A recent study investigated the brain aging process of the Tsimane people (the Bolivian Amazon) and found that the difference in brain volumes between middle age and old age is 70% (!) smaller than in Western populations! In other words, the shrinkage of their brain was much slower than in our modern society. And as you know, the faster the shrinkage of brain volume, the greater the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

So what is the secret of the Tsimane people? Although they have little or no access to health care, the Tsimane’s are extremely physically active and consume a high-fiber diet that includes vegetables, fish and lean meat. This might be a key to their healthy brain aging.

Another interesting finding is that the Tsimane people turned to have high levels of inflammation, which normally lead to faster loss of brain volume. However, the study didn’t observe a pronounced effect inflammation upon Tsimane brains. The researchers explained that inflammation can be a result of different causes. In our Western world, inflammation is linked to obesity and metabolic causes whereas, in the Tsimane, it is driven by respiratory, gastrointestinal and parasitic infections. In fact, infectious diseases are the most prominent cause of death among the Tsimane.

This study is remarkable, isn’t it? It shows us again that our sedentary lifestyle and diet rich in sugars and fats, make us more vulnerable to brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s by accelerating the loss of brain tissue with age. Now you know what to do to keep your brain with age healthy!

Curious? HERE is the source