Researchers looking at the religious practices of different cultures have noted that the habit of fasting not only has religious significance, but also benefits the health of fasters. It has been shown that regular periods of abstinence (e.g. one day every month) can significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease - by up to 12%, regardless of whether this applies to smokers, people with high blood pressure, diabetics or obese people.

So-called 'modified fasting', which involves fasting every other day, also has beneficial results. During the "fasting" days, nothing can be consumed, apart from drinks such as water and sugar-free tea and coffee. The effects of this practice are amazing - rapid and visible weight loss. Already after three weeks, a 4% weight loss is noted, and within three months, we can be slimmer by up to 10%.

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An additional benefit is a drop in so-called bad cholesterol (LDL) levels by up to 15% and a 30% reduction in triglycerides - fat-building fats. British physician and journalist Dr Michael Mosley has modified the method of starving himself every other day to make it easier to endure and less restrictive. He created the '5:2' method, dividing the week into five days of normal eating and two days of moderate starvation.