Amazonian tribe that lives on wild foods found to have vastly healthier arteries than even the most medicated westerner who pops “advanced” statin drugs

An active lifestyle and healthy diet remain the most potent protection against diseases, according to a study published in The Lancet. Researchers at the University of Mexico examined members of a remote South American tribe known as Tsimane people who live in the Bolivian Amazon. The experts visited 85 Tsimane villages between 2004 and 2005 and assessed their likelihood of developing heart disease using CT scans on more than 700 adults aged 40 to 94.

Research data shows that nearly nine out of 10 tribe members had clear arteries and did not show any heart risk. The study also reveals that nearly two-thirds of members older than 75 years old are almost risk-free, while only eight percent show a moderate-to-high risk level.

One 80-year-old tribe member in particular had arteries that resemble those of middle-aged Americans in their 50s. Researchers also find that members of the tribe have low heart rate, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar readings. Half of the Tsimane people examined did have increased markers of inflammation.

“Conventional thinking is that inflammation increases the risk of heart disease. However, the inflammation common to the Tsimane was not associated with increased risk of heart disease, and may instead be the result of high rates of infections,” said study co-author Professor Randall Thompson from Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute.

In comparison, similar scans done in almost 7,000 Americans revealed