If you want to slow down the ageing process, enjoy great cardiovascular health and maintain a sharp brain in your later years, take a few food lessons from a small tribe in the Bolivian Amazon.
People from the , who have the healthiest cardiovascular systems of any recorded population in the world, may hold the secrets to the perfect diet that can prevent heart attacks, high cholesterol and cognitive decline.
According to research published in , people in this isolated Amazonian tribe have lived with low levels of heart disease, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, dementia and age-related cognitive decline for many years because of their unique high-carb and high-fibre diet.
The people from this tribe always ate locally and seasonally.
While it’s somewhat 'normal' for our brains to lose volume and shrink with age, and for our cognitive abilities to decline, this Indigenous group have experienced a 70 per cent slower decrease in brain volume over their entire life compared to adults in the US and Europe. The slower rate of decline in brain volume also improved their brain’s resilience to ageing and atrophy.
Given these big gains in brain and , it’s important to note the . Here are just some of them.
The food secrets to brain and heart health
Eat locally and seasonally
The Tsimane people were hunter-gatherers so they sourced their food by fishing, foraging and catching wild prey.
“The people from this tribe always ate locally and seasonally,” explains Accredited Practising Dietitian and recipe developer. “They had no other choice but to get their fish fresh from the local river or hunt local animals to eat. They only ate the foods they were able to gather locally as well.”
It’s important to note that despite the incredible health of this group’s brains and hearts, life expectancy was just 53 years old. Without great hospitals, sophisticated plumbing systems and fresh water, people died of inflammation linked to parasitic and bacterial infections.
While no one is suggesting that we should give up the luxuries of modern-day life (like quality health care or the ability to buy meat from a supermarket), eating food that's locally sourced is always a good thing to ensure maximum freshness and nutrition. If the fruits and vegetables you eat are also in season, then you're on a winning path.
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Longevity noodles (yi mein)
Go for a diet that’s high in fibre
Studies show that the Tsimane tribe ate a diet that was rich in fibre. High dietary fibre intake, usually sourced from plant-based foods, has been associated with improved overall metabolic, cardiovascular, gut and colonic health. However, diets in the Western world have been recognised as
Indulge in good fats
The Tsimane diet was also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids due to the high content of fish and plants consumed. To eat a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, try including foods like salmon, walnuts and flax seeds in your diet.
Feast on complex carbohydrates and eliminate carb guilt
An looked at the dietary profiles of Tsimane people. Around 16 per cent of their low-fat diet was from a variety of fish and eight per cent was wild game. Meanwhile, over 60 per cent of their total diet was made up of complex carbohydrates. Most of the carbs they consumed were rice and plantains.
“The diet of this tribe was relatively high in carbohydrates but their carb intake was not full of highly processed foods. They didn’t have foods with preservatives and chemicals. Everything was from nature.”
Maiorano explains that carbs often get a bad name in the dieting world but high-quality, complex carbohydrates – whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans – that are either unprocessed or minimally processed contain significant amounts of fibre. They can be very good for you when they form part of a balanced diet and physically active lifestyle.
Common features across the world
While the features of this Amazonian diet are as unique as the characteristics of the Tsimane people, there are some crossovers with the celebrated Mediterranean diet and the eating patterns of people living in Blue Zones around the world – five locations where populations live to age 100 while experiencing good general health.
They also focus on the consumption of healthy fats, a large number of wholegrains, legumes, beans, fruits and vegetables, and small quantities of lean meats and fish or seafood.
“It’s important to take a step back and look at the features of diets of people around the world that experience good health,” says Maiorano. “It makes you stop and ask: how can we eat food in a slower, more local and seasonal way?
“But just remember that when you do go about changing your diet to improve your brain and heart health, avoid food restriction. Eating an abundance of high quality, healthy food is always preferred for good brain and heart health.”
