disease

In 1944, the Nazi occupation of Holland caused a brutal famine. And thanks to her we discovered celiac disease

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The history of wheat is the history of civilization. To be more precise, this cereal is linked to the change from Paleolithic to Neolithic societies, the first complex societies, in 8,500 BC. C. The flowering of our species came thanks to its golden seeds. We had to wait almost 10,000 years to verify that this manna, which for many is synonymous with life, for some of us, is synonymous with death. And, in part, We have the Nazis to thank.. We are in Holland in 1944, in the throes of World War II, and the Wermachtwhich has occupied the country, is fed up with the sporadic rebellions of its native population. The railroad strike carried out by the drivers was reason enough to implement an embargo on food transportation to the northern areas. Survivors interviewed half a century later mentioned how the Hongerwinter or “hunger winter” still sparked flashes of anguish in their minds. According to reports from the time, in areas such as Amsterdam or Rotterdam the shortage caused rationing of 580 kilocalories per adult per day. Faced with this situation, and when a crust of bread could be more precious than the family watch, the Dutch began to eat anything. Your tulips also fell into that category.which in addition to being disgusting and having a negligible energy value, were a food source highly discouraged by doctors, since its toxicity was very high. Would the tulip diet be the beginning of poisoning and indigestion for the population? Yes for the majority, but not for one notable group: the patients at the Juliana Children’s Hospital in The Hague. Discovering celiac disease A child during Hongerwinter. Willem Karel Dicke, a pediatrician, had been investigating these “malnutrition” problems that mysteriously attacked the little ones for some time. In the 1940s, the world average Infant mortality for children under five years old was 15%so, although it was a misfortune, the population was more used to losing children than we are now. Many parents would not have the time or the resources to investigate what caused their children’s weakness, nor would they have the considerations to experiment with their diet, much less if that meant removing the most widespread, convenient and cheap product of all, bread. Although some, the richest, could afford it. For them, the theory of intransigence towards complex nutrients ran at that time, which led to the popularization of the so-called “banana diet”. A regimen that worked, given that this fruit does not contain gluten, but with which adverse effects reappeared in the subjects in their adulthood, as soon as they returned to eating wheat derivatives. As any celiac or person who has lived with one knows, the ubiquity of this product in our pantries is scandalous. Pediatrician Willem Karel Dicke with one of his patients. But in the Netherlands of 1944 there were no bananas. Because there wasn’t there was practically nothing. And yet, despite the lower caloric intake in which society was imbued and the toxic effects of tulips, a good percentage of the children in his hospital felt better than months before. While people were dying in the streets, some children saw how their limbs were getting fatter, their bellies were deflating, and their skin was glowing. If before that episode one in three children with suspected celiac disease died at that time in the Netherlands, the winter of hunger meant that that percentage would fall to zero. What came next is the mere work of field observation. Dicke spent the next few years testing on selected patients. different cerealsmeasuring the weight, growth, general health of the subjects as well as the levels of fat absorption from their feces. By 1950 he was able to publish his findings, which had determined that the cause of “celiac symptoms” came from wheat and rye flour. And no, it had nothing to do with complex nutrients, as had been assumed until then. “Koiliakos,” that mysterious condition that humans had identified in some children since Ancient Greek times and that intrigued pediatricians for millennia, finally had a name and diagnosis. His research earned him a candidacy for Nobel Prize in 1962, but died weeks before the ceremony could take place. Since it is an award that is not offered posthumously, Dr. Dicke missed his chance to go down in the history books in this way. Celiac disease continues to be one of the conditions with the most complex diagnosis, since it is confused with other types of digestive pathologies and its effects manifest in the strangest ways. Without going any further, neurogluten studies How gluten intolerance is behind autism, Parkinson’s or depression. We also do not know how many people suffer from it, and although its existence was known in the 1950s, its diagnosis rate may continue to be lower than the real rate. Today in developed countries there is talk of between 1 and 2% of people with celiac disease and recent epidemiological studies suggest that the disease is possibly ten times more common than it is diagnosed. The percentage of celiacs continues to grow at 15% every year. In Xataka | When the Black Death devastated the continent, Europe became obsessed with a reflex action of the body: sneezing. In Xataka | What we see in Petra is a city “carved in stone”: what it really hides is an amazing water system

Science explains why the cure can be worse than the disease

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At the time of want to lose a few kilos The truth is that many different strategies emerge, such as eliminate sweetsstart exercising more or eat much more protein. But, on the other hand, there are strategies that are really extravagant and that are spread by influencers of our society that do not have any solid foundation. The last one arrives from actor Matt Damon who claims to have lost a few kilos thanks to leaving gluten out of his diet. A discrepancy. And the reality is that science has a lot to say about this decision. Since the ‘gluten-free’ foods that now flood supermarkets were born as a medical necessity for 1% of the population. But now it has become a holy grail of weight loss following the following logic: ‘if I cut out bread and pasta, I lose weight. Ergo, gluten makes you fat.’ There is no evidence. Nutritional science has bad news for these peopleincluding the actor, since eliminating gluten does not have a specific slimming effect. In fact, if you do not have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity diagnosed, eliminating it can even be counterproductive for cardiovascular and metabolic health. It’s a calorie deficit. The first myth to debunk is that gluten, per sebe a metabolic villain that makes us accumulate fat. According to a systematic review published in International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciencesgluten-free diets are not associated with greater weight loss compared to normal gluten-containing diets in healthy adults. So… why do some people swear they lost weight by giving up gluten? The answer lies in the changes that accompany this diet, but not in gluten. And when you give up gluten, you automatically stop eating calorie-dense ultra-processed foods such as industrial pastries, cookies, refined pasta… In this way, you eat fewer total calories and this is what causes you to lose weight and not the absence of gluten. The effect of water. In addition to this caloric deficit, a pilot study in athletes noted that the rapid weight loss after six weeks without gluten was primarily due to loss of fluid and glycogen stores, not an actual metabolic advantage. Fewer refined carbohydrates mean less water retention. But if there was any doubt, another clinical trial in patients with a metabolic problem in their history detected reductions in waist circumference and triglyceridesbut without changes in weight. In this way, the researchers suggest that this is due more to better food selection and glycemic control than to a “fat-removing effect” of gluten. A flat stomach. Another of the great thoughts that can be heard in this sense is that people who do not eat wheat feel much less bloated. And this is real, but the culprit is not gluten, but from the fructans of wheatwhich is basically a type of fermentable carbohydrate that produces a lot of gas and bloating. In this way, the abdomen looks much flatter, but not because of a loss of fat. The cardiovascular paradox. But although gluten is seen as a demon, the reality is that it has several intrinsically good things. For example, gluten is often accompanied by whole grains, and whole grains are cardioprotective. This is evidenced in a study published in the BMJ with more than 100,000 participants who were followed for 26 years. This concludes that gluten consumption does not increase the risk of coronary heart disease. What’s more, when the data was adjusted, a higher gluten intake was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease. That is why the authors warned: promoting gluten-free diets in healthy people can reduce the consumption of whole grains and, therefore, negatively affect cardiovascular health. And in diabetes. In this case they were three large studies that showed an inverse relationship: Those who ate the most gluten had a 13% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate the least. The why? Again, the fiber and micronutrients associated with the cereal that contains gluten. The problem of the accused. When we see that something is ‘gluten free’ we may think that we are looking at something much healthier. But the reality is that sometimes, to compensate for the lack of elasticity and texture that gluten provides, The food industry often reformulates products by adding more saturated fat, more sugar and reducing the protein it contains. Furthermore, gluten-free diets in non-celiac people have also been associated with a lower intake of fiber, B vitamins and a worse long-term cardiometabolic profile. Who should give up gluten? Science is quite clear in this case: who needs it, that is, the 1% of the population with celiac disease. And logically also people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity who may have major digestive problems. For the rest of the population, eliminating gluten offers no clear nutritional benefits. On the contrary: there is a risk of spending more money on products with a worse nutritional profile, reducing the consumption of cardioprotective fiber and attributing to gluten a success that, in reality, simply belongs to eating less ultra-processed foods. Images | Wesual Click Towfiqu barbhuiya In Xataka | Food has been filled with contradictory messages: a sports nutritionist helps us understand what’s behind it

a few steps a day are enough to stop the spark that ignites the disease

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The 10,000 steps rule It is truly classic, and has become the default target for smartwatches and activity bracelets. And although we sense that walking is good, science continues to give us the reasons to go for a walk, and above all how much time we should invest in this. The latest finding already indicates that walking can have a surprising connection with slower cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s proteins. Why it is important. Alzheimer’s is a disease that is undoubtedly devastating due to the symptoms it generates in both the patient and the impact on family members. To this day still The origin of the disease continues to be investigatedand above all looking for therapeutic targets that allow us to create a treatment that cures the disease, since today we only have medications to alleviate some symptoms and try to slow down the disease a little. But nothing miraculous. But another point of the investigation also focuses on prevention. The problem of not perfectly understanding why the disease originates makes it necessary to look for preventive remedies, such as walkingas this study has shown, but which adds to others that have already been seen such as education. The key. The studyconducted by researchers from the Harvard Aging Brain Study (HABS), followed 296 cognitively healthy older adults over a long period, with follow-up up to 14 years in some cases. Unlike many studies that rely on participants’ memory (which are hardly objective), this one used objective trackers (pedometers) to measure the actual number of daily steps. In parallel, they scanned their brains looking for the two “villain” proteins of Alzheimer’s: beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau. Amyloid forms plaques out of neurons, while tau forms tangles inside of them, killing them. It is literally the garbage that cannot be eliminated from the brain and that begins to accumulate in the neurons and the space between them. This causes them to literally die from the accumulation of garbage inside and begin to generate the classic symptoms. The results. The first news we found is that walking does not allow the amyloid neurons to be ‘clean’. But the important thing here is that in people who already had high levels of amyloid, physical activity was associated with a slower accumulation of tau protein in a key region of the brain: the inferior temporal cortex. And this has been fundamental to see that the cognitive decline was much less. Bottom line: amyloid may be the phosphorus, but tau is the gasoline. Physical activity does not extinguish the match, but it seems to make it harder for the gasoline to ignite inside our neuron. It is a new way to stop Alzheimer’s. A magic number. The question we can ask ourselves in this case is clear: how many do we have to go to achieve this protective effect on tau? The researchers, after dividing the participants into different groups according to their physical activity, saw a ‘curvilinear relationship’. This means that profits do not increase infinitely. The biggest jump in protection (slowing tau accumulation and cognitive decline) was seen when moving from the ‘inactive’ to the ‘low activity’ group. Regarding the data, taking between 5,000 and 7,500 steps already offers a significant benefit, making going beyond 7,500 steps not offering an added benefit or additional protection. And that is why we already have the magic number that we should do daily on our walks. A more realistic goal. This is fantastic news. For many older or sedentary people, the goal of 10,000 steps can seem daunting and unattainable. This study gives a little respite and lowers this goal (always talking about neurological protection) to 5,000-7,500 steps. Although this does not correlate with the recommended steps to have cardioprotection. The authors conclude that targeting physical inactivity is a key strategy for future interventions. And for clinical trials, they suggest that it would be most effective to preferably enroll sedentary individuals who already show elevated amyloid in their brains, since they are the group that would benefit the most. Images | Adam Cai Natasha Connell In Xataka | We have been detecting a relationship between herpes and Alzheimer’s for years. Now we are discovering that treating one helps the other

The government emptied a reservoir in Cáceres to eradicate an invading fish. The remedy was worse than the disease

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Just eight months ago, Alcollarín dressed in gala. This small town of Cáceres, with just over 300 neighbors, was presented at the International Tourism Fair of Madrid as a privileged corner to observe birds, throw the cane or walk next to its reservoir, blue mirror in the middle of the pasture. Today, the postcard has completely changed. Where the water was shone before, now a lodazal splashed from dead fish is extended. The air, loaded with a sour smell, reaches the streets of the town. The neighbors speak of “ecological disaster” and look unbelieved towards the dam, while from the Guadiana Hydrographic Confederation defend that the operation was “of vital importance” to protect the future of the basin. The operation that changed everything. The Ministry for Ecological Transition, through the CHG, He started a plan To eradicate the invasive species Pseudorasbora Parva —An known as Chinese fish or Gobio de Boca Túpe -, present at the reservoir and in the Alcollarín River since 2010. Included in the Spanish catalog of invading exotic species and in the European regulation of worrying species for the EU, its control is a legal obligation to prevent its propagation. The plan included months of bearsques with specialized ships and, as a final phase, a “controlled” emptying of the dam to facilitate the capture of specimens. As reported by the CHGthe reservoir was 100 % of its capacity – 50 cubic hectometers, equivalent to 50,000 million liters – before starting the operation. The problem, like They have denounced neighbors and associations to the newspaper Extremadurais that the emptying caused the downstream release of thousands of copies, expanding the species towards the Ruecas and Guadiana rivers. The enemy in the waters of Alcollarín. The Pseudorasbora Parva He arrived in Europe around 1960 and has expanded to more than 30 countries, mainly by introductions linked to aquaculture. In Spain, it was first detected in the Ebro basin in 2002 and, since then, it has colonized sections of Catalonia, Andalusia, Madrid and Extremadura. In the case of Alcollarín, the species was detected in 2010 and, According to the mitecoits density in the reservoir had reached levels that made its complete eradication technically. Even so, the CHG He defended that it was urgent Reduce its population to avoid dispersion towards new channels, especially before the connection planned with the Orellana Canal, and ensure that the reservoir could be used for irrigation and recreational activities “in accordance with current legislation.” Of the catastrophe control. The contract, awarded in June 2024 to the engineering company and technical designs SAU for 787,861.99 euros (without taxes), included several phases of analysis of the pisco fauna, installation of metal containment barriers to avoid leaks, extraction of native species and elimination of invasors, and the controlled emptying of the reservoir. However, According to neighbors and groups such as the Fund for the Defense of Natural and Cultural Heritage of Extremadura (Fondenex)the procedure did not come out as planned. The Captured downstreams overflowed in the critical and “hundreds of thousands” phases of invading specimens escaped towards the wheel and the Guadiana. The drastic drop of the water level, added to the high temperatures, also caused the death of numerous native species, including the barbo, cataloged as vulnerable. The shores were filled with decomposition fish, aquatic birds abandoned the area and the local economy lost, suddenly, a key resource for nature tourism. Crossing accusations. The CHG argues that the operation was planned and executed under the supervision of a “multidisciplinary team of biologists, ambientologists and highly qualified engineers”, As the newspaper has detailedand recognize only a “punctual mortality of Barbos.” He affirms that most native specimens were rescued during previous beings. On the other hand, Fondenex has described in the same medium the action of “ecological nonsense” and accuses the CHG of “manifest negligence” for emptying the reservoir in the middle of summer, without providing urgent uses of water, such as fire extinguishing, and without assessing the impact on protected birds in the Zepa Llanos de Zorita. The group has requested environmental reports and does not rule out file a complaint with the courts. In addition, the neighbors have denounced that “the only positive aspects that a reservoir” have been charged and question the use of “massive and non -selective” methods prohibited by the Nature Conservation Law. Forecasts Once the presence of Pseudorasbora Parvathe CHG plans to reintroduce native species with the collaboration of the Board of Extremadura and maintain barriers and controls in future unwins. However, environmental groups warn that the ecological and tourist recovery of the reservoir will take years, and that the invading fish is already present in sections of the wheels and the Guadiana where it had not arrived before. An open question. In Alcollarín, official versions and citizen perceptions diverge radically: for administration, it is a necessary technical operation; For many neighbors, of an “environmental catastrophe” that has multiplied the problem. Beyond the specific case, the episode raises a dilemma that transcends Extremadura: what environmental and social cost are we willing to assume to stop a biological invasion when total eradication is practically impossible? Image | Chgguadiana and B. Schoenmakers Xataka | Water restrictions return in the northwest. It is the logical conclusion of a trend that comes from afar

Terry Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007. They have found signs of the disease in their 90s books

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In 2007, Terry Pratchett approached Rob Wilkins, his assistant, and told him that the ‘s’ of his keyboard had disappeared. He was laughing. I thought it was a joke, an innocent. “What the hell have you done with her?” He asked. But the ‘S’ was still in the same usual place: on the keyboard. After a few months of testing, the writer knew that the only place where the ‘S’ was disappeared was his head. Postterio cortical atrophy sufferedA, a neurodegenerative disorder typically related to Alzheimer’s, which causes problems to see, to process information, to read, speak and write. He died in 2015 In a small town west of Salisbury. When does dementia begin? That basically is The question asked Thom Wilcockson and his team from the University of Laughborough. Pratchett’s case was very interesting because posterior cortical atrophy has an impact on the use of language and this man wrote a lot. So Wilcockson’s team He examined 33 Books of World Disco (29 published before 2007 and four later) to see if there was any point where the first symptoms of the disease could be identified. And it seems that. Among the first books and the last, the researchers discovered a significant decrease of number of nouns, verbs and adjectives. In addition, they found that the number of phrases increased (something that, according to researchers, fits a tendency towards simpler language). The funny thing is that the turning point was not 2007, but 1998. In that year, Pratchett published ‘The country of the end of the world‘And it is the work in which the change in trend begins to become evident. “This demonstrates a long preclinical period of dementia and the subtle deficiencies that are not always detected with traditional cognitive evidence,” Wilcockson explained. It is not the first time that the equipment uses this type of analysis. They have done it with Iris Murdoch (who also died of Alzheimer’s) and with Agatha Christie (we suspect he suffered). However, not everyone is sane with researchers. Not because they believe they are wrong, but because there are many more factors to consider. In New Scientistfor example, Rob Wilkins explained that in recent years Terry began to have a much more intense “professional life” and that prevented reviewing novels as thoroughly as previously. Be that as it may, the investigation is fascinating. Especially now, at a time when we write (and do audios) much more often than ever. Algorithms like these could dive in our emails, our WhatsApp conversations and in our social networks to identify signs of problems many years before they become evident. Image | Solarisgirl | David Skinner In Xataka | Mundodisco technology

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