Dr. Brooke Goldner, a board-certified physician and best-selling author, has made it her life’s mission to educate people on how to heal or reverse chronic disease through a plant-based nourishing diet.

At the age of 16, Dr. Goldner was diagnosed with lupus and stage IV kidney disease. When she was 28, she began to make a recovery using her hyper-nourishment nutrition protocol and has remained symptom-free for over 15 years. Dr. Goldner now teaches other doctors and patients about her protocol, and the best part is that all the foods Dr. Goldner “prescribes” are found at your favorite grocery store.

In the current climate, staying healthy is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, so we sat down with Dr. Goldner to talk about how to clean up your diet and boost your immune system.

Why do you focus on a plant-based diet?

I have found that changing my patients to a plant-based diet has been more powerful in helping them reverse disease and regain health than any medical intervention I have ever encountered. It was also instrumental in reversing my own lupus 15 years ago and keeping me disease-free all this time.

What do you say to people who think they could never eat or drink their veggies?

I’d say that is a limiting thought that can keep them from the health they want. Once you decide you can’t do something, you shut off all your creativity. I encourage people to say, “How can I” do something rather than decide outright that they can’t do something. Let your mind come up with ideas and answers.
One of the reasons I have been so successful at getting people to eat all their vegetables is by asking myself, “How can I make it easier and tastier to eat vegetables.”

If you could only “prescribe” one food to people what would it be and why?

Definitely, my hyper-nourishing green smoothies! I have clients that would never usually eat a salad now consuming a pound or more of leafy greens a day because they are drinking them in a smoothie that is flavored with delicious sweet fruits.

What are three supermarket tips that will help people shop healthier?

Shop only the produce section, the non-dairy milks, frozen fruit section, and beans and whole-grain and oats sections.
Walk right by all the processed food aisles.
Don’t shop hungry! If you are hungry at the supermarket, open a bag of celery, cucumbers, or carrots to munch on while you shop so you don’t make poor choices driven by hunger.

Why can’t we, as Americans, escape unhealthy food options?

People eat poorly because of addictions, coping mechanisms for bad moods and stress, and lack of knowledge about what to eat. When I help people transform their diets so they can eat to heal instead of eat to get high, we need to change their addictions and habits around food at the same time for them to be successful.
When you try to change your diet without focusing on those issues, you are only using willpower to power your lifestyle change. Willpower eventually peters out, especially as you are bombarded by so much toxic food choices on TV, in the markets, and endless drive-thru fast food places.

What is your best advice for people to eat well and nourish from the inside out?

We need to take into account how to replace addictions, emotional eating, and pure willpower to help people succeed at eating for their health rather than impulsive toxic eating.
To replace food addiction, use exercise and fun activities to get your daily high. To reduce stress, create daily self-care rituals like yoga, meditation, coloring, painting or a long hot bath. When your mood is low, do a self-care activity that you find soothing, or reach out to others who help you feel loved and supported, rather than looking for food to soothe your emotions.
To overcome relying on willpower, journal, make a video, or create a vision board about the way your life WILL BE when you take back your health. I call this “Why-Power.” When you are focused on your Why, your reason for making these changes in your diet, it will keep you dedicated long after willpower runs out.

Where’s the best place to get good information?

I teach my disease reversal protocols free online as a public service. People can go to my website to watch the classes, attend my free Q&As, and start getting healthier right away.

Cover photo Leo Lopez

Gabi De la Rosa lives in Houston with her husband and three children. You can usually find her at a great local restaurant or out exploring HTX with her family. Visit her on Instagram @gabioftheroses_htx