the health department, and business. They are sparkplugs in the community and they are compassionate about Lamar—the people and the community. I have such confidence that this Change Club will have a measurable impact on Lamar in the very near future. I look forward to coming back for the ribbon cutting ceremony!
Camden is a small rural community on the Ouachita River in southwest Arkansas. At one point, it was the second largest city in Arkansas playing a major role in cotton trade and then the lumber industry. In the early part of the last century, riverboats used to come up the river all the way to Camden. It has struggled recently with a loss of several larger businesses and many of the younger population leaving. Despite these challenges, the citizens in Camden are optimistic that some new defense contracts can re-invigorate the town’s economy.
We met at the First Methodist Church in downtown Camden.
Together the fifteen Change Club ladies developed their noble purpose: to support the optimal health of children in Ouachita County by providing increased structured, physical activity and wholesome snacks in the after school environment.
We then developed a roadmap for their work moving forward. This work is going to stretch the ladies of the Camden Change Club. They are so conscientious and don’t want come across as brashand impolite with anyone in their community. Furthermore, the work is going to be difficult as Arkansas has among the country’s highest obesity rates. Notwithstanding these challenges, they are committed to helping the next generation be as healthy as possible. Guided by Candace and Rebecca, I am confident that they will be successful in their efforts.
We had two important local leaders visit us during our stay.Mike Hesterly, the Judge of Ouachita County paid us a visit on Thursday. And the Mayor of Camden, Chris Claybaker, gave Eleanor and me the “keys” to the city on Friday. Under Mayor Claybaker’s leadership, the town was recently able to re-develop a riverside walking trail and park within town. Our destination for the physical activity challenge was the riverwalk!
A definite highlight of our stay in Arkansas was the StrongWomen (and Men) Rally in Hot Springs on Saturday! Held at the historic Arlington Hotel in downtown Hot Springs, 150 women and few strong men gathered to celebrate the program in Arkansas. As people were registering, I went around and introduced myself to as many people as possible. They each told me what StrongWomen has meant to them. Some of the ladies have been in the program for six or seven years! For many, this program has provided a strong network of friends that supports their effort to be strong, both in body and mind. Our program featured an exercise medley from StrongWomen Healthy Hearts and our strength-training program. Eleanor expertly guided the women through the aerobic dance portion and I led the strength training exercises. All 150 of us had a lot of fun together working out.
The exercise session was followed by a keynote address, a healthy lunch salad, and finally a book signing. The rally provided a real boost to the trainers and participants and a real boost to Eleanor and myself. It was amazing to see how powerful the StrongWomen Program is in the state of Arkansas—truly life changing for many of these women. One woman even attributed the program to her recent hole-in-one on the golf course!
Next, onto Colorado. After three productive days with the Change Club in Fort Collins, Mim and I headed to Boulder, just southeast of Rocky Mountain National Park. On our first day in Boulder, Mim’s niece, Lieko, and her fiancé, Nils, took Mim’s husband, Kin, Mim, and me on a strenuous hike to the top of Beak Peak, elevation 8,461, a gem within Boulder city limits that provided beautiful views of the Colorado Rockies. The following day, we headed to Rocky Mountain National Park. As we began our way up Flat Top Mountain, we had the trail almost entirely to ourselves. The trail gained steadily and took us about 2 ½ hours up to summit, elevation 12,324. Upon reaching the top, we were a little lightheaded from the altitude, but we were rewarded with spectacular views of neighboring Longs Peak (14,000+), Hallet Peak, and the park to the north of us.
At Rocky Mountain National Park, we interviewed two National Park Rangers. Michael Rupp has been a ranger for six years and currently works at the Bear Lake Trailhead. He agreed that parks, especially the National Parks, are a great resource for Americans to be active.
