Jill Brook has been a nutritionist for over 20 years, and a POTS patient for over 25. She grew up in Wisconsin, earned degrees from Princeton University and UCLA, then worked as a nutritionist and researcher for UCLA and the Pritikin Longevity Center. In 2001 she started her private practice in Pasadena, California, where she worked with adults, college students and sports teams, focusing on cutting edge nutrition for top performance and health, and also on willpower and food psychology…because knowing what to eat doesn’t always make it easier to do it!
Over the years Jill published 3 books, won several awards for outstanding service, and provided nutrition consulting to Disney, Caltech, NBC’s Today Show and others. In 2013, POTS symptoms worsened and forced Jill to move to ever cooler climates and work from home.
As a homebound patient, Jill experimented with nearly every science-backed dietary strategy for autoimmunity, neuropathy, gut and microbiome health, gastroparesis, MCAS, chronic pain management, sleep and more. She also volunteered as a statistician to several POTS researchers (publications below), joined the Boards of Directors of Dysautonomia Support Network and Standing Up to POTS, became Research Advisor to the LDN Research Trust, founded PatientsCount.org, and presented at medical conferences about the connection between diet, gut health, the microbiome, and autoimmunity. After several years of research, trial and error, Jill is back on her feet and feeling good again…so long as she sticks to her wellness routine.
Since 2017 Jill has been Nutrition Consultant to Dysautonomia Clinic and also works for physicians across the US, from California to New York and Florida to Alaska. She has earned a reputation for being able to help people with very complex and challenging situations.
Jill’s publications related to POTS, MCAS, EDS and SIBO:
- Weinstock, LD, Brook JB, Molderings, GJ. Efficacy and Toxicity of Hydroxyurea in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Patients Refractory to Standard Medical Therapy: Retrospective Case Series. Archives of Pharmacology Aug 2022.
- Zha K, McLaughlin A, Brook J, Blitshteyn S. Gluten-Free Diet in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Chronic Disease, January 2022. doi:10.1177/17423953221076984.
- Weinstock LD, Brook JB, Walters A, Goris A, Afrin LB, Molderings, GJ. Restless Legs Syndrome is Associated with Long-COVID in Women. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 2022.
- Weinstock LD, Brook JB, Goris SA, Afrin LB, Molderings, GJ. Mast cell activation symptoms are prevalent in long-COVID. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 2021.
- Weinstock LB, Brook JB, Blasingame KE, Kaleem Z, Afrin LB, et al. (2021) Tinnitus in mast cell activation syndrome: A prospective survey of 114 patients. J Otolaryngol Neurotol Res, 4(1): 92-96.
- McLaughlin A, Brook J, Blitshteyn S. Gluten-Free Diet in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Poster presented at: Physiatry ’21 Conference. February 9-13, 2021. Online.
- Afrin LB, Ackerley MB, Bluestein LS, Brewer JH, Brook JB, Buchanan AD, Cuni JR, Davey WP, Dempsey TT, Dorff SR, Dubravec MS, Guggenheim AG, Hindman KJ, Hoffman B, Kaufman DL, Kratzer SJ, Lee TM, Marantz MS, Maxwell AJ, McCann KK, McKee DL, Menk Otto L, Pace LA, Perkins DD, Radovsky L, Raleigh MS, Rapaport SA, Reinhold EJ, Renneker ML, Robinson WA, Roland AM, Rosenbloom ES, Rowe PC, Ruhoy IS, Saperstein DS, Schlosser DA, Schofield JR, Settle JE, Weinstock LB, Wengenroth M, Westaway M, Xi SC, Molderings GJ. Diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome: a global “consensus-2.” Diagnosis, published online 22 April 2020.
- Weinstock L., Walters A., Brook J., Kaleem Z., Afrin L., Molderings G. Restless Leg Syndrome is Associated with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Jan. 14, 2020.
- Weinstock L, Brook J, Kaleem Z, Afrin L, Molderings G. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is Common in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology: October 2019 – Volume 114 – ACG Annual Meeting Abstracts, pS670. doi.10.14309/01.ajg.0000594304.61014.c5
- Weinstock L, Brook J, Meyers T, Goodman B. Successful treatment of postural orthostatic tachycardia and mast cell activation syndromes using naltrexone, immunoglobulin and antibiotic treatment. BMJ Case Reports. 2018. doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-221405.
- Blitshteyn S, Brook J. Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) with anti-NMDA receptor antibodies after human papillomavirus vaccination. Immunologic Research. 2017 Feb;65(1):282-284. doi: 10.1007/s12026-016-8855-1.
- Pederson C, Brook J. Health-related quality of life and suicide risk in postural tachycardia syndrome. Clinical Autonomic Research. 2017; Apr;27(2):75-81. doi: 10.1007/s10286-017-0399-5.
- Pederson CL, Blettner Brook J. Sleep disturbance linked to suicidal ideation in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2017;9:109-115. doi:10.2147/NSS.S128513.
Presentations by Jill:
- Nutrition strategies for today’s syndromes: POTS, MCAS, ME/CFS & long COVID. Invited presentation for The Bateman Horne Center, May 9th, 2023. Practice video available soon.
- Nutrition & dysautonomia. Invited presentation for the Dysautonomia Support Network, October 2022
- Nutrition strategies for autoimmunity: The POTScast, Episode 120.
- Current research findings and thinking about nutrition for POTS, practice video for invited presentation to the Johns Hopkins POTS group, May 12, 2022.
- Improving gut health: The POTScast, Episode 58
- Interview about POTS for the Calm, Cool & Connected podcast, April 27th, 2022.
- The new generation of weight control strategies that don’t involve eating less or exercising more. Invited webinar for the Pasadena Bar Association, February 24th, 2022.
- Blood sugar and insulin in POTS: The POTScast, Episode 43.
- Building Blood Volume in POTS: The POTScast, Episode 27.
- Nutrition strategies for POTS and MCAS. Invited webinar for the LDN Research Trust, November 2nd, 2021. Will be available online at LDNResearchTrust.org.
- Weight loss strategies for those who can’t eat less or exercise more. LDN 2021 AIIC Conference. June 4-6, 2021.
- Results of the LDN patient side effects survey. LDN 2021 AIIC Conference. June 4-6, 2021.
- Fighting inflammation and/or autoimmunity through gut health. Pulmonary Wellness Foundation’s COVID Rehab Lectures, November 29, 2020.
- Nutrition for POTS, GI Dysmotility and MCAS. Pulmonary Wellness Foundation’s COVID Rehab Lectures, November 22, 2020.
- Expansion on Intermittent Fasting. LDN AIIC Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, 2019.
- “What the Bleep Can I Eat?!” Making sense of conflicting autoimmune diets 2017 LDN Conference, Portland, OR, Sept. 22-24, 2017.
- Eating to improve gut health and fight autoimmunity 2017 LDN Conference, Portland, OR, Sept. 22-24, 2017.
- LDN Radio Show, December 12, 2016: Eating to fight autoimmunity
- LDN Radio Show, January 6, 2017: Latest findings on willpower and self control
- LDN Radio Show, February 12, 2018: Jill’s experiences with LDN for POTS, MCAD and SIBO
- LDN Radio Show, April 8, 2020: Strategies for a healthy gut microbiome
Helpful website:
Jill and her husband made this website to help people with complex medical situations find foods compatible with multiple food restrictions: WhatTheBleepCanIEat.com
Blogs:
In addition to the blog on this site, Jill writes the Nutrition and Lifestyle Section for the LDN Research Trust and is an occasional contributor to the Dysautonomia Clinic blog.
Public Radio:
Jill was featured in this article about POTS as part of Long COVID.
Books:
Spark! Weight Loss Coaching Questions (2011)
In this book about weight loss coaching, Jill shares the simple secret to getting better results. Whether you work professionally with clients, are supporting a loved one, or even coaching yourself, her easy approach makes the weight loss journey more engaging, enjoyable and effective. Available from Amazon
Jill’s Best Tips (2010)
For 10 years Jill scoured the weight loss research for the most painless, practical and helpful tips. This compilation shares her best finds. Available from Amazon
Don’t Be Social Tofu (2010)
If you know how to eat right and exercise effectively, but often fail to do it, then you are normal. This book explains how to win the cooperation of your taste buds, cravings, appetite, metabolism and other biology that can not only help you eat right and exercise, but make your brain and body WANT to…again and again. Based on Jill’s experience with her first 5,000 clients, this books outlines the smartest ways to invest your limited time, energy and will power. Available from Amazon
For Fun:
The POTScast
With new episodes out every Tuesday, Jill and other Board members from Standing Up to POTS conduct 3 types of interviews: POTS Basics with neurobiology professor Dr. Cathy Pederson, POTS Diaries with people affected by POTS, and Practitioners’ Perspectives with POTS experts. If you’d like to be on the podcast, patients can sign up here and practitioners can sign up here.
DoodleThru Comics
Laughter helps! Jill and her husband created the comic DoodleThru to help themselves and other patients laugh more about the absurdities of living with dysautonomia and related chronic illness. Check it out next time you need to laugh.
Mobile Apps:
Jill and her husband love creating free apps to address clients’ needs. (Some may soon be retired, as they are very time-consuming to maintain, so we apologize for any inconvenience.)
Spark! Weight Loss Coaching Questions
“I wrote this because I wanted to share a simple way to spark more success. Whether you are coaching clients professionally or helping a loved one informally, or even just coaching yourself, a simple change of approach can make all the difference! It’s easy, and makes the weight loss process so much more interesting and enjoyable…and effective!”
Boost Metabolism
“We created this app to help people burn more calories with less effort. Our nutrition practice sees lots of clients who have low metabolisms, and who struggle to lose fat, even when they exercise plenty and eat like monks. How unfair!
Luckily, there are many easy and enjoyable ways to burn more calories, and even a small daily boost adds up to huge results over time. Our clients enjoy having these other options for reaching their weight goals. We hope this helps you, too!”
Sound Sleep
“At our nutrition practice, poor sleep is the enemy! It causes excess hunger, cravings, blood sugar problems, weight gain, muscle loss, and diminishes will power. How depressing!
Luckily, science has uncovered dozens of smart, easy ways to improve sleep starting tonight. It’s amazing how absolutely everything in life gets better when you are well rested.”
Kick Sugar
“We created this app because feeling owned by sugar is no way to live!
For years, even after I was a successful nutritionist, I was a prisoner to sugar cravings. The harder I tried to resist, the more I would pine for it, despite knowing better. It made me feel pathetic! I’ve seen many clients enslaved by it too, and the research confirms it’s addictive.
Luckily, science and experience have uncovered dozens of smart strategies that make it easier to break free. I wish I had known these things when I was fighting my addiction, and I hope they help you.
Here’s to breaking free from wanting what’s bad for us!”
1-Minute Weight Wins
“After working with thousands of nutrition clients, it pained us to realize that the nicest, kindest, most selfless people often stayed overweight because they didn’t take enough time for themselves.
Their free time was spent being great parents, spouses, friends or employees, and 40 minutes on the treadmill or cooking homemade food was just never gonna happen!
So we created this app to nudge folks to succeed in their spare moments throughout the day.
These 1-Minute Weight Wins add up quickly over time to help you lose weight, whether or not you ever make it to the gym.”
1-Minute Mood Wins
“When chronic illness struck, it robbed me not only of physical health, but also my cheery disposition. Not acceptable! So my husband and I created this app to nudge me to do all the many easy, quick, painless, healthy things that are proven to help boost mood.
These 1-Minute Wins are surprisingly powerful, and they add up fast. They gave me back control and helped me return to my cheery self again. I still use them daily, because they quickly become habits…plus, you can never feel too happy.
I hope they help you too.”
1-Minute Wellness Wins
“Our nutrition practice sees thousands of clients who know how to take better care of themselves, but never have the time to do it.
So we set out to find a solution. Luckily, scientific research proves there are dozens of easy, quick and painless Wellness Wins that can add up over time to huge benefits. This app can even send you reminder nudges, so you’ve got no excuses now!”
Jill’s Pills
“When I was diagnosed with POTS, I was prescribed 19 different pills! Some had requirements about timing, food, having an empty stomach, or not taking them if I planned to lie down. My whole life became a harried pill-management challenge, and every time I tried to get out and enjoy life a little, my pill routine would need adjusting.
My husband & I created this app so I could have a fun, flexible schedule and take my pills properly. I hope you never have to take a zillion pills, but if you do, I hope this helps.”
TriggerMapper
“We created TriggerMapper so that allergy sufferers and masto-peeps like me would have an easy and appealing way to track and sort our many triggers, and then be able to easily send this information to others.
Also, as a nutritionist, I know we are much less likely to “cheat” (and then feel miserable!) when we have documented our food triggers plus smarter alternative choices. I hope this helps you stay reaction-free!”
Nutrition for POTS, MCAS, dysautonomia, autoimmunity and related conditions 