The healthiest brains on Earth belong to people who can't read.
USC scientists spent 15 years proving it.
They found modern "brain optimization" ages your brain 70% faster.
Once you see it, you can't unsee it.
And you'll question every supplement, app, "hack" you've tried:🧵
Meet the Tsimane people of Bolivia:
• Population of 16,000
• Live in Amazon rainforest
• Hunt, fish, farm for survival
• No electricity, no smartphones
• Average 6-7 miles walking daily
And their brains? Youngest ever studied by modern science.
In 2017, Dr. Hillard Kaplan's team did something unprecedented:
They hauled CT scan machines through the Amazon jungle.
Scanned 750 Tsimane brains.
Compared them to 3,000+ industrialized brains.
The results shocked the scientific community...
The data was staggering:
• A 70-year-old Tsimane = 50-year-old American brain
• Brain atrophy rate: 1/5th of Western populations
• 70% less brain volume loss vs Americans
• Almost ZERO dementia cases
But here's where it gets interesting...
It wasn't what the Tsimane DID.
It was what they DIDN'T do.
No crossword puzzles. No Sudoku. No "brain training" apps.
Yet their cognitive decline was nearly non-existent.
The researchers discovered 6 key differences: 👇
[1/6] PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Tsimane don't "exercise." They live.
Walking 16,000+ steps isn't for fitness—it's for food.
• Hunting = 8-10 hours
• Farming = constant movement
• Zero gym memberships
Every movement has purpose. Their bodies never learned to be sedentary.
Modern sedentary cost:
• Sitting 8+ hours = 30% faster brain aging
• Exercise can't undo prolonged sitting damage
• Movement deprivation = reduced BDNF (brain growth factor)
Tsimane brains bathe in movement-induced neurochemicals all day.
[2/6] NATURAL, UNPROCESSED DIET
The Tsimane brain runs on real food:
• Wild fish and lean game
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Plantains, manioc, local tubers
• ZERO refined sugar or processed foods
High fiber. Healthy fats. Steady blood sugar.
Why diet matters for brain aging:
Processed foods = chronic inflammation = brain decay
Tsimane diet provides:
• Omega-3s from wild fish
• Antioxidants protecting neurons
• Stable glucose (no spikes/crashes)
• Micronutrients modern diets lack
Brain fuel quality matters.
[3/6] INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING
Tsimane elders aren't warehoused in retirement homes.
They're the Google of their society.
• Teaching survival skills daily
• Sharing medicinal plant knowledge
• Passing down 100s of years of wisdom
Elders stay cognitively engaged for life.
The neuroscience of elder engagement:
Teaching younger generations triggers:
• Neuroplasticity activation
• Purpose-driven dopamine
• Social bonding hormones
Compare: Western elders watching TV alone.
No wonder Tsimane brains stay young.
[4/6] MINIMAL MODERN STRESSORS
No smartphones. No notifications. No doom-scrolling.
Tsimane brains never learned:
• Social media comparison
• 24/7 news anxiety
• Email overwhelm
• Digital FOMO
Their stress is acute (hunting). Ours is chronic (everything).
Chronic digital stress destroys brains:
• Attention span fragmentation
• Constant cortisol elevation
• Sleep quality destruction
• Dopamine dysregulation
Tsimane stress ends when the hunt ends.
Our stress notifications never stop.
[5/6] CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Plot twist: Brain health IS heart health.
Tsimane have the world's healthiest hearts:
• Lowest atherosclerosis rates ever recorded
• 5x less coronary artery calcium than Americans
• 80-year-old Tsimane = 50-year-old American arteries
Why heart health = brain health:
Your brain uses 20% of cardiac output.
Clogged arteries = reduced brain blood flow = accelerated aging.
Tsimane brains get premium fuel delivery.
Western brains run on clogged pipes.
[6/6] ZERO METABOLIC DISEASE
The Tsimane don't have:
• Obesity (rate: <5%)
• Type 2 diabetes (nearly 0%)
• Hypertension (extremely rare)
All three are brain killers in modern society.
Their metabolic health protects cognitive function.
The metabolic-brain connection:
Diabetes = 2x dementia risk
Obesity = brain volume reduction
Hypertension = vascular dementia
Tsimane avoid all three naturally.
We're fighting an uphill battle with meds.
What this means for you:
The Tsimane secret isn't exotic.
It's absence:
❌ Social isolation
❌ Sedentary living
❌ Processed foods
❌ Digital overwhelm
❌ Metabolic disease
Their advantage? They never broke what evolution built.
Your brain-protection protocol:
1) Move throughout the day (not just gym hour)
2) Eat food your grandmother would recognize
3) Protect your heart to protect your brain
4) Prevent metabolic disease at all costs
5) Learn from and teach real humans
6) Limit digital stress bombs
Thanks for reading!!
We have 1000x more brain "optimization" tools.
They have healthier brains by doing what humans always did:
Move. Eat real food. Connect. Teach. Learn.
Sometimes progress means going backwards.
Share your thoughts below 👇
Are you a founder who wants to drive 1M+ views and qualified eyes to your offer in the next 30 days?
Without you having to write, post, or even log in?
DM me or book a call below. (Serious founders only)
calendly.com/mrajgor1527/15…
A bit about me:
I dropped out of college last year to turn stories into education for 1 billion people.
If this thread shifted how you think about learning, follow @meetMrajgor for more mind-bending content.
RT if it resonated.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.