that Paleolithic humans ate meat that was leaner
because animals raised in the wild, instead of captivity,
tend to have less fat and leaner muscle. To mimic this
he suggests eating a variety of animals such as elk and
buffalo that are raised on grass and are more free to
roam than regular farm animals.
Different versions of the caveman diet differ in
their recommendations about exercise. Some versions
do not make recommendations, while others suggest
significant amounts of exercise, especially outdoor
exercise. The premise is that Paleolithic humans
spent most of their time hunting and gathering food,
which would have required a significant amount more
physical activity than average humans engage in
today.
Cordain believes that when beginning the cave-
man diet it is often advisable to begin slowly, and
slowly include more meals that follow the diet’s guide-
lines as time goes on. He also believes that having what
he calls ‘‘open meals,’’ during which the guidelines are
relaxed, can be a good way to help the dieter stick to
the diet in the long run. Cordain also believes that even
just following some of the recommendations of the
caveman diet can be beneficial, and encourages people
to do as much as they are comfortable with. Audette
generally takes a more hard line approach and does
not allow for any bending of the rules with certain
meals. He reports that not only do he and his wife
follow this diet strictly, but that their son has been on
the diet since birth, as well.
Function
The caveman diet is intended to promote weight
loss and overall better health by mimicking a diet
similar to the diet of the humans who lived during
the Paleolithic age. It is believed that the human
body is not designed to be able to process foods that
were not consumed during the Paleolithic age. It is also
thought that eliminating these foods will allow the
body to function more in the manner for which it
was designed, leading to better health and a decreased
risk of many of the diseases that are prevalent in the
industrialized world such asobesity, diabetes, and
heart disease.
Benefits
There are many benefits to losing weight if it is
done at a moderate pace through healthy eating and
increased exercise. Obesity causes an increased risk of
diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many other dis-
eases and conditions. The greater the obesity the
greater the risk of these diseases, and the greater the
severity of the symptoms associated with them. Losing
weight can reduce the risks of these and other obesity-
related diseases as well as reduce the severity of the
symptoms if the diseases have already occurred.
In addition to the general benefits of weight loss,
the caveman diet may provide a variety of other health
benefits. Fresh fruits and vegetables are high in many
vitaminsandminerals, which are important for over-
all good health. Some versions of the caveman diets
that recommend free range, grass-fed lean meats may
have additional benefits as these meats may be higher
than regular meats inomega-3 fatty acids, which are
believed have positive health benefits for the heart and
cardiovascular system.
Varieties of the caveman diet that recommend
large amounts of exercise may have additional health
benefits. Regular exercise can help weight loss to occur
more quickly by helping the body use more calories
and creating muscle mass. Regular exercise also may
reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.Precautions
Anyone thinking of beginning a new diet should
consult a medical practitioner. Requirements of calo-
ries, fat, and nutrients can differ significantly from
person to person, depending on gender, age, weight,
and many other factors such as the presence of any
diseases or conditions. Pregnant or breastfeeding
women should be especially cautious because deficien-
cies of vitamins or minerals can have a significant
negative impact on a baby.Risks
There are some risks with any diet. It is often
difficult to get enough of some vitamins and minerals
when eating a limited variety of foods. All varieties of
the caveman diet exclude all milk and dairy products.
Because these foods are excellent sources ofcalciumit
is possible that people on the caveman diet may not get
enough calcium in their diet. Lack of calcium can lead
to many different disease and conditions such as
osteoporosisand rickets. Anyone beginning this diet
may want to consult their physician about whether
taking a vitamin or supplement might help them
reduce this risk. Also such a low starchy carbohydrate
intake could cause health problems such as lethargy
and fatigue due to low energy.
Versions of the caveman diet that allow and
encourage large quantities of high fat red meat being
eaten have their own risks. High-fat diets, especially
diets high in animalfats, have been shown to increase
the risk of cardiovascular disease. Versions of the dietCaveman diet