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Caitlyn Fralin
SMAD 311 Grundmann
2.8.2011
“The Diet of the Dead”
She doesn’t look, talk or act like a cavewoman, but senior Centreville, Va. native
Kelsey Cochran certainly eats like one.
Lamb ribs. Rosemary. Olive Oil. Spices. Squash. Each simple ingredient has its own
identifiable aroma as the vegetables simmer on the stove and the meat roasts in the oven.
Cochran apologizes for not having it ready.
Standing at 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 115 pounds, this petite education major
does not look like your typical meat eater. To understand the gist of her diet, one must
sneak a peek into her protein-filled freezer. The Paleo diet, also known as the “caveman
diet,” consists strictly of eating organic plants and animals, while excluding all grains and
dairy. In essence, the diet mimics what was consumed by hunter-gatherers during the
Paleolithic Age.
“I was kind of halfway there,” Cochran admits in reference to the lifestyle change
that took place last November. At the end of her sophomore year, Cochran was diagnosed
as gluten intolerant. Although limited by the prevalence of gluten in most grains, Cochran
found relief in the change of diet introduced by her brother, Chad, a JMU graduate.
Kelsey recalls in the beginning, “When I went gluten-intolerant, he went voluntarily,
too, because he just found out that gluten is just bad for everybody.”
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It is a family affair in the Cochran household. Both parents, Monica and Clark,
switched out of convenience and a concern for health. Clark suffered from high cholesterol.
After beginning the diet, his cholesterol not only went down, but he lost 10 pounds.
The popularity and success of this unique diet spread like wild fire not only through
the immediate family, but onto the neighbors as well. Neighbor and JMU junior, Jacob
Schmitt began the diet as a way to enhance his CrossFit workouts. He defines CrossFit as
“the sport of fitness.”
According to CrossFit.com, it differs from a typical workout due to its broad,
universal design, meaning it does not focus on one specific aspect of fitness. As a
competitive CrossFitter and advocate of the diet, Schmitt, a business major, prides himself
on the physical and mental results of 1½ years of dieting. “I haven’t been sick in a year and
a half,” Schmitt professes.
The science behind his intake of nutrients justifies his statement.
According to The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf, the human body requires a balanced
amount of Omega 3s and Omega 6s. The typical American diet creates an unhealthy
imbalance that over time can lead to degenerative diseases such as diabetes and
cardiovascular disease. By avoiding grains and increasing the amount of grass-fed meat
consumed, the body will receive more Omega 3s to help rebalance the ratio.
Sources of professional opinion are scarce due to the recent resurrection of the
Paleo perspective. The University Health Center’s clinical dietician, Michele Cavoto shared
her thoughts on the broad subject of dieting.
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“Most diets are not at all an acceptable way to eat forever and ever,” she explains. On
the contrary, “Making changes that improve one’s diet to be a healthier, more nutrientdense way of eating may lead to lifelong weight management.”
Cochran and Schmitt did not commit to this diet to lose weight. Both aimed to better
themselves from the inside out. They confess that the hardest part of the diet is missing out
on social outings. Both laugh at the mention of Italian restaurants. Lucky for them, one local
hotspot is accommodating to their regimen: Chipotle. “I eat Chipotle like three times a
week,” chuckles Schmitt.
Because of the limited local resources, the diet challenges its participants to cook
creatively.
The combination of green and banana-yellow squash compliments the 5-inch long
and 2-inch thick toasted lamb rib not only in color, but also in taste. This simple Paleo
palette is deceiving to the eye, because although it hardly fills the plate, the given portions
are plenty to fill even the hungriest of eaters.
Forgoing silverware, Cochran gracefully picks her way to the bare bone of her rib.
Never dripping, never struggling and never making a mess, it is more than apparent that
Kelsey Cochran is far from savage.
Kelsey Cochran, 703-447-3878
kelseyacochran@gmail.com
Jacob Schmitt, 703-371-0121
schmitjr@dukes.jmu.edu
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Michele Cavoto, Clinical Dietician
cavotomg@jmu.edu
The Paleo Solution, Robb Wolf
“What is Gluten”
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gluten.htm
“What is CrossFit”
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html