So far, we have covered many different kinds of diets, including the Harvard Diet, the Paleo Diet, the Vestibular Migraine Diet, the Portfolio Diet and the F-Factor Diet. Another one that is on the list and something that people turn to for weight loss or help with digestive concerns is the Whole30 diet.

It is a strict 30-day elimination diet that cuts out alcohol, sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, and additives from your diet, straight for 30 days. It is advertised as a total lifestyle change, rather than a simple diet.

What is a Whole30 diet?

As the name suggests, it also focuses on a 30-day-long diet that promises a variety of health and emotional benefits. It was first developed in 2009 by two certified sports nutritionists who promoted it as a way to reset your metabolism and reshape your relationship with foods.

The Whole30 program is built on the idea that certain foods—like sugar, grains, legumes, alcohol, and dairy—may negatively affect your health and overall fitness. By removing these items from your diet, the program aims to help your body recover, reset, and achieve long-term health. Many people adopt this plan to lose weight, identify food intolerances, or improve their relationship with food.

What Is the Whole30 Diet?

The Whole30 diet is a strict, month-long elimination program that encourages eating minimally processed, whole foods while avoiding specific items believed to cause inflammation or disrupt hormones. This approach emphasizes a reset period where no deviations from the rules are allowed. The program claims to improve physical and emotional well-being by changing how you view food.

Unlike other diets, the Whole30 does not require calorie counting, portion control, or daily weigh-ins. Instead, weight tracking is only allowed on days 1 and 30 to keep the focus on overall health rather than just the scale.

How to Follow the Whole30 Diet?

For 30 days, participants completely avoid certain foods and focus on approved options. After this elimination phase, foods are gradually reintroduced to assess how they impact the body. This reintroduction phase helps identify triggers for bloating, skin issues, or other negative symptoms.

Adherence is key; any slip-ups mean starting the program over. The Whole30 encourages mindful eating and aims to reshape unhealthy food habits.

What are the benefits of this 30-day long elimination?

• Weight Loss: Though not the primary focus, many people report fat loss.
• Higher Energy Levels: Improved food choices may combat fatigue.
• Better Sleep: Whole foods can contribute to restful sleep.
• Reduced Cravings: Eliminating sugar and processed foods may lower cravings.
• Improved Athletic Performance: A focus on nutrient-dense foods supports active lifestyles.

Despite these claims, there is no scientific evidence directly supporting the benefits of the Whole30 diet.

What is allowed?

• Proteins: Chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh, dried fruits, and all vegetables.
• Nuts and Seeds: Except peanuts (considered legumes).
• Fats: Olive oil, ghee, avocado oil, and animal fats.

What is not allowed?

• Sugar and Sweeteners: Including honey and artificial sweeteners.
• Alcohol: All types of beer, wine, and spirits.
• Grains and Legumes: Wheat, rice, lentils, and soy products.
• Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products.
• Processed Additives: MSG, carrageenan, and sulfites.

Even creating “healthy” versions of indulgent foods like paleo pancakes or cauliflower pizza is discouraged.

What happens after you have completed your 30-day routine?

After completing the 30-day elimination period, the reintroduction phase begins. Foods are added back one group at a time, allowing participants to observe how their body reacts. For example, dairy might be reintroduced on day 1, followed by three days of Whole30 eating. This process helps pinpoint food sensitivities and identify which items to avoid in the future.

Snacking on grapes could offer surprising protection against heart attacks and strokes, researchers say. The fruit, often labelled a superfood, contains natural compounds that support gut health and help bring down cholesterol levels, both of which play a role in heart disease.

Researchers found that even a short-term change made a difference, especially for people whose diets were low in vegetables and fibre.

Eating Grapes May Lower Heart Attack and Stroke Risk, Study Finds

As per Express UK,In the study, participants saw health improvements after just four weeks of eating grapes daily. The simple dietary shift was linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death worldwide.

Grapes are rich in antioxidants known to calm inflammation, a key driver of heart problems.

How Grapes Affect Cholesterol and Gut Health

Professor Zhaoping Li of the University of California, Los Angeles, who led the research, said grapes improved the diversity of gut bacteria while also reducing cholesterol levels.

The study followed adults aged 21 to 55 who ate the equivalent of about 40 grapes, or two servings, each day. Their usual diets were low in fibre and plant compounds called polyphenols.

Within a month, researchers saw a clear increase in microbiome diversity. This community of trillions of bacteria plays a central role in digestion, immunity, and overall health.

Drop In ‘Bad’ Cholesterol And Harmful Fats

Participants recorded nearly an eight per cent reduction in LDL cholesterol, often described as the “bad” kind. Levels of bile acids, which fuel harmful fats in the body, fell by more than 40 per cent.

These fats are linked to the formation of clots that can block blood vessels and cut off blood supply to the heart or brain.

Rise in Beneficial Gut Bacteria

One of the most notable changes was an increase in Akkermansia, a beneficial bacterium known to help burn sugar and cholesterol and strengthen the gut lining.

Professor Li said the findings were encouraging, as a healthy gut is increasingly recognised as essential to good overall health.

Why Researchers Call Grapes A Superfood

Professor Li said the study adds to growing evidence of grapes’ heart health benefits, particularly their role in lowering cholesterol. Grapes provide a rich mix of fibre and polyphenols, which appear to influence how the body processes fats.

The findings, published in the journal Nutrients, may help shape future research into diet and disease prevention.

Previous research has linked grapes to a range of health benefits, from helping manage weight gain in middle age to improving libido.

In another study, researchers found grapes may help counter the effects of processed foods high in fats and sugars.

In experiments on mice fed a high-fat Western-style diet, those given a daily grape supplement showed less fatty liver disease and lived longer than those that did not.

Dr John Pezzuto of Western New England University said the results suggest grapes may influence how genes linked to metabolism and ageing behave. The changes observed in mice could equate to several additional years of life in humans.

Researchers also found improvements in brain function. Mice given grape supplements showed better behaviour and cognition, suggesting potential protective effects against conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Grapes and Metabolism

A separate study found grapes may also boost metabolism, helping the body burn calories more efficiently. This could explain their protective role against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is strongly linked to poor diet.

Dr Pezzuto said long-term grape consumption appeared to reduce oxidative damage, improve fat metabolism, and support longevity, even alongside a high-fat diet.

Heart disease kills an estimated 17 million people globally each year and more than 160,000 in the UK alone. While grapes are not a cure, researchers say the evidence suggests they can play a meaningful role as part of a balanced diet.

The findings were published across several journals, including Foods, Antioxidants, and Food & Nutrition, adding to growing interest in how everyday foods influence long-term health.

After NHS doctors warned people against vitamin D tablets and its overdose, Turkish expert Prof Dr Mustafa Atlay, a specialist in endocrinology and metabolic diseases at Ankara Training and Research Hospital, said that vitamin D levels above 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) pose significant risks. The doctor said, "Excessive and unsupervised intake can lead to toxic effects." He highlighted that while deficiency is common among some people, the best way is sunlight. Most people have a limited sun exposure, particularly indoors workers.

The doctor says that deficiency symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, bone pain, and in severe cases osteoporosis. Natural sources of vitamin D include fatty fish, egg yolk, liver, and mushrooms, but diet alone is insufficient. The doctor pointed out that supplements under medical supervision is important, especially for elderly individuals, children, and women.

What Are The Early Signs Of Vitamin D Poisoning?

Atlay noted that early signs of poisoning include:

• High blood calcium
• Causing nausea
• Dehydration
• Kidney injury
• Heart rhythm problems
• Neurological symptoms

What Are The Symptoms NHS Experts Warned About OD-ing on Vitamin D

Vitamin D Overdose: Feeling Frequently Thirsty And Want To Urinate

If you find yourself feeling thirsty or want to urinate more, it could be because you are taking too much of vitamin D. NHS experts suggest to cut the intake to a single 10 microgram tablet and drop any extras if these symptoms appear.

What happens is that excess vitamin D could disrupt fluid and salt balance in the body and thus you may want to visit the loo a little more. Also, keep hydrating yourself. In case the symptoms persist, go to your GP.

Read: NHS Doctors Warn Vitamin D Users About Four Key Overdose Symptoms

Vitamin D Overdose: Burping Constantly, Feel Nausea And Have A Sour Stomach

If you feel like puking, and are burping constantly, for feel like a sour stomach, then try to take your supplement after a meal. If you are taking gummies or spray, it is the best time to switch to a tablet. This happens because food buffers the supplement in the gut and reduces irritation, whereas sprays and gummies contain sweeteners or flavors that could create problems for some people.

Vitamin D Overdose: Bones And Muscles Hurt

If you feel your muscles are cramping more and bones also ache, it is a red flag. The key to this is to prioritize your fluids, mineral -rich foods, and physical activities.

Excess vitamin D could disturb the minerals muscles rely on. Furthermore, dehydration makes cramping worse. You can improve your hydration, drink water with meals and also include yogurt and leafy greens in your food. Include some exercise or gentle stretching in your schedule.

Vitamin D Overdose: Cannot Think Straight

Excess vitamin D could also make your brain fog or cause headaches. So, when you buy any supplement, make sure you read the label. Choose a product listing only cholecalciferol and simple bulking agents. Take it with food at the same time each day to keep intake steady and gentler on the gut. Experts also suggest leaving combined A+D products behind and only pick simple D3 tablet.

After two cases of Nipah virus, a rare, bat-borne pathogen was confirmed in West Bengal, five more cases were reported, with nearly 100 people placed under quarantine.

The two previously confirmed cases were of two nurses, the rest cases are of a doctor, a health staff member, with some patients in critical condition.

Speaking to TOI, Dr Aishwarya R, Consultant, Infectious Diseases at Aster RV Hospital said, “Nipah virus is a highly dangerous zoonotic infection with a high fatality rate, ranging from 40% to over 70% in past outbreaks.” The doctor has also advised people against eating certain food, including fruits fallen from trees, unpasteurized date palm sap and any other fruits without washing. The doctor explained that this infection can spread with infected animal who could bite fruits and spread the virus through their saliva.

Nipah Virus Tested In West Bengal Bats

A survey conducted on bats in West Bengal found no active Nipah virus infection. Though there were antibodies detected in one specimen, which indicated prior exposure. This was confirmed by a senior state forest department official on Tuesday. The survey was conducted amid the identification of two confirmed Nipah virus cases.

Read: After Two Nipah Cases In West Bengal, Tests On Bats Show No Active Infection

To conduct the survey, nine bats near Kuberpur on the Kolkata-Barasat Road in Madhyamgram were tested using RT-PCR. All samples were negative, however, one bat, tested positive for antibodies. However, it only suggested prior infection, meaning there was no current risk of transmission.

The survey was conducted by the state forest department in collaboration with scientists form Pune-based National Institute of Virology. "The findings are reassuring, but caution is warranted. Surveillance and prevent measures will continue until we are fully assured that there is no risk," confirmed a senior official of the West Bengal Health Department.

What Is Nipah Virus?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals, and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person.

In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Although Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people.

During the first recognized outbreak in Malaysia, which also affected Singapore, most human infections resulted from direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues. Transmission is thought to have occurred via unprotected exposure to secretions from the pigs, or unprotected contact with the tissue of a sick animal.

In subsequent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, consumption of fruits or fruit products (such as raw date palm juice) contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats was the most likely source of infection.

Human-to-human transmission of Nipah virus has also been reported among family and care givers of infected patients.

Read: Doctor Debunks Five Myths Around Nipah Virus

Nipah Virus Symptoms

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain and severe weakness