COPD – NUTRITION HEALTH TIPS
1)Eat 6 small meals everyday instead of 3 large ones so that your stomach is not extremely full. A full stomach can interfere with breathing by pushing on the diaphragm.
2)Eat and chew slowly so you are less likely to become short of breath. Try putting your spoon or fork down between bites to slow your eating speed.
3)Avoid gas forming foods (they cause abdomen bloating and make breathing difficult). These include onions, cauliflower, broccoli, melons, pea, corn, cucumber, cabbage, beans. Fried and greasy foods also can cause bloating.
4)Eat a low fat-low salt diet as excess weight makes the lungs and heart work faster.
5)Stop smoking. It is never too late to quit smoking. No matter how long you have COPD or how serious it is, quitting smoking will help slow the disease and improve your quality of life.
6)Avoid bad air as much as possible. Using air filters in the house or air conditioning when allergens are prevalent can be helpful.
7)Pulmonary rehabilitation, which includes exercise, has been shown to improve health related quality of life for people with COPD. Start exercise if it is right for you and under expert guidance.
8)If you are overweight, you can lose weight by eating fewer calories. But don’t eat so few calories that you feel fatigued and hungry all the time. Consult a nutritionist for expert guidance.
9)Fad diets are not appropriate for COPD patients. COPD patients should eat a healthy and a well-balanced diet instead of going on fad diets to control weight.
10)Drinking lots of water is the key. It helps to clear out any mucus and keeps your oxygen level flowing to the lungs.
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