COPD –Keeping The Diet Healthy

Healthy diet and nutrition has proved to be effective for COPD patients and is identified as a modifiable risk factor for COPD development and progression. COPD is a common ailment that earlier used to affect only patients in their old age. Today COPD is common in patients who are only 40 yrs old. Smoking, unbalanced lifestyle and pollution are some of the main reasons for the same. Nutrition and diet play an important role in the management and prevention of COPD.

Diet recommendations for patients suffering from COPD:

There has been a significant improvement in COPD patients with a high fat, low carbohydrate, and high protein diet. Even mild COPD increases the chance of being underweight if proper nutrition is not maintained. In COPD, undernutrition should be avoided because undernutrition can cause poor quality of life and physical exercise performance. COPD patients need more energy and strength to do the work of breathing. A healthy diet helps in preventing infections.

Eat Fruits & Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables, as a source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals are beneficial in COPD and respiratory conditions.Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduce inflammation since they have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Carbohydrates cause you to hold in too much carbon dioxide. This can cause tiredness.

Eat proteins: Proteins play an important role in COPD.The requirement should be met through the diet.Proteins produce antibodies that fight infection and improves immunity. Lack of protein can reduce the lungs’ ability to fight infections especially in people with COPD. Fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, and dairy products are some of the sources.

Drink fluids: Drinking enough fluids is very important for people with COPD. Sufficient fluid intake helps thin out and clear out lung secretions.Intake of sodium should be in moderation.Too much intake of salt in the diet can cause the body to retain fluids. It can also increase blood pressure and shortness of breath.People have a myth that milk can produce more mucus but the matter of fact is  Milk Does NOT Create more mucus. Good Nutrition is vital to managing COPD.