Brooke Goldner was 16 when her doctors told her she probably had only a few months to live. Lupus, which is an autoimmune disease that usually affects the skin and the joints, attacked her kidneys and it seemed she would not be able to recover.

Fortunately, the experimental chemotherapy that she received every week, worked well. Well enough to suppress her immune system that, in turn, gave her kidneys and other organs a temporary break. This allowed her to stay alive. 

Even though her future was extremely uncertain, Brooke was determined to achieve and make a difference. Doctors warned her against exposing herself to stress as this could aggravate her condition; nevertheless, she enrolled in medical school. The doctors were actually right; her symptoms did get worse. She often had minor strokes because of the blood clogs that lupus caused. Yet eventually, she graduated as a physician and began her residency, hoping that she could keep her disease in check to manage her life.

“They said I could never have children, that I’d probably die trying and that I would probably be in a wheelchair by the age of 40” – remembers Dr. Goldner in an interview. 

After these years of hardship, what followed was almost like from a movie. Brooke met her now husband, Thomas Tadlock, who is also a researcher, they fell in love and, despite the uncertainty, they decided to get married. To get in shape for her approaching wedding, Dr. Goldner followed the dietary protocol her fiancé made for her: she cut off meat, dairy products, grains and eggs. This meant that she could only eat whole-food plant-based foods.

According to her recollection, she felt the positive difference in a mere couple of days. Besides the diet, she also put a lot of effort into exercise. As her energy level grew, she raised the intensity and length of her trainings. In a few months, she was in top form, and not only in her looks. Her symptoms started to subside and eventually they disappeared. Post-wedding, Brooke continued to live a health-conscious lifestyle. Then, a follow-up examination months later revealed that the markers for her lupus had disappeared; she was healthy.

27 years have passed since then. Brooke is healthy and active, and the mother of two boys. Her book “Goodbye Lupus” and her 6 Week Rapid Recovery Group Program has helped countless people to reverse their disease. 

Dr. Brooke Goldner’s diet protocol, or the Hyper-nutritious Diet Program

Minimum 1 pound of raw leafy vegetables

Brooke’s diet may seem extreme at first. It is most similar to a raw vegan diet, but not exactly the same. The emphasis is on greens, the darker the better. These make up the majority of meals.

Brooke recommends a minimum 1 pound of dark leafy and/or cruciferous vegetables per day. They should be eaten raw, as this is the best way to get the most nutrients.

Some suggestions of vegetables to eat:

• Curly kale
• Leafy kale
• Spinach
• Chard
• Broccoli
• Beetroot leaves
• Kale
• Arugula
• Pak choy
• Chinese kale
• Mustard greens
• Brussels sprouts
• Cilantro

Omega 3 intake from plant sources

Omega 3 is a crucial component of the lipid sheath of the cells. If there is not enough Omega 3 in the body, cell walls become hard, less elastic and less permeable. This can cause problems, as nutrients and water need to get into the cells and toxins need to get out of them. 

Dr. Brooke’s diet focuses, besides “hyper”-nourishment on necessary nutrients, on cutting out all kinds of Omega-6-rich foods, and focusing on Omega-3-rich ones instead. 

The bottom-line of the diet is thus that we leave behind all Omega-6-rich foods.

The same applies to oils (except: flaxseed oil, and chia oil), oily seeds (except: flaxseed, chia seeds, and hemp seeds) and animal products.

You may often hear that our bodies have a much easier time processing Omega 6 than Omega 3. It is also often claimed that our body cannot properly utilize Omega 3 from seeds, which is why animal sources (e.g. fish, seafood) are necessary. Dr. Brooke says this is simply because with the “Western diet,” we take in so much Omega 6 that all our enzymes are busy breaking them down. Therefore, if we drastically reduce Omega 6 intake and supplement it with Omega 3, we will be able to start processing the latter properly and the anti-inflammatory process may begin. And that is exactly what we want.

Hydration: 3 liters of water

You are advised to drink 3l of water per day in this diet. This can seem like a lot – especially for people nowadays who are not used to drinking too much, I mean water. 

Try to even out this amount throughout the day, drinking a bigger glass of water every hour. Set an alarm on your phone or write a sticky note and put it somewhere you can see it, until it becomes a habit.

Another solution to cover your daily hydration and vegetables is to make a ginormous smoothie (at least 3l), which is like killing two birds with one stone.

This may suit those who manage a busy schedule, and cannot spend too much time in the kitchen. It was actually this realization that prompted Dr. Brooke to launch the Smoothie Revolution, which encourages people to have a green smoothie every day.

Spice up your diet

You can eat herbs in any amount. You can also add fruits to your salad and smoothie. Just make sure that the fruits are fresh and are no more than 25% of the vegetables that you are using. Mustard, vinegar, soy- and chili sauces are all OK for seasoning. Almond milk, coconut milk can be used for smoothies, and besides water you can drink herbal tea too.

Avoid these foods!

This diet cuts out all animal products. So no meat or animal fats, and this includes fish. Oily seeds, because of their high Omega 6 content, should be avoided as well.

Flaxseed and chia seeds are exceptions, which are actually core ingredients of the diet because they are high in Omega 3.

Finally, processed foods should be avoided entirely – including the flours with the ‘-free’ labels!

Dietary supplements

Dr. Brooke does not recommend the use of dietary supplements as a matter of principle, because she believes that you get all the nutrients and vitamins you need when you properly follow the diet. However, the following may be worth including:

• B12
• Iodine (150-200 mcg/day)
• Vitamin D

HIIT and weight training 

Paying more attention to exercise was a turning point in Brooke’s life. Initially she was only able to train for shorter periods, but over time, she raised this to 2 workouts a day. She personally believes in combining HIIT training – high intensity interval training – with weight training. It almost does not matter what kind of exercise you do, the point is to try to keep your body fit. If necessary, seek professional help and follow a personalized program to make exercise safer and more effective. 

Gratitude as a tool for recovery

This is a topic that, in most cases, takes a back seat to dietary recommendations and the need for regular daily exercise. However, Dr. Brooke’s social media communications are increasingly echoing this theme. She stresses the importance of self-love and gratitude, which she believes we should consciously cultivate in our life. 

A wealth of research now proves that experiencing gratitude triggers biological responses that have a positive impact on our health and promote healing. Practicing gratitude meditation reduces stress, depression and inflammatory markers, and increases motivation and resilience. 
Neurologist, Dr. Huberman talks about this more in this podcast episode, among other practical tips.