Fasting for a full 24 hours is also a no-no for diabetics, pregnant women, and those who have suffered from eating disorders in the past.

OMAD (one meal a day)

As the name suggests, the idea here is to limit yourself to one highly nutritious main meal a day. “It cuts the need to calorie count and can help boost productivity and concentration at work as you won’t have that sluggish feeling typically experienced after a big canteen lunch,” says O’Loan.

But the list of negative side-effects are long. “Hunger, weakness, shaking and fatigue is common and this diet isn’t recommended long term as it’s unlikely you’ll consume enough vital nutrients from one solitary meal a day.”

The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting

Most of the health benefits associated with intermittent fasting are the result of giving the digestive tract a well-deserved break.

“It gives your emunctory organs (primarily the liver and kidneys responsible for detoxification of waste products) time off so they can cleanse your body and repair damaged tissue,” explains Dr Laure Hyvernat, naturopath and founder of The Natural Consultation.

“Our modern lifestyles leave us bombarded by toxins from processed food, stress, alcohol, medications and pollutants,” she adds.

“But scientific research is unanimous on the health benefits of fasting for boosting immune function, reducing inflammation at the cellular level which is the number one cause of cancer, repairing age-related dysfunction, promoting regeneration in the body by removing damaged cells and tissues and stimulating repair.”

This digestive break, says Dr Hyvernat, has also been shown to boost general digestion, hormonal detoxification, mental clarity, mood, skin health, insulin response and metabolism, while reducing symptoms of joint pain, stress and chronic fatigue.