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Fasting: OK or Not?

Dear Advicer,
So recently I came across a YouTuber who made a video called "Water Fasting for 5 Days Straight: No Eating." So, I became intrigued by the idea so I decided to give it a try myself. But; however, nobody seems to approve on this. I really want to continue this, I am 2 days into my fast already, but a lot of people are concerned about me making the wrong decisions. Should I continue doing my fast? I only have 3 days left and so far I have experienced no pain, just mild discomfort. I've already lost 5 pounds, and I feel much more energized. I think this is positively affecting me, but nobody else seems to think so. Advice?
~Anonymous, 15, USA

Dear Anonymous,
There have been many scientific studies done that say fasting is OK. I did a little research myself, and found many different sources stating the benefits of intermittent fasting. For example, healthline.com has many different benefits listed, like human growth hormone, cellular repair, and gene expression. Not only does this affect the way you look, it can affect the way you feel. Fasting also increases your metabolic rate by 3-14%. It also can reduce your risk of getting some diseases, like diabetes. It improves your immune system. Another great benefit of fasting is that it can actually reduce stress. Not to get all scientific here, but, oxidative stress is one of those steps towards again and many chronic diseases. It involves unstable molecules called free radicals, which react with other important molecules and damage them. Fasting can enhance the body's resistance to oxidative stress. Lastly, it may be beneficial for heart health. Basically, you can do a fast, as long as you don't do more than 5 per year, for no longer than 15 days. Resources at the bottom.
~ADVICER




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