Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I can only speak to my own experience and hope that gives you some insight into what POTS is and how it can affect you or the people around you.
Nutrition is important for everyone but even more so in people with a chronic illness of any kind. With POTS there are so many stomach issues that make eating a decent amount of food hard so every bite you take counts.
Concentrate on fruits and vegetables
Fruits and veggies have so much nutrition in every bite. They’re full of fiber, vitamins and water. A small amount can be so good for your health. Experiment with different ones to see what works best for your stomach.
Add a protein to every meal
A protein does not have to be meat if you don’t want it to. I try to sprinkle hemp hearts on a lot of my food. Tofu and beans are another great source of protein and of course meat is as well. Meat can be heavy on your stomach though so cushion it with other foods.
Carbs are important too
Carbs can be very filling and not hard on your stomach. Cheerios are a great source of iron and they’re easy to eat. Grab a slice of toast with avocado and some hemp seeds, that’s filling and has protein and fat to it.
Don’t discount diary
I’m not a fan of dairy products, I’ve never liked milk, yogurt and I think butter ruins bread. That being said while I don’t eat a lot of dairy I do find that a bite or two of ice cream can calm my stomach down when it really hurts. If you’re able to add dairy to your daily diet it might be something to look into it.
Eat what you can but don’t push it too far
Eating small meals works best for me but sometimes that’s not always possible, think Thanksgiving. On those days I eat a bigger meal but still stop myself before I get too full or I eat lighter foods that I know won’t hurt my stomach.
Drink a lot of water
With POTS your blood volume is lower and your blood pressure when standing falls due to this. One of the ways to get blood volume up is to stay hydrated. It’s not enough to just drink water though, you also need electrolytes and salt. Add Liquid IV or LMNT to your drinks.
Further Reading
“Best Diet for POTS Syndrome • Get Natural Relief • MyHeart.” MyHeart, https://myheart.net/pots-syndrome/diet/. Accessed 4 April 2023.
“Nutritional Implications of Patients with Dysautonomia and Hypermobility Syndromes.” NCBI, 12 September 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8435108/. Accessed 4 April 2023.
“Nutrition Strategies for Managing POTS.” Standing Up To POTS, https://www.standinguptopots.org/nutritionstrategiesPOTS. Accessed 4 April 2023.
“POTS: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 9 September 2022, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots. Accessed 4 April 2023.