Regular fasting could become the latest health craze after research revealed itâs not only beneficial to losing weight, but could actually be good for the body and increase life expectancy!Scientific research has proven that regular fasting can help you lose weight, burn stubborn body fat, and naturally boost growth hormone. But by exploring down this new direction of longevity makes it even more appealing for dieterswho discover that regular fasting could help you live longerTraditionally, starving the body of food has been considered a form of punishment, more likely to be associated with religious practices or, in its extreme form, with an eating disorder such as anorexiaHowever, a growing body of evidence suggests that refraining from food for 24 hours on regular occasions, be it weekly or monthly, can actually carry a host of therapeutic qualitiesFor example, it was found that asthma patients who fasted regularly had few symptoms and showed better airway function than those that didnât. On the other hand, the giant food and diet industry keep trying to convince everyone that, in order to lose weight, you must keep eating! Short-term fasting does not decrease fat burning enzymes. Plus, they warn that the danger of short periods of intermittent fasting could go into starvation mode, and actually stop you losing weight? It could be argued however, that their advice could be bias and influenced by loss of revenue!In fact, scientific research clearly shows that the exact opposite happens, Short term fasting does in fact âincreasesâ the activity of fat burning enzymesNutrition experts conducting research on the metabolic effects of short periods of fasting in humans and its potential application in weight loss, have been able to conduct multiple body composition tests on numerous athletes and top level bodybuilders, and monitor them while they dieted and tried new experimental weight loss programsMany of the experiments conducted had results that were very different from what were expected, and the realization that to truly understand nutritionâs role in weight loss, they would have to start from the very beginning and study what happens to the body when it goes without any food completelyIn a research study published in the journal of Sports Science and Medicine, ten elite power athletes were studied before, during and after 30 days of intermittent fasting. The researchers found that there was no drop in performance during their fasts or even in the days after their 30-day fasting period. Pretty impressive considering the guys were all top athletes. The benefits of regular fasting for good health and weight loss has produced quite diverse opinions based on the latest results, and as with much dietary advice, opinions are divided. While some experts believe fasting is an easier way to control calorie intake than prolonged restrictions on special diets, others warn against itFasting may not be for everyone. The science behind effectively starving ourselves is connected to the way in which the body utilises glucose, but exactly why it provided such health benefits is still open for speculationInformation contained in this article is not meant to replace professional advice. Always check with your physician before starting any weight loss or fasting program.