Book SummaryGoodbye Lupus, by Brooke Goldner

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Goodbye Lupus

Brooke Goldner first encountered symptoms of lupus in her youth.

The book begins by delving into the author's formative years, a period in which she unknowingly established the foundation for intense autoimmune disorders. Goldner, although naturally slim, often filled her diet with processed and unhealthy foods, which she thought had no impact on her health because of her lean build. The section of the book serves as a cautionary note, emphasizing that nutritional decisions that appear innocuous can exert significant and lasting impacts on our well-being.

Throughout her youth and into her early adult life, she primarily ate processed foods, which did not support optimal health.

As a child, Dr. Goldner consumed large amounts of canned pasta, boxed mac and cheese, diet soda, and other highly processed foods

Goldner humorously refers to her early life luxury of having a personal chef, whom she jokingly calls "Chef Boyardee." This humorous opening prepares the reader for an in-depth account of her routine ingestion of tinned pasta, which she frequently carried to school in an insulated container. At home, the habit of unhealthy eating continued, often including frequently prepared pre-packaged macaroni and cheese as a staple in the diet. Fresh produce, although enjoyed occasionally, was overshadowed by processed and packaged options. During her adolescence, Goldner became acquainted with the unique culinary world of pizza through her father's venture into the pizza business. Her new eating habits, now characterized by a constant consumption of pizza, further cemented her dependency on processed foods. Her daily fluid intake seldom included water, and when dining out, she frequently opted for sweetened beverages, particularly diet soda.

At the age of sixteen, Dr. Brooke Goldner received a diagnosis of lupus, a health issue that was unrelated to her physique but rather stemmed from her poor nutritional habits and insufficient exercise.

This section emphasizes the deceptive nature of a seemingly healthy appearance. Goldner's inactive lifestyle and frequent consumption of processed foods were subtly laying the groundwork for a severe autoimmune condition, even though she looked fit and full of life. Her slim physique was not receiving essential nutrients and was concurrently inundated with substances that provoked inflammation. This highlights a crucial point – thinness does not equate to health. The author emphasizes that even when...

Goodbye Lupus Summary The conventional method of addressing her lupus and its consequences

Confronted with a grim forecast for her health, Goldner underwent a rigorous treatment protocol which, while effective in preserving her life, also resulted in a range of challenging adverse reactions. This section of the book delves into the narratives of individuals undergoing conventional treatment for Lupus.

Dr. Goldner sustained her life with a stringent two-year course involving aggressive chemotherapy and strong steroids.

She underwent intense medical treatments that led to side effects including swelling of the face and a rise in her weight.

Goldner endured an intensive two-year regimen of a potent chemotherapy known as [restricted term] to combat the significant inflammation in her kidneys, a method of treatment that is now less frequently used because of its high intensity and prolonged duration. Her therapeutic approach combined chemotherapy with a regimen of seven other medications, including powerful steroids. The harsh treatments left her suffering from severe nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and a facial swelling often associated with prolonged steroid use. Goldner courageously shares her ordeal with chemotherapy, highlighting the significant toll it took...

Goodbye Lupus Summary Dr. Goldner experienced a resurgence of her illness, accompanied by additional health complications.

Despite her best efforts, the unyielding pressures of her medical training and subsequent residency caused her body to hit a breaking point, triggering a perilous setback and the onset of an additional autoimmune disorder. This part of the book highlights how autoimmune conditions can be deceptive and have a tendency to recur, even after one has successfully reached a state of remission.

Despite achieving remission, the demands of her medical training and subsequent residency led to a decline in her health.

Severe symptoms such as double vision, confusion, and the development of thromboses emerged, which significantly heightened the risk of her experiencing a cerebral incident or, in the worst case, a fatal outcome.

While engaged in her demanding medical studies, Goldner's health started to deteriorate as a result of the intense schedule and inadequate rest. Symptoms such as double vision, a feeling of instability, and red discolorations on her fingernails began to manifest, signaling a potential recurrence of her illness. She decided to postpone seeking advice until her scheduled break when she could speak with her usual physicians. However, her health deteriorated...

Goodbye Lupus Summary Her husband played a pivotal role in uncovering the influential effects of dietary choices.

During her most challenging moments, she discovered comfort and hope upon encountering her future life companion. Thomas, an expert in physical fitness, provided emotional support and introduced Goldner to the significant influence of nutritional selections. This pivotal moment in her life signified the start of her road toward recovery.

Dr. Goldner's deepening affection for her partner, Thomas, infused her with renewed optimism about what lay ahead.

Thomas consistently provided support and help, even though Brooke Goldner's medical history was complicated.

As she neared the end of her medical training, Goldner found herself unexpectedly developing deep feelings for Thomas, a renowned expert in physical fitness. Despite her initial reluctance to share her personal health background, she understood the importance of being forthright with him regarding her autoimmune conditions and the difficulties they entailed. After sharing her diagnosis through tears, Thomas expressed unwavering love and support, affirming his preference for a brief shared existence with her over a more prolonged life with someone else.

Thomas introduced her to the idea that dietary changes...

Goodbye Lupus Summary Dr. Goldner developed a diet strategy designed to eliminate autoimmune-related disorders.

Drawing from her own journey and extensive research, Goldner formulated a detailed six-stage dietary regimen aimed at overcoming autoimmune disorders. Many people have regained their energy and health by adhering to a diet focused on reducing inflammation and significantly feeding the body with a diverse range of nutrients from plants.

The initial phase requires eliminating all products obtained from animals in one's diet.

The intake of animal-derived products has been associated with considerable inflammation and disruption of the immune system's peak functioning.

The approach developed by Goldner starts with the elimination of all foods derived from animals, including meats like beef and chicken, all types of seafood, and also omits eggs and dairy products. She emphasizes the link between certain foods and the body's inflammatory reactions, pointing out numerous studies that show a correlation between consumption of these foods and an increased risk of chronic diseases, particularly those associated with autoimmune disorders.

The intake of dairy products has been linked to a heightened risk of cancer, along with the emergence of type 1 diabetes and an...

Goodbye Lupus Summary Dr. Goldner's personal journey and transformations

The final section of Goldner’s book focuses on the positive benefits she reaped by adhering to her self-created protocol and highlights how those same principles have helped countless others achieve similar results. Drawing from her own journey, the writer powerfully illustrates how the body inherently has the ability to heal itself, offering hope and inspiration to those facing persistent autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Goldner experienced a complete disappearance of her lupus symptoms and signs of additional autoimmune conditions after changing her diet.

Doctors were amazed to observe her body's spontaneous recovery, since such a turnaround of a condition involving the immune system attacking itself was unheard of in their practice.

Since adopting a plant-based diet and consistently following her six-step protocol from 2005, Goldner has enjoyed a life free from lupus and other autoimmune conditions. Her medical examinations consistently show no traces of the illness, much to the amazement of her physicians. They had never witnessed such a complete and lasting vanishing of a condition in which the body's immune defenses mistakenly target its own cells, especially one as...