No cardiovascular problems among the Tsimane – a primitive people from Bolivia
The Tsimane are a primitive people who live relatively untouched by the influences of civilization in the Amazon region of Bolivia. Researchers became aware of the people years ago, since the Tsimane did not seem to develop any cardiovascular problems, even in old age. They rarely suffer from high blood pressure, are almost never overweight and have a balanced cholesterol level. All this applies not only to young people, but to Tsimane of any age.
Since diabetes cases do not actually occur at all and type 2 diabetes in particular is considered a diet-related disease, the researchers around Thomas Kraft and Michael Curven came from the University of California the idea that a particular diet might be responsible for the good health of the Tsimane.
Do the Tsimane follow a specific heart diet?
The Californian Anthropologists – collaborators at Tsimane Health and Life History Project – now examined the diet of the Tsimane and compared it not only with the typical western diet and the diet of the Mosetes, a neighboring people who are however more influenced by the outside world but are genetically closely related to the Tsimane, but also with a diet , which is generally considered to be particularly heart-friendly.
We thought, the researchers say, that perhaps the Tsimane were unknowingly enforcing the rules of a particular heart diet, such as the DASH nutritionthe Okinawa Diet (which is said to be responsible for the longevity of Okinawa’s inhabitants) or – what would be particularly obvious for a primitive people – the rules of the Paleo diet.
Since the Mosetes have already left their traditional diet and have been incorporating many foods from the western diet, including sugar and other processed products, into their diet for several years, the state of health of this people shows what will happen to the health of the Tsimane within the next 20 years could if they too would start shopping in the supermarkets of civilization ( 1 ).
The healthiest hearts on a high-carb diet
“Our study showed that the Tsimane had the healthiest hearts we have ever studied. It’s understandable that we were very interested in what might be the reason for this good heart health,” said Michael Gurven, professor of anthropology, head of the Tsimane Health and Life History Project and author of the study.
Gurven and Kraft (and their team) found the following:
- The Tsimane eat a high-calorie diet: 2,433 to 2,738 kcal per day.
- The carbohydrate content is 64 percent, with the carbohydrate sources mainly plantainscassava and rice are.
- The protein content is 21 percent, which is considered high. In particular, more than 40 different types of fish and some game serve as sources of protein.
- The fat content is only 15 percent.
- They only buy a very small part of their food on the market, so they grow their own food or go fishing or hunting.
- It is interesting that the Tsimane don’t really eat a varied diet at all, as is always recommended to us. The Mosetes eat much more varied.
- The researchers also discovered a low calcium supply in the Tsimane. Vitamins D, E and K are also consumed sparingly. On the other hand, the intake of potassium, magnesium and selenium, three minerals that are considered to be particularly heart-protecting, is extremely high.
- The fiber consumption of the tsimane is about double that of the typical Western diet. Dietary fibers are also considered to be extremely beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Access to sugar, salt and oil increases risk of heart disease and diabetes
Over the course of the five-year study, the researchers observed that the Tsimane people who lived near markets consumed increasing amounts of calories, oil, lard, sugar and salt, all of which, of course, were not part of their original diet counted. However, the Mosetes did so to a much greater extent and for a longer period of time, which explained their higher risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes ( 2 ).
Exercise can compensate for poor nutrition
However, it is not only their diet that explains the good health of the Tsimane, but also their high level of exercise. In day-to-day field work, hunting, and other everyday activities, adults walk an average of 17,000 steps a day, compared to just 5,100 for the average American.
Tsimane men spend up to seven hours a day gathering food, while women spend up to six hours a day on their feet. The Tsimane spend only about a tenth of their day sitting.
It is well known that exercise can even compensate for poor nutrition. The Tsimane researchers also say that those who are physically active can be much more flexible when it comes to eating.
Despite high inflammation levels, no chronic diseases
It is also interesting that the Tsimane have high levels of inflammation in the blood (probably due to frequent infections and parasite infestations), which is actually a sign of imminent chronic diseases. Especially in the case of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis, inflammatory processes are significantly involved in the course of the disease. With the Tsimane, however, these diseases do not develop despite inflammatory processes.
An 80-year-old Tsimane has the same vascular age as a mid-50-year-old American
As early as March 2017, the medical journal reported on this Tsimane Health and Life History Project and the in The Lancet published first results ( 4 ). At that time, more than 700 Tsimane between the ages of 40 and 94 had registered for a coronary CT in the next larger city for the project. It was found that 85 percent of those examined had no deposits in the blood vessels (coronary calcification) at all, only minimal deposits could be detected in 13 percent and only 20 percent had pronounced coronary sclerosis ( 3 ).
The US population, on the other hand, showed in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis The following results: Only 14 percent of those examined were free of deposits, 36 percent showed slight deposits, while 50 percent had heavy limescale deposits.
With the Tsimane – according to the researchers – the first deposits appeared on average 24 years later than with an American. An 80-year-old Tsimane has about the same vascular age as a mid-50-year-old American, the medical journal quoted the scientists of the Tsimane Health and Life History Projects.
The path to civilization automatically leads to chronic diseases
Unfortunately, it is difficult to discourage primitive people from eating sugar, salt, oils and other foods available in the markets. Because anyone who has been used to working hard for every calorie can hardly resist when they can suddenly get hold of high-calorie foods without much effort.
The new “pleasures” are also tempting – and so more and more people are eating fried foods and adding plenty of sugar to their drinks. For this reason, overweight, cardiovascular problems and diabetes can also be found among those Tsimane who can often shop at the markets.
We, on the other hand, already know the effects of such a diet and can decide day after day NOT to eat these foods and instead choose natural and freshly prepared meals – of course always in combination with plenty of exercise and good stress management. The rules of a healthy diet can be found here.