Diet, activity and rest: the recipe for a healthy heart?
A native tribe in the Amazon, the Tsimane, are said to have the healthiest hearts in the world. One doctor’s study of the Tsimane people resulted in an enriching study on achieving excellent heart health.
Instead of the anticipated “paleo” type diet, the study found that the Tsimane people eat most of their calories in the form of carbohydrates – plantains, cassava, rice, and corn account for 70% of their diet.
What’s missing from their diet? Added sugars and salts. The other important factors were 15% fat, 15% protein, and nearly twice as much fiber as the typical American diet. Intermittent fasting, as a result of food scarcity, was also a notable aspect of their diet.
In the realm of activity, the Tsimane people spend most of their time either standing or walking; on average, they take about 17,000 steps per day. Contrary to the intense workouts that have become popular recently (from HIIT to resistance training), the Tsimane fitness regime consists of constant (but not intense) activity.
The third key to heart health is rest. Without electronics and having a schedule based on daylight, the Tsimane people spent a large amount of time resting and sleeping (about 9 hours per day).
Other heart healthy aspects of their culture? Socialization, which we know to be helpful in the fight against heart health and premature death in general.
Feel free to read more about these interesting discoveries below.
http://ow.ly/iQLz50vpZEv