If I had a dollar for every fad diet, I'd be rich. The main reason people grab hold of these diets is because the ads are glamorous and make everyone believe they can lose weight in a snap.

It's interesting that one of the newest diet sensations goes back to the time when cavemen roamed the land -- not as pretty as the South Beach Diet appears. The Paleo Diet sets up an eating plan similar to that of the cavemen, meaning all of the starches, artificial sweeteners, dairy, grains and yes, alcohol, that cavemen didn't have are considered "bad foods."

Recently, a slew of cookbooks and how-to books have been released promoting the Paleo Diet. Could this be the new thing to solve weight loss problems and create healthier lifestyles in the world? Probably not, but the motives behind it aren't so bad.

The premise of the caveman diet is to have a high-protein, high-fruit and high-vegetable diet -- basically these were the only things available to cavemen -- and to promote healthier lifestyles and fight against diseases. Sounds pretty good, right?

Chicken breasts, top sirloin steak, pork loin and bison encompass a few of the lean proteins in the Paleo Diet food plan. Fish and shellfish are also highly recommended as sources of protein. Increasing the amount of protein contributes to a more satisfied feeling after each meal and an increased metabolism, allowing for easier weight loss.

Each meal must include protein, fruits, vegetables, as well as healthy nuts, seeds and fats. This means no dairy, grains, processed foods and sugars, legumes, starches and alcohol.

The Paleo Diet is a good plan to follow, if you're an athlete in training, but eliminating so many other types of food seems a little drastic. I'm all for eating healthy, but the Paleo Diet is an extreme path that's not for everyone. Whatever happened to everything in moderation?

Keep things under control, and you'll live a healthy life. If we have been eating the foods the Paleo Diet deems "bad" for hundreds of years, then why doesn't everyone have heart diseases, cancer or diabetes? These foods only hurt us if we aren't sensible with what we are eating.

Has anyone tried this diet?