Browsing through the history books, it is hard to envisage our Stone Age ancestors suffering from heart disease, insomnia or depression even though times were undoubtedly tough especially when it came to fighting off some pretty fierce animals and finding shelter. You would think that in today's modern world, life would be a lot easier in comparison and we would be winging it to the director's chair. Instead, we are more likely to be winging it to A and E!

Although we live longer than our primal ancestors, we teeter to old age on a daily cocktail of health supplements, foods which are laden with fats and additives and a cocktail of medication which is all neatly washed down with a shot of stress.

We are constantly exposed to digital stimulation and situations which spark the fight or flight mechanism, we live for the majority of our evenings under artificial light, very rarely exercise and spend long hours cooped up indoors. This creates an environment which is unnatural for the human body and is certainly not the way that nature intended us to live. We have created an artificial environment which not sustainable for our needs.

Was the way that Stone Age man lived more suited to us? Back in those days, there was no need to go to the gym every day or work from dusk to dawn simply to watch all of the hard-earned cash flitter away on clothing, heating, rent, a mortgage, fuel costs, keeping up with the Jones's etc...he simply lived as nature intended. Of course, we can balance the scales with the quality of life that the 21st century provides for us but when we take a closer look at life in the very beginning, there is definitely a lot for us to learn from our ancestors.

Yes, they were a basic version of the people that we are today but they maintained a naturally healthy body weight (hence the reason why the wheel was invented before the gastric band), did not rely on Prozac and always had plenty of energy...they used the stars at night for illumination rather than harsh, artificial light and they walked everywhere. They always had plenty of fresh air, exercise and stimulation...something that we could all do with. In fact, the more we have added to those basic needs over the years with luxuries such as TV's, computers, electrical lighting etc, the more we have suffered the psychological and physical effects.

Although Stone Age man lived with a lot of risk, they did not have to face the myriad of lifestyle choices which batter and beat us to an early grave every single day. This shows that progress has not remained balanced because although we have advanced in many areas (travel, education, medication), we have also failed in others.

Fight or flight...Of course, our ancestors would have suffered panic attacks...let's face it, all of us would feel petrified if a huge bear was charging towards us. The difference between then and now is that panic attacks could not be treated as an illness and people were free to run for their lives when they were scared. Nowadays, any sign of anxiety is classed as unnatural and therefore treated with medication. Nature installed within us the fight or flight response so as we can react to stress when it occurs...However, we are encouraged to suppress these emotions rather than act on them.

Blending the past with the present...Although our ancestors were not blessed with the knowledge and technology that we have today, they really did not need all of these gadgets and gizmos to live a better life. Mother Nature had put in place all of the tools necessary for them to live as she intended. Animals provided fresh, lean meat, there were plenty of plants and fruits for healthy nutrients, living for the majority of time in the great outdoors provide sunshine and fresh air. Hunting for meat made exercise a natural part of living and the stars provided gentle night light for sleep.

The result? The 21st Century is plagued with people who are overweight or clinically obese. This is not the result of eating too much fat; it is strongly linked to grain-based carbohydrates in the form of rice, bread, pasta and potatoes. Things started to go downhill 10.000 years ago when man discovered the many uses of grain. From this point onwards, our diet started to become unhealthy.

Evolutionists back this fact by stating that 10,000 years is insufficient time for the human body to adapt to a grain based diet. Insulin released from carbohydrates is quickly converted to sugars which are sent to the liver and muscles. Any leftover sugars are stored as fat...too many carbohydrates and you face the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. We really do not need to inculcate all of these carbohydrates into our diet as we can obtain the same goodness acquired from them through vegetables and fruits.

A link to healthy living... Stone Age man never ran excessively for miles whilst he was hunting. Throughout the chase, he never worked up a sweat which left his heart pounding and his body fatigued from exhausted...As such; we should not give our bodies a vigorous pounding for those chips and sandwiches we consumed throughout the day by diving into the gym every evening to run through a full cardio-vascular workout. Such a gruelling routine can cause premature ageing, muscle depletion and lower the body's immunity to illness. Stone Age man paced himself so as when a hunt failed, he had enough energy to keep going when another tasty treat strutted past. As a result, brisk walks and occasional short bursts of running are all that is needed to keep the body toned and trimmed.

Stone Age man always had a rich supply of fruit and vegetables readily available should meat become scarce. This meant that the body could detox when meat wasn't on the menu. The odd day of fasting gave the stomach a chance to rest and helped maintain regular bowel movements, increase concentration and improve digestion.

A primal diet consists of an abundance of the right foods along with a sensible exercise regime. People who live this way feel stronger, healthier and lose weight in the process!

In between work, Stone Age man had plenty of naps throughout the day and plenty of sleep at night...he associated the appearance of the stars with rest. Likewise, if we turned out the lights a lot earlier after a busy day and used breaks and lunch time to rest our eyes, meditate or just lay in the sun...our productivity would increase and our general wellbeing would improve dramatically without the onset of any afternoon slumps. Scientists have discovered that too much artificial light during the evenings can lead to depression. A study involving rats showed that those who were exposed to artificial light for long periods of time exhibited strong signs of depression.

By following the advice of our predecessors, we have all of the Stone Age tools needed to step into the office looking like the caveman, girls dream about. Learn from those who have already been there and done that. Remember, Stone Age men never used dating agencies...he just looked good and felt good, which was more than enough to attract the girls!