rationalskepticism.org

Elena wrote:CandiceTu,

Here is a good medical review. It's freely available as a full text article. A fragment:

The typical Paleolithic diet compared with the average modern American diet contained 2 to 3 times more fiber, 1.5 to 2.0 times more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, 4 times more ω-3 fats, but 60% to 70% less saturated fat. Protein intake was 2 to 3 times higher, and potassium intake was 3 to 4 times higher; however, sodium intake was 4 to 5 times lower. Finally, the Paleolithic diet contained no refined grains and sugars (except for seasonally available honey). Clearly, the ongoing epidemic of cardiovascular diseases is at least in part due to these striking discrepancies between the diet we are designed to eat and what we eat today.

The references at the end are also worth a read; most provide free abstracts in PubMed.

It is true, as you say, that a strictly Paleo diet is impossible for us westerners who don't fish nor hunt nor grow our own vegetables. It is possible, however, to follow the general principles. That is: eat vegetables, nuts, fruit, meat, fish, eggs. Limit refined carbs, salt, and all processed foods - or eliminate them entirely.

So, a Paleo-like diet plus exercise seem the best natural ways to remain healthy. Oh, and add dark chocolate to that. For the antioxidants

I have worked extensively with hunter gather peoples who were in the process of transferring to sedentary lifestyles and they certainly did benefit rapidly from a return to their more traditional diet/activity when they seasonally returned to their old lifestyle. Transferring this across to other people is perhaps not so easy, the exercise and status syndrome effect should also be taken into account. It was also exaggerated by the the extremely poor diet they ate when sedentary selecting the worst of western foodstuffs with intakes of things like sugar hitting 400gm per day per person on average (yes that's right almost half a kilo) contrarily when speaking of kilos I have seen people sit down and eat several kilos of meat in one go immediately post a successful hunt.
If this 'new diet' is to be read as

eat vegetables, nuts, fruit, meat, fish, eggs. Limit refined carbs, salt, and all processed foods - or eliminate them entirely.

plus plenty of exercise this seems entirely reasonable, but to characterize this as a hunter gather diet is perhaps not so accurate or useful.