Live Happy, Eat Dirty Podcast with Kate Harrison (including The 5:2 Diet)

Wondering if fasting is sustainable long-term? This week, Kate celebrated her sixth ‘fastiversary’ – six years since she tried fasting for the first time. In a deeply personal and heartfelt podcast, she pays tribute to her mum, explores why kindness and self-care matter in weight loss, and reveals the big secret she's been hiding... Me at the Harrogate Crime Festival - my secret life as a thriller author revealed!  It's my sixth fastiverary this month - 6 years since I started intermittent fasting. This month, my mum also died. My mum Barbara as an 18-year-old student nurse in 1959.   It's made me think about what we are here for, how to look after each other, and what we leave behind. In this very personal podcast, I explore why caring for yourself is the key to sustainable changes, why our governments need to do much more to support healthy eating, and how important it is to do what we can to stay happy and well - but why, ultimately, we can only do so much. Plus I want to tell you what I'm doing next - and share the secret many 5:2 folks have no idea about…      Tiny olives on the tree my mum bought as a house-warming gift seven years ago.     My secret....? Yes, my first thriller is available for pre-order here in the UK and here for international delivery. This is what it's all about... In her eyes, no-one is innocent... Georgia Sage has a gift: she can see evil in people. As a courtroom artist she uses her skills to help condemn those who commit terrible crimes. After all, her own brutal past means she knows innocence is even rarer than justice.  ut when she is drawn back into the trial that defined her career, a case of twisted family betrayal, she realises her own reckless pursuit of justice may have helped the guilty go free. As Georgia gets closer to the truth behind the Slater family, something happens that threatens not only her career - but even her own sanity. At first, she fears her guilt around the events of her terrible childhood is finally coming back to haunt her. The truth turns out to be even more terrifying . . .  Do you love reading fiction? Then read more about my novels on my website. And join my FREE book club for prize draws and exclusive previews and interviews...   Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow fast: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist. This site does contain links to some affiliate sites (at no cost to you). We cannot check or verify all external sites which can be changed or removed at any time, and those links are provided for information only.

Today's podcast is all about you - we asked our Facebook group members for their questions about gut health, diet, 5:2 fasting and more.   We’re covering a great range of topics, including the ketogenic diet, how to bring the gut back to good health after surgery and medication, and the ideal timing for enjoying kefir and fruit.  We even look at the thorny topic of cellulite - with the answers supplied by Kate along with Helen Phadnis, our dirty diet registered dietitian and expert in all things food and health related. You can buy the polybiotic Vivomixx (a cheaper version of #VSL3) via Amazon or other stores. For an overview of ketogenic diets, read this balanced article. Find out more about cellulite and possible approaches to reducing it. Kate’s Dirty Diet plan combines her experience and knowledge with loads more tips from Helen.   You can buy The Dirty Diet book here for UK delivery. Or here for international delivery. Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow fast: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist. This site does contain links to some affiliate sites (at no cost to you). We cannot check or verify all external sites which can be changed or removed at any time, and those links are provided for information only.

On today’s podcast, we’re talking about one of the most common problems to affect the gut – and what we can do about it to make IBS less irritating… as a lifelong sufferer, Dirty Diet and 5:2 author Kate shares what she’s learned about calming a sensitive gut, while registered dietitian Helen Phadnis looks at medical and diet approaches to improving this common and distressing condition. We cover everything from low-FODMAP diets to peppermint tea (and the stronger version, oil capsules, which as Kate reports can have unexpected effects). We also chat about the mental connection to IBS and how to improve that without feeling responsible or even more stressed out. To find out more about low-FODMAP diets and find a trained dietitian, visit the King’s College site.    Helen offers consultations via her website, in person or online via video.    You can try yoga poses which may help with IBS. This is a user-friendly guide to research on the pros and cons of trying to improve IBS with probiotics.  Kate used Vivomixx (which is basically the same as #VSL 3 but a little cheaper) to help her IBS:  read more. https://amzn.to/2Am1sbC   You can buy The Dirty Diet book here for UK delivery. Or here for international delivery.

In today’s podcast, Kate talks about how she stumbled on a new chocolate that could help your gut. She talks to Andrew Marten of Ohso chocolate about how his own IBS was the trigger to changing direction and launching chocolate bars. Find out why chocolate can get more good bacteria to your gut better than yogurt or kefir, the pleasures of eating miniature bars, and why peppermint is a very domineering flavour. Find out more at ohso.com and see the website for 25% off your first order (UK listeners).  NB: This is not a sponsored podcast - Kate just liked the chocolate (and did get a free taste!)

‘Live’ foods which add back the good bacteria are the perfect way to ‘eat dirty’ – and dairy kefir can be a delicious way to enjoy the benefits. It used to be tricky to get hold of, but now different brands are appearing in the chiller cabinet, as well as in specialist health shops. In this episode, Kate talks to Ciaran Adam, who helped to develop a range of new kefirs for The Collective Dairy in London. He talks about how our current ‘clean’ lives may not be good for our health – and how fermented foods like kefir make a positive difference. Plus why fruit plus kefir can be an explosive combination…  Read more at The Collective Dairy.  

If you’re on a mission to improve your diet – and those friendly bacteria – then raw pickles like sauerkraut and kimchi are one of the easiest ways to add the good guys back in. And in this edition, Kate chats to Mendel of Loving Foods in Manchester, whose journey to improve his eczema led to the creation of a whole new family business. Mendel talks us through the best ways to make probiotic foods, including: The importance of burping your pickles; The world of ferments from Japan to India; Fermented drinks including the ‘champagne’ of Tibet. We also debate the best use of kimchi and kraut (my money is on a cheese toastie) and learn why cabbage, turmeric and black pepper combine to form the perfect pick-me-up in a jar. Loving Foods also helped with their tips on fermenting veggies in The Dirty Diet book. You can buy their products from Amazon and direct from their website, as well as in health food stores (mostly in NW England, but now they've got new premises, the distribution is expanding).       Sign up for your FREE blueprint And buy The Dirty Diet book here. Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow fast: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.

In today’s Quick and Dirty podcast on a single topic. Kate explores the D in Dirty - which is all about diversity, especially veg and fruit - how adding more variety and quantity into your diet will reap terrific benefits - and give your tastebuds and friendly gut bacteria a treat! Kate suggests practical ways to increase your consumption. She talks through options for:  Brilliant breakfasts and brunches;  Lunches to look forward to; Evening meals that end your day on a high!  Plus why eating your greens - and reds, yellows, purples and whites -  doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. 

We all have trillions of bacteria living on and inside our bodies – but how can they affect weight loss, diabetes and even your mood.  In this interview with Dr Lesley Hoyles from Imperial College in London, you’ll hear all about the gut microbiome – the collection of bacteria and other micro organisms that co-exist with us in our guts, and influence so many aspects of our health. The balance of bugs is affected by countless things, from how you were born, to the antibiotics you’ve taken, and whether you eat live yogurt or onions.   Lesley gives us a tour of research into the gut microbiome and how it’s set to change the medical world.  Plus we talk about getting dirty in childhood, weight gain in farm animals, and the one transplant you don’t want to search for on YouTube… Lesley runs the Bugs in your Guts Twitter account - well worth following - and the other ones she recommends for great information about microbiology and health are:  Gutmicrobiotaforhealth Isappscience.org/science-of-microbiomes Britishgut.org Americangut.org Prof. Jonathan Eisen's Microbiomania and Overselling the Microbiome  If you want to nurture your own microbes, The Dirty Diet is for you. You can read Lesley’s take on the future, plus lots more practical advice on looking after your friendly bacteria – and keeping the bad ones in check – in The Dirty Diet.    Sign up for your FREE  Dirty Diet blueprint & news to help keep your gut healthy Or buy The Dirty Diet book here for UK delivery. And here for international delivery.

In today’s episode Helen and Kate talk dirty about carbohydrates – why they’re an essential part of our diet, and why cutting them out is so difficult to maintain. We also reveal our own top of the pops when it comes to starchy carbs… and talk about exciting new research on 5:2/Dirty Diet-style fasting and how it may benefit our health.   Featuring Kate Harrison and  dietitian Helen Phadnis - also known as NomNomNerd! Carbs are fuel for the body - and the fibre they contain fuels our friendly gut bacteria too. But they've been demonised on many diets, so Helen explains their role in nutrition. Kate also tells how low-carb was only ever a short-term fad for her.  Plus we reveal the simple cooking method that helps carbs become even tastier - and more beneficial to your microbiome. Kate also talks through the results of new research showing the potential health benefits of intermittent fasting, carried out by the University of Surrey. You can read more about that here or download the full (technical but interesting) PDF. If the talk of oats has made you want to tuck in, there’s a free recipe for my very delicious Dirty Diet style choc-cherry granola in the Blueprint, Sign up for it here - it's completely free.   You can buy The Dirty Diet book here for UK delivery. Or here for international delivery.

Bread has had such a bad press lately – we talk to a campaigning baker who has found ways to enjoy her own produce despite a sensitivity to wheat. Discover the secrets of good bread and why it has a place in your diet.  If you’re boggled by bread or afraid of Big Bad Gluten, this podcast is a must-listen. Because bread and other grains can form a brilliant part of a healthy diet for most of us.  In this interview with micro-baker Frances Reid, we learn: Why time is the most important ingredient when it comes to great bread; How Frances swapped working for a charity for baking dozens of loaves in her ordinary oven; How she’s managed her own sensitivities so she can still enjoy her own creations.  And if you want to try baking your own, learn Why it’s almost impossible to kill off your starter; Why a loaf will change depending on where in your home you let it rise; How sourdough croissants are a labour of love. Plus how to find good bread if you don’t have time to bake your own. And Kate talks about her own experiments with sourdough baking – and the tips she includes in The Dirty Diet: Ditch the Guilt, Love your Food.

Fed up with over-hyped and overpriced ‘superfoods’? In the second episode of our brand new podcast, we  look at some unexpected new superfood candidates, including smelly cheese.   In the second episode of Live Happy Eat Dirty – we celebrate the positive steps we can take to be healthy, happy and in good shape.   And we preview the new book, The Dirty Diet – ditch the guilt, love your food.  Featuring Kate Harrison and  dietitian Helen Phadnis – also known as NomNomNerd! Including: Gorgonzola or goji berries – which is the real superfood? Why flapjacks and fruit crumble are part of a healthy diet…. And hooray for crunchy-munchy foods and coffee!   We also talk about the idea of ‘smart harvesting’ and how the microbes in our gut explain why some of us put more weight on than others. And why The Dirty Diet was almost called The Cheese and Pickle diet… For lots more information about the effect of microbes on your health and weight, we really recommend the Gut Microbiota for Health website. Sign up for your FREE blueprint (available from publication date March 22 2018) And buy The Dirty Diet book here. Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow fast: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.

Welcome to Live Happy, Eat Dirty – a podcast full of quick and dirty health and diet ideas for real people, hosted by me – Kate Harrison. Including: *Why Kate hates clean eating and why dietitian Helen Phadnis worries about the effect on dieters. *The BBQ test for orthorexia *The flexible rules for Living Dirty: Diversity Intermittent fasting Restoring the gut microbiome Training ourselves to be healthy Your health and weight goals   Sign up for your FREE Blueprint here. Ideas and interviews from the worlds of psychology, nutrition and more. If you loathe detoxes and clean eating, but love evidence-based tips, staying a healthy weight and eating well – you’re in the right place.  Because you can be slim without giving up cheese, bread OR wine. You can be fit without ever trying a triathlon. And you can enjoy your life without having to be a saint. Ditch the guilt - a happy, dirty life is so much more fun.  

The first episode of the 5:2 Diet Podcast for 2018 comes with exciting news. Kate Harrison explains how the podcast is going to expand to include more tips, ideas and interviews to help you stay a healthy weight, and feel better in body and mind. To tie in with Kate’s new intermittent fasting approach – The Dirty Diet: Ditch the Guilt, Love your Food – this podcast is going to get bigger and better, with episodes on: Why cheese is a superfood (if superfoods even exist); How carbs keep you human; Eating more germs – why dirt keeps you alive; House-training for humans – the science of good habits. Plus, Kate will be chatting regularly to dietitian and nutrition expert Helen Phadnis, and many other people in the food, health and psychology world – as well as people who’ve achieved amazing things with this way of life. Kate's guinea pig dieters lost up to 15lbs in only 4 weeks on The Dirty Diet, and also saw significant improvements to their gut health, digestion, skin and sleep. The new approach also means a new title – Live Happy, Eat Dirty: health & diet ideas for real people. Kate explains what that means and what’s coming up. If you’re already subscribed to the podcast, you don’t need to do anything to get the new episodes – but if not, subscribe through iTunes or your podcast provider. To read more, go to thedirty-diet.com or preorder the new book. Or go to the shownotes on the 5:2 website  Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow this diet: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.

In this special episode, Kate celebrates her 5th  ‘fastiversary’ – five years since she had her very first intermittent fast. She shares:   the 5 things that have changed since she started this journey in 2012 the two mistakes people make when they fast that makes 5:2 fail. After interacting with 55,000+ people in the 5:2 group, she can also tell you how to avoid the problems. And finally 5 very honest confessions about Kate’s 5:2 life!   To join the group, click here. And to find out more about the Dirty Diet, sign up at www.thedirty-diet.com    

In this special, 5:2 food and health writer Kate Harrison talks about going green – eating more veggies to superpower your fast days, your weight and your health. To celebrate the publication of her new book, 5:2 Veggie and Vegan, Kate talks about her own history as a vegetarian since her teens, and her tips on how to max out the plant content of your diet to keep you, and your friendly bacteria, in great shape. Plus she talks about how she develops recipes and why ‘eating the rainbow’ is the opposite of woo-woo- not to mention her loathing of the idea of ‘clean eating.’ To see recipes from the new book, and see lots of fantastic pictures of mouth-watering food that tastes as good as it looks, go to the5-2dietbook.com/podcast18    Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow this diet: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.

In this New Year special of the 5:2 Diet Podcast, host and author Kate Harrison offers encouragement and practical advice on the 3 strategies that will help you lose weight and keep it off for good. Plus, she shares her thoughts on detoxes and ‘miracle’ diets… and why she believes intermittent fasting is a more sustainable bet. Plus Kate also explains how she sets goals and ambitions for a new year, using a fun 5-step programme that encourages you to dream a little, and then plan ways to make dreams come true (from getting a better smile, to changing career or moving countries!). You can download the FREE ebook Make Your Dreams Come True via Kate's website and read the shownotes at the5-2dietbook.com/podcast17   Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow this diet: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.

The 5:2 Diet Podcast with Kate Harrison Podcast 16: Q&A In Podcast 16, we answer your questions about calorie counts on fast days, how to talk to medical professionals about your goals, and why we can feel colder when we're fasting... and Kate shares her current favourite soup to warm you back up again on long autumnal nights...    Read much more at www.the5-2dietbook.com/podcast16 or subscribe on iTunes - and download free samples from Kate's books on Amazon. Important Note: This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow this diet: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.

Super-charged September is designed as a boost to get you back on track with 5:2. Every day for a whole month, there’s a challenge or a question or an inspiration to help you: the idea is you do it alone or share your thoughts to help others in the group.  Are you on board? For much more on 5:2, see the website - and to share YOUR answers and responses to all 30 Challenges, join our free, friendly & private Facebook group.  

This podcast is a summertime special to accompany my new summer e-book 5:2 Summer Ready, which takes favourite tips, recipes and ideas from my four 5:2 books – it’s the ideal short introduction if you’ve never read a book on intermittent fasting. (If you do have my other books, you won’t need this new e-book – but this podcast will be perfect for re-inspiration!). And even if you're in the southern hemisphere, where I know summer is a memory right now, I hope you'll find it useful! The podcast includes tips on boosting your fasting success; my views on the 'summer body' controversy; ideas for enjoying that summer feeling all-year-round AND, a specially recorded 10-minute meditation (which you can also download and listen to separately). I recorded the podcast on Brighton beach, just past the West Pier – so you’ll hear authentic wave sound effects, not to mention our giant seagulls! There are lots of tips plus a very special relaxing meditation to help you relax and stay on track with your healthier, more confident life…   Go to the shownotes to read more and find links to fitness apps and much more. You can also download the Meditation separately to use whenever you like.

This specially recorded 10-minute meditation accompanies the e-book, 5:2 Summer Ready, which takes favourite tips, recipes and ideas from my four 5:2 books – it’s the ideal short introduction if you’ve never read a book on intermittent fasting. The meditation combines positive messages and relaxation techniques to help you on fasting and non-fasting days.  This will take around 10 minutes and help you feel relaxed and inspired. If you enjoy it, let me know and I’ll record more! Read more about the book and the techniques in the shownotes. Important: Because you’re aiming for a state of relaxation, you should not use this when you’re in charge of machinery, driving a car or otherwise need to be completely aware of your surroundings.