Fasting has been shown to have some positive effects on the body. I remember an article a few years back about a researcher who was so convinced it would extend his life that he was eating an extremely low amount each day, each to their own I guess.
Intermittent fasting seems to be the current thinking for extending your life span. The latest offering on this theme is published in the journal Cell Metabolism. Scientists fed yeast and mice a “very low calorie/low protein fasting mimicking diet” for 2 four day periods per month with a normal diet the rest of the time.
In the yeast they found that fasting increased life span and induced stress resistance. In the mice, visceral fat levels were reduced, that is the fat that can build up around organs such as the liver and heart. The mice also had a 40% reduction in their blood sugar levels after the 4 days of fasting (although this returned to normal after 7 days). It was also observed that the immune system was rejuvenated, the incidence of cancer was decreased and cognitive abilities were improved.
So there you have it, dieting for just 8 days per month seems like it can reap some serious rewards.