What we can learn from the Kuna?

The 𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀, living on the San Blas Islands off Panama’s Caribbean coast, consume large daily amounts of 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗹-𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗮 — over 900 mg per day, according to a study published in the 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 (Hollenberg et al., 2006).

These island-dwelling Kuna show 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲, 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲, especially compared to urban Panamanians.

Meanwhile, Kuna who migrated to Panama City, adopting a Western lifestyle and reducing cocoa intake, lost this protective cardiovascular profile.

The researchers attribute this difference to cocoa’s 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, which:
– Stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production
– Promotes vasodilation
– Improves endothelial function

These effects are essential not only for heart health but also for supporting vascular wellbeing during menopause, when endothelial function tends to decline.

A powerful example of how traditional practices and modern science can come together to support women’s health.

📖 Read more in the original study:
https://lnkd.in/d527UywP
📸 Discover the Kuna story in The Guardian:
https://lnkd.in/dp8SHZpw