Nutritionists advise against strict adherence to the paleo diet, which they say deprives the body of essential nutrients. (Photo: GT/Li Hao)
The wounds of battle
Conforming to the caveman lifestyle, Jiang said he also fasted every two weeks, subsisting on only water for about 30 hours on each occasion.
"It's a simulation of caveman life," said Jiang. "[Hunter-gatherers] would not always be able to find food, so they would regularly starve."
Jiang said he was part of an online QQ chat group with around 100 members that declared an allegiance to the caveman lifestyle. He said that some of its members were even more committed than him in replicating what they considered a hunter-gatherer's life to be like, going as far as donating blood to mimic the injuries and wounds a hunter-gatherer would sustain in the course of his travails.
He said that some members donated blood between one and three times a year, but it was a step too far for him personally. "I think it is a bit too extreme to replicate every detail of a caveman's life," said Jiang. "I follow it as much as I'm able to, and to the extent that I think is reasonable."
Shi dismissed the benefits of regular fasting, and said she thinks the idea of giving up blood for health purposes is absurd.
She said there were circumstances under which fasting could be beneficial in detoxing the body, but abrupt fasting in the way practiced by Jiang could upset biological balance, as well as triggering low blood sugar levels and dizziness. "It has to be done gradually," said Shi. "For the first week, perhaps fast for 6 to 8 hours, then the next week, for maybe 8 to 10 hours."
Shi said that a period of fasting for detoxing the body should not exceed 12 hours, and if the person starts to feel severe hunger or discomfort, it should immediately be ceased.
Running from tigers
The other major component of the caveman lifestyle, according to the New York Times, is exercising like a hunter-gatherer, which involves approximating the physical activities a prehistoric man might have engaged in, from "sprinting and jumping" to "leaping between boulders" and "scooting around the underbrush on all fours."
This philosophy toward exercise is summed up by John Durant, founder of Paleo NYC and Barefoot Runners NYC, in his 2013 book, The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health: "Other animals don't 'exercise' so much as they either play or just do what is required to survive. Birds fly. Fish swim."
The article describes Durant and other advocates of cavemen exercise as running barefoot and bare-chested late at night.
Jiang said he sometimes adopts the mindset of being a hunter-gatherer when he goes running. "I go running every night, and for 10 minutes I will run as fast I can, as if I'm running for my life, as if I'm being chased by a tiger," he said. "I can feel energy and life pulsing through me during these moments."
Another popular form of exercise endorsed by followers of the caveman lifestyle is CrossFit, a strength and conditioning program that emphasizes high-intensity workouts targeted toward optimizing "functional movement," according to a report published in the Observer last July.
A June 2014 Time Magazine article noted that there are over 10,000 gyms affiliated with CrossFit around the world, but Wang Yangguang, a private fitness instructor at Hosa Fitness in Beijing, said that the program was not suitable for everyone.
"I think it's only appropriate for people who already have a certain level of fitness and physical prowess," said Wang. "For starters, it's impossible and maybe even harmful [for those who aren't fit] to force themselves to run as if they were fleeing from a tiger."
Wang said it was important that people choose an appropriate level of intensity for their fitness level, and if they did want to do high-intensity exercise, it was advisable to seek the guidance of a professional instructor. "Blindly doing strenuous exercise is dangerous, especially outdoors," said Wang.
"Poor form when exercising and exercising in unfamiliar environments can lead to injury and accidents," Wang said.
