Try These Great Nutritional Tips for COPD

If you have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), than maintaining a proper diet can become a whole lot more tricky. Eating healthy meals and keeping the body at it’s optimal weight is a long  term and demanding task, but COPD clinical studies have shown that it can help regulate the symptoms of this deadly respiratory disease.

How Does Body Weight Impact COPD?

If you are living with COPD, than your weight will have a significant impact on your symptoms. People who are overweight put a larger level of stress on the body when they are moving around. This can lead to increased shortness of breath, which is one of the most common indications of COPD.

On the other hand, research has shown that it is even more critical for COPD patients to not be underweight. Many people end up losing weight after they have been diagnosed with this respiratory disease, but their doctors warn them not to lose too much. Underweight COPD patients tend to be given a worse prognosis compared to those at a healthier weight. Being malnourished also means having less energy, which can make it even harder to stick to your COPD treatment plan.

Nutritional Tips for COPD Patients

You should talk to your doctor about developing a good nutrition plan that is tailored to you. Most likely, they will refer you to a nutritionist, someone who will be able to help you form an effective meal plan that will meet all your specific needs. Your nutritionist will also be able to monitor your overall progress along the way.

While there is no universal meal plan that will work for all COPD patients, these are a few guidelines that could be of help:

• Track Your Calorie Intake: If you are overweight, then consuming fewer calories will help you lose weight. As simple as this may sound, you don’t want to limit yourself so much that you end up feeling hungry or fatigued on a constant basis. If maintaining the optimal body weight is an issue, your doctors and nutritionist will be able to advise you on what foods you need to be eating.
• Avoid Fatty Foods: A diet that is high in fat is not highly recommended for anyone, and it can be quite detrimental for people living with COPD. However, you also won’t be well served by trying to adapt some form of popular diet in order to regulate your weight. Instead, studies have shown that healthy, balanced meal plans are the best way to go.
• Protein Consumption: Your medical team and nutritionist can help you figure out the appropriate level of protein you should be consuming in your diet. Many people actually don’t get enough in their regular diets, but it is extremely important for patients with COPD (especially if they are exercising for their rehabilitation program).
• Keep Track of Meal Portions: Patients with COPD are often encouraged to eat smaller meal portions. So instead of having two or three bigger meals throughout the day, they are told to eat smaller but more frequent meals as it can help improve their range of breathing.
• Stay Balanced: Be sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and lean meat proteins in your diet.
• Limit Sodium Consumption: If you eat too much salt (sodium), the body can begin to retain too much fluid, which can exacerbate your COPD symptoms.
• Don’t Forget the Oxygen: If your doctor has prescribed supplemental oxygen, then be sure to use it prior to and after meals. Supplemental oxygen can help the body’s digestion process.

As you can see, the right diet is an essential part of any effective COPD management plan. By eating properly, patients can take better control over their symptoms, improve their energy levels, and even prevent future COPD exacerbation (a potentially deadly incident). When you have this respiratory disease, each breath can be a struggle, so make sure to give your body the energy it needs.