Detoxification of Heavy Metals

[Rayaan]

"The confirmation among a new set of patients that fasting is associated with lower risk of these common diseases raises new questions about how fasting itself reduces risk or if it simply indicates a healthy lifestyle."

Bolding mine. Correlation is not causation.

That is correct - but at the same time, you should also remember that the strongest correlations are the most likely causes. Obviously, a single instance of correlation between two different observations doesn't necessarily mean that there is a definitive causal link between the two, but if a correlation shows up over and over again, consistently, then it can be reasonably suggested or implied that that is the most likely cause. In other words, the greater the strength of a correlation - "strength" being the number of times that a correlation occurs - the more justified it becomes for us to think that the correlation implies causation even though it may not necessarily prove that 100%.
/Scientific Method 101

A condition which could also be achieved with proper diet and exercise in an otherwise healthy body.

I agree, although that still doesn't invalidate the fact that fasting can create that kind of a condition as well. (And of course, in the end, people will choose whichever of the methods they find most convenient and/or enjoyable for themselves or depending on whatever reasons that they may have for doing that).

Bolding also mine, my assumption being that it would be suggested to patients with a very high risk of these problems if it were found to be a legitimate solution, not something the population as a whole should do.

I agree with that also.

His google link seemed mostly come back to articles about the heart health study. Mind you, none of this is related to "toxins", but specific problems, and none of it related to heavy metals.

Yeah, because I wasn't responding to the question in the OP exactly, but on the question of whether or not fasting itself is good for the body which you yourself asked earlier.

Did it have to be related to toxins and heavy metals? No.

And then there's this link, which also popped up in the list: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/is_fasting_healthy

That one is mainly about using fasting as a weight loss tool.

There are apparently both pros and cons in fasting, and different links might say different and opposing things on this subject just like one article may say that coffee is good for you while another article says that it's bad for you, or that chocolate is good for you while another article says that it's bad for you, or that six or less hours of sleep is healthier than eight hours of sleep while another article says the opposite, and so on; So you have to read and investigate each of them for yourself since there are oftentimes a range of different conclusions/opinions on such matters.