BROOK KNOWLEDGE BASE
Last Updated: January 2021In need of some guidance? Have a burning question? We’ve got you covered! If you don’t find the answer you are looking for in our Knowledge Base, please email us at support@brook.health. We’re always here for you.
Click the links to view more information about how Brook works:
- Chatting with Brook
- The Brook Health Coaches
- Contacts
- Partner Connection
- Referral Code
- Subscriptions
- Recording My Data
- Apps and Devices
- Medication Schedules
- Reminders
- Viewing My Dashboard
- My Profile
- Doctor Report
- Permissions
- Contact Us
Have more questions about subscriptions? Check out our FAQ here.
Chatting with Brook
How do I chat with Brook?
When you open the app, you’ll start chatting with Brook. Brook will message you with important, personalized, and relevant information. This includes sharing your most recent data, asking you questions, and more.
The Brook Health Coaches
Who are the Brook Health Coaches?
The Brook Health Coaches are a group of coaches experienced in the field of nutrition and health. They include Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE), Registered Dietitians (RDN), and Certified Nutritionists (CN).
Chatting with our Health Coaches is a simple way to help maintain health in between care provider visits, as well as get professional guidance and support when you need it most- no appointments, in-person visits, or phone calls necessary.
Our Health Coaches will also periodically offer insights about your data. They analyze your data, and provide meaningful feedback for improving your health. They are here to support you in your self-care and manage the many day-to-day decisions that really make a difference.
Please note: Our Health Coaches are available for live support during the hours of 6am - 7pm PST daily. Inquiries outside of these hours will be answered within 24 hours.
How do I chat with a Health Coach?
Our Health Coaches love hearing from you! To reach them, open the app and tap ‘Care Circle’ on the top left.
Next, tap on the “Health Coaches” tab.
Once you reach the Health Coaches page, you can send them a message, ask a question, share your data, and more.
To share your data, tap the graph icon in the entry bar:
Next, choose from Daily, Weekly, or Monthly data, and tap ‘Share chart’ at the bottom of the screen. For example, here we are sharing our Weekly Sleep Data:
Contacts
How do I invite and chat with my Care Circle?
Chat with your family, friends or a care provider. To invite them, send messages, and share data, open the app and tap ‘Care Circle’ on the top left.
Next, tap the ‘Add new contact’ button at the bottom of the screen:
Next, type in the name of the contact or the email associated with your desired contact. If they already use Brook, they will instantly be added to your Contact list!
If they don’t use Brook yet, you will be prompted to send them an invite from your phone contacts through either a text message or email invite. After all, everybody needs support. Please note: you will need their name and email to successfully send an invite.
Partner Connection
Brook partners with companies and corporations to bring you access to Brook and our Health Coaches at no cost to you.
When you create your account be sure to select your partner from the list, or if you are not a member you can specify so and move onto choosing a subscription.
If you already have an account with Brook or didn’t verify your membership when you created your account, you can enter your verification code under “Partners” in your profile and start receiving benefits anytime.
Referral Code
Brook partners with healthcare provider entities like clinics, doctors, and more. If Brook partners with your healthcare provider, they might provide you with a Referral Code.
A Referral Code may or may not alter the price of a Brook subscription.
You will be prompted to enter a Referral Code after creating your Brook account. If you have already created a Brook account and would like to add a Referral Code, you can do so by navigating to your profile (tap “Profile” in the upper right, then tap your name) and scrolling down to “Referral Code”
Please note: Using a Referral Code does not give your healthcare provider access to your health data on Brook. Your health data is protected. Using a Referral Code allows your healthcare provider to know how many of their patients are using Brook, and how Brook is helping their patients achieve better health metrics. These health metrics are de-identified and not tied to each specific person, as is mandated by HIPAA compliance laws.
Subscriptions
Brook is available to everyone. If you are not affiliated with one of our partners, you can still get the Brook service with a subscription. Currently, Brook is free to all during the COVID-19 crisis.
When you first create an account with Brook, you will be asked to connect a partner or start a subscription.
Not all Partner Plans cover access to Brook, so you may still need to choose a subscription package after connecting your Partner.
To manage your subscription, navigate to your Profile section in Brook. To get there, tap “Profile” in the upper right of the app, then tap your name. Tap “My account” to view your membership details, cancellation policy, and manage you subscription
Have more questions about subscriptions? Check out our FAQ here.
Recording My Data
How do I record my data?
Adding your data is as easy as 1,2,3! (1) Open the app, (2) tap on the “+” icon at the bottom right, (3) select the data type you want to enter. Scroll left to right to view more options.
In addition to the data you share with us directly, Brook gathers other important data in the background so you don’t have to.
After you give permission, we measure crucial factors in health management like steps and sleep.
For more details, see the “Profile” section below.
How do I record food and drinks?
Recording food has never been easier. Tap “+” in the lower right and then tap the food button.
When the food card opens, simply tap the microphone to use the voice-to-text feature to say what you had to eat or drink. You can also tap in the text box to type what you had to eat or drink.
Note: the more specific you are in describing what you had to eat or drink, will result in more accurate nutrition information. Brook made it simple to report food easily, be as specific as you prefer.
You can also easily report foods that you eat all the time by tapping the button for “Past Meals.”
Individual food items will be displayed in order of frequency, or you can search for a specific food that you’ve reported before. Tap to select all the items you wish to report for that meal.
Brook takes what you say and breaks it down to the individual food items, and will return nutritional information for your review before saving the entry.
The pie graph shows the macronutrient (protein, fat, and carbs) distribution of the meal, shown as a percentage of total calories that come from each macro.
Part of the dietary reference intakes (DRI) provided by the USDA includes Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR). The AMDRs provide an estimated range of intake for each macronutrient that will provide essential nutrients for sustaining life, which is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease. AMDRs are expressed as the percentage of calories for each nutrient.
The AMDRs for adults over the age of 19 are:
- Protein = 10-35%
- Fat = 20-35%
- Carbs = 45-65%
Note: People have varying needs based on current health status and other variables. If you have specific questions about your needs, please message with a Health Coach and one of our dietitians will be happy to help you.
At the bottom of the card you can tap “Show” to view the full nutrition information for the meal, tap “Hide” to collapse.
How do I determine the size of carbs (carbohydrate)
Curious about how many carbs are recommended for people with diabetes? Here are some general recommendations, which may differ based on your age, size, level of activity, and your body’s response to carb intake.
- Women: 30 - 45 grams carbs/meal and 15-20 grams carbs/snack, (based on 3 meals and 2 snacks daily)
- Men: 45 - 60 grams carbs/meal and 15-20 grams carbs/snack, (based on 3 meals and 2 snacks daily)
Please note that carb recommendations are provided for individual meals and snacks, and not for entire days. As such, carbs are not “transferable” from one meal to the next. In other words, if your recommendation is 45 grams of carbs per meal, and you only have 20 grams of carbs with lunch, that doesn’t mean that 25 grams of extra carbs can or should be added to dinner.
How can I edit serving sizes?
The serving sizes are based on an average serving size for that item. You can edit the serving size if you had more or less of an item by tapping on the food item in the list.
Once in the “Edit Serving” card, you can use the drop down menu to change the amount or the measurement used. While editing you can see how the calories and nutrients adjust based on how much you had.
Where can I view calorie and nutrition information?
All of the data you report to Brook is viewable on your dashboards. To get there, tap “Profile” in the top right corner of the app. To find the dashboard you want to view, select from the menu of icons under your name.
To access food dashboards tap the apple icon
There are daily, weekly, and monthly views available for all dashboards. Tap the option based on what timeframe you would like to view.
Food dashboards display nutrition information and the history of meals you reported across three different views (Calories, Nutrients, Meals). Use the arrows on the left or right, or swipe from left to right across the screen to go between the views.
1. Calories - this is where you can view the calorie graph
2. Nutrients - this is where you can view the macronutrient distribution chart and the detailed Nutrition Facts
3. Meals - this is where you can view the details of each meal you logged including the description and photos
To view the details and nutrition information for a previously reported meal, tap the meal from the dashboard.
Can I edit or delete a previously recorded meal?
To edit a meal that was just reported, tap on the card in the chatstream and you will be taken back into the food card where you can edit the meal.
To edit or delete a past meal from your dashboard, swipe or tap the arrows until you are on the “Meals” view of the food dashboard. Find the meal you would like to edit or delete, and tap it to open up the “Food Card.”
To edit a serving of an item in the list tap on that food to launch the “Edit Serving Card.” To remove the entire meal, tap the trashcan icon in the upper-left corner.
Apps and Devices
Brook allows you to connect with top fitness trackers and health monitoring devices. This allows Brook to ambiently collect data from these devices so you don’t have to enter it manually. You can connect supported devices including smart watches, glucometers, and blood pressure monitors.
Directly Connected Devices
Brook has teamed up with the most common Bluetooth™ glucometers used by our members to streamline data collection. To see if your device is supported, navigate to your profile in Brook - tap “Profile” in the upper right, tap your name, scroll down to Apps & Devices, and tap on Bluetooth™ devices.
Note: Bluetooth™ supported devices must be paired directly through Brook.
First tap the device you want to connect to begin the pairing process.
This will take you through the step-by-step instructions for pairing the device.
Auto sync is turned on by default for these devices. To turn auto sync off, use the toggle on the Bluetooth devices screen. When auto sync is on, blood sugar readings from your glucometer will automatically sync to Brook when you open the app provided Bluetooth is on, and the meter is on, paired, and within range of your phone.
Manual sync of your meter is available in two places.
- From Brook’s main channel, tap the “+” in the bottom right, and tap “Sync Meter”
- From your profile, navigate to Bluetooth devices, and tap the sync icon next to the paired device you wish to sync
To unpair a device find the connected device in your Profile, under Bluetooth devices —> Paired devices. Swipe left on the device you want to unpair to open the options menu, tap “Unpair.”
For additional support and information checkout our Glucometer FAQs
Cloud Connected Devices & Services
Brook is integrated with certain devices and services through a cloud-based connection. To connect these fitness trackers and health monitoring devices, navigate to your profile in Brook - tap “Profile” in the upper right, then tap your name. Scroll down to “Apps & Devices” and tap “More” to connect your device.
Sync your device with the device’s app regularly to ensure Brook has the most recent data from the cloud.
If you need to make edits to data that came from a tracker or device, those edits must be made in the device’s app or the device itself to have those changes reflected in Brook.
Here is some information about what types of devices are supported, and what types of data they can provide:
| Manufacturer | Data Types | Manufacturer | Data Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitbit | Exercise Steps Sleep Weight |
Omron | Blood pressure Steps |
| Garmin | Exercise Steps Sleep Weight |
Polar | Exercise Steps |
| iGlucose | Blood glucose | Strava | Exercise |
| iHealth | Blood glucose Blood pressure Exercise Steps Sleep Weight |
Under Armour | Exercise Steps Sleep Weight |
| Misfit | Blood pressure Exercise Steps Sleep Weight |
Withings | Blood pressure Exercise Steps Sleep Weight |
*Workout types are limited and only include: BIKING, RUNNING, WALKING, SWIMMING, STRENGTH, and OTHER
Medication schedules
Reporting meds and creating a medication schedule
Tap the plus sign at the bottom right of the screen on the main Brook channel to add data.
Select the medication icon. This is the screen to enter medication.
Start typing the name of the medication in the first box to initiate a search, and select the medication name from the list.
Then select what form the medication is in. Note: Only the available forms of that medication will be displayed. Then enter the dose of medication taken, the unit (only available units of that particular medication form will show), and the quantity (how many) of the medication taken.
Tap “Next” if you want to report a single med OR tap the checkbox next to “Set schedule” to specify the time of day and frequency the meds are taken.
Tap the + sign next to “Add medication” to continue adding more medications to easily and quickly report them daily on Brook.
The next time data is added, Brook will display the medication schedule. Tap the box next to a schedule to report or add new medications.
Note: Delete a medication from the schedule by swiping the medication to the left. Edit a medication in the schedule by tapping on the medication name.
View reported medications in the dashboard at any time, with daily, weekly, and monthly views available. Edit previously entered medications from your dashboard in daily view.
Reminders
Where do I set reminders?
You can set reminders to test blood sugar, blood pressure, and to take and log your scheduled medications. Start by tapping “Profile” in the top-right, then your name. Scroll down to the Settings section and tap “Reminders.”
Tap “Add reminder” and select which reminder you would like to set.
Set a time for the reminder, and how frequently you’d like to receive them (daily or specific days). Tap “Save” and the reminder will be set.
If you would like to receive medication reminders, you have to set up a medication schedule first. When you create a medication schedule an option to turn on a reminder for those meds will appear in the Reminder section. When you delete a medication schedule it will automatically delete the reminder.
Can I temporarily stop reminders?
To stop receiving reminders, you can mute the reminder in the Reminders section. You can mute individual reminders by tapping the bell, mute a reminder type (such as medication or blood sugar) by sliding the toggle on or off by the type, or mute all reminders by using the top toggle.
How do I delete a reminder?
To delete a reminder, navigate to the Reminders section in your profile. You can swipe left on a specific reminder to delete it. If you want to delete a reminder for a medication schedule, you will have to delete the corresponding medication schedule.
In order to receive reminder notifications, you must have notifications enabled. When you add a reminder, Brook will prompt you to enable them if they aren’t already on.
Viewing My Dashboard
Where can I view my data?
You can view your reported data anytime in the dashboard section. To access the dashboard, simply open the app and tap “Profile” on the top right of the screen.
Once you’ve reached the dashboard, choose which type of data you’d like to see by swiping the icons from left to right. For example, the moon icon will display your Sleep Duration chart.
How do I use the dashboard?
The dashboard allows you to dive deep into your personal data. Viewing current and historical data is easy. Choose between daily, weekly, and monthly views.
In addition, you can choose specific dates and time frames to view your data. This can be especially helpful if you have a change in routine, and would like to see the impact it has had on your data.
Bonus: our Health Coaches provide you with personalized insights via the app. We crunch your data and provide meaningful feedback for improving your health. Be on the lookout for direct messages from our Health Coaches!
*We are always adding more useful metrics! If you have any requests for additional meaningful metrics and data, please email the Brook Team anytime at support@brook.health.
Is my information secure?
Rest assured that your personal data is always kept safe with us. Brook is HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant. HIPAA is a US law designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients' medical records and other health information provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers. For more details, please refer to our Privacy Policy by clicking here.
My Profile
What is my Profile? How do I edit my Profile?
Your Profile contains your personal information. This includes basics such as name, weight, height, care plan, diagnosis date, pertinent medical devices you may be using, and the frequency with which you check your blood sugar or blood pressure.
To edit your Profile, open the app and tap “Profile” in the top right.
Once you reach the dashboard, tap on your name.
Congrats, you are now in your profile!
Note: if your email address is red it means you have not confirmed your email. Please tap your email to resend a verification email.
From your profile you can add and edit your information. Keeping your information up-to-date allows Brook to provide you with the most personalized experience.
Scroll down and you can change the units of measure.
Scroll down further and you can take a peek at some legal stuff and/or logout (we encourage you to stay logged in!).
The “Export data” button emails you CSV files of all the data you’ve ever entered on Brook, separated by data type. You cannot receive this file until your email address has been confirmed for privacy reasons.
Doctor Report
Printable reports are here!
If your Care Plan is set to “Diabetes,” you can get a clear, concise one-page report of recent data to provide helpful context for healthcare provider visits. (Note: Find Care Plan in your profile by tapping “Profile” in the upper right, then your name)
The report contains your recent blood sugar readings, activity, sleep, and more.
The more you enter into Brook, the better your report will be.
To access Doctor’s Report, tap “Care Circle” in the upper left, then tap “Create Report.”
Select either 30, 60, or 90 days for the report duration. Brook will automatically email a PDF of the report. The email address used for registration will auto populate, provided it was confirmed with Brook. Enter other email addresses to have a report sent directly to healthcare providers.
Permissions
How do I allow Brook to start tracking...
Steps:
- Navigate to your Profile within Brook
- Scroll to Connected Services, tap View All
- Tap on Google Fit
- Select Connect and follow instructions (Choose account and authorize)
Why is Brook asking for permission to access my device’s data?
We strive to provide you with personalized insights for better living, and to send you valuable information when you need it most. To do this we need permission to access some of your device’s features and info. Brook never shares info without your explicit permission.
Location: We'd like to periodically check this in order to streamline the recording of data. Update permissions anytime by visiting your device Settings.
Notifications: Granting permission for us to send you notifications from time to time ensures that you get valuable info when you need it most. Brook uses notifications to send reminders and for quick and easy updates and support. Update permissions anytime by navigating to your device Settings.
Google Fit: Granting permission for Brook to access your Google Fit data gives us the ability to provide you with insights. See “How do I allow Brook to start tracking…” above to edit your settings.
Contact Us
How can I get in touch about app stuff?
Please email us anytime at support@brook.health
How can I get in touch about non-app stuff?
We truly love hearing from our Brook community. Please email us anytime at team@brook.health
We’re always here for you.
CONTACT US
At any time, you may contact us with any question or complaint that you may have with respect to the Service, at: support@brook.health