Dr. John Day, Cardiologist

In this Tsimane Afib study spanning from 2005 to 2019, researchers examined the occurrence of atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm issue, among the Tsimane. The objective was to understand how prevalent this heart condition was in these communities characterized by an active lifestyle, a lean diet, and low levels of heart disease, while also facing a high burden of infectious diseases and resulting inflammation.

The study involved 1314 Tsimane individuals aged between 40 to 94. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were conducted to check for atrial fibrillation. Later, a subset of the participants underwent additional ECGs to assess the incidence of new cases.

Remarkably, at the study’s beginning, only one Tsimane man showed signs of atrial fibrillation, marking a very low percentage among the total population. Over the follow-up period, only one new case was identified among the Tsimane in over 7000 patient years of observation.

The findings were astounding—this indigenous group displayed significantly lower rates of atrial fibrillation compared to high-income countries, suggesting that their lifestyle, heavily focused on physical activity and a diet low in processed foods, contributed to protecting their hearts from AFib. Despite facing frequent infections and associated inflammation, the results imply that lifestyle factors have a significant impact on heart health, indicating that atrial fibrillation might not be an inevitable consequence of cardiovascular aging but rather a disease influenced by one’s way of life.

The Tsimane Don’t Get Dementia Study

In a study looking at memory problems in the Tsimane people, researchers checked 435 individuals over 60 years old using memory tests and brain scans. They found five cases of dementia among the Tsimane, which was very low—just 1.2% of the group. This number is much lower than almost anywhere else in the world.

Surprisingly, even though the Tsimane have a high chance getting the Alzheimer’s gene (ApoE4), they still have some of the lowest levels of dementia worldwide. This indicates that their way of life—hunting, gathering wild foods, staying active, and having strong social bonds—not only helps protect them from heart disease and atrial fibrillation but also seems to shield them from memory problems like dementia.

The 4 Secrets Why the Tsimane People Don’t Get Heart Disease, AFib, or Dementia

Why don’t the Tsimane people suffer from heart disease, AFib, or dementia? It’s not because they have super-human genes. Instead, it’s their way of life. Many studies show that no matter what genes you were dealt in this life, a healthy lifestyle can silence most of your bad genes.

1. Eat Plant-Based Natural Foods with Wild Meats

The Tsimane people eat natural, unprocessed foods like wild meats, lots of plants, fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. Everything they eat comes straight from nature, without any processing.

To adopt the Tsimane diet into our modern American lives, we can focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods. This means choosing lean wild or organic meats and adding more fruits and veggies to our meals. Snacking on nuts and seeds can give us important nutrients. By reducing processed foods and going for natural choices like the Tsimane, we can improve our overall health in our everyday American lifestyle.

2. Never Stop Moving

The Tsimane don’t spend their time sitting in front of screens or hitting the gym for exercise. Instead, they’re naturally active all day long.

Tsimane men walk around 17,000 steps every day, while Tsimane women take about 16,000 steps each day. Even as they get older, those over 60 still manage more than 15,000 steps daily.

But the Tsimane don’t achieve these impressive step counts by strolling around their neighborhoods or on a walking track. Their steps come from hunting, foraging, fishing, and farming. Men typically spend around 6-7 hours each day on these activities, while women usually dedicate 4-6 hours to the same.

3. Always Stay Socially Connected

This study overlooked an important aspect: the deeply interconnected lives of the Tsimane. When they weren’t hunting or gathering food, the Tsimane spent their time with friends, family, or neighbors.

The Tsimane have a tradition of daily visits to their friends’ and neighbors’ homes, both in the mornings and evenings. Sometimes, these visits lasted for weeks or even months, with one Tsimane family staying with another.

Without computers or TVs, the Tsimane had to spend time talking and sharing stories with each other every day. Despite not having many possessions, their close-knit social life led to high reported levels of happiness. Additionally, despite facing the stress of potential food shortages, their strong social connections kept their stress levels much lower than those in modern societies. Everyone in these villages knew about each other, creating a tight-knit community.