Best Diet Plans for Patients with Lung Disease (COPD)

COPD is an inexorable lung condition that produces bronchitis and emphysema through the obstruction of airflow as well as hampering the intake of oxygen. While nothing works like magic, proper nutrition combined with appropriate treatments transforms the lives of those affected by the disease, offering a relatively much better quality of life.

Common Symptoms of COPD 

The COPD condition is likely to give you long-term coughing, breathlessness, wheezing, and recurrent infections. All this can result in unintended weight loss and swelling of the lower legs over time. 

What Causes COPD

The direct causes of COPD include direct exposure to lung irritants such as:

• Cigarette smoke
• Polluted air
• Occupational dust

For some people, there is also a genetic factor that predisposes an individual to develop COPD, one such example is the deficiency of alpha-1 antitrypsin.

Stem Cell Therapy as a Treatment

Stem cell therapy is among the promising options in handling COPD, where patients’ lung tissues are mended, inflammation reduced, and disease progression slowed down. It is used in regenerating damaged cells with the aim of improving lung health. Global Stem Cell Care is offering consultations to educate patients in creating personalized stem cell treatment plans.

Eat Well for Your Lungs

Diet has much to do in the management of your illness and good maintenance of your lung health. Foods high in antioxidants, lean proteins, and healthy fats have been proven to prevent inflammation in the body while improving immune function and increasing energy. Staying away from salty or processed foods will help keep those flare-ups at bay.

Recommended Diet for Patients with Lung Disease 

Dietary preparation will significantly facilitate enhancing lung condition, and strength, and overcoming its clinical symptoms among the sufferer. A diet for patients with the disease of COPD, in general, is based on the following recommendations:

Foods to Take

High-Protein Foods 

The best sources of proteins for you to maintain muscular strength and energy are meat, fish, eggs, tofu, and beans. With COPD, your respiratory muscles need all the energy boost they can get! 

Antioxidant-Rich Foods 

Eaten in copious amounts, fruits such as berries, oranges, and apples, as well as veggies like spinach and kale, are antioxidant heroes that help prevent oxidative stress, which exacerbates COPD symptoms. 

Healthy Fats 

Avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil give a longer-lasting energy supply. Some patients with COPD can metabolize these foods better than carbohydrates. 

Complex Carbs 

Whole grains, oats, and brown rice produce gradual and consistent energy without causing peaks in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates tend to help regulate weight gain, which is essential to cope with COPD. 

Hydrating Foods 

Drink fluids and eat fruits such as watermelon and cucumbers. Proper hydration thins out mucus, making it easier to expel. 

Foods Rich in Magnesium and Potassium 

Bananas, spinach, sweet potatoes, and nuts help improve lung function by either relaxing or contracting your muscles.

Foods to Avoid

Too Much Salt

Salted snacks, canned soups, and cured meat might be tasty, but these are also water retainers and would make your body retain more water than it has to, making breathing that much harder.

Sugar-based Snacks

Candies, sodas, and cakes taste so delicious, but too much sugar is added and gained which results in obesity and excess weight, which may even bring up some complications with breathing.

Fried and Greasy Foods

Fried foods might feel comforting, but they raise bloating and gas pressure on your diaphragm, making it hard to breathe comfortably.

Carbonated Drinks

Carbonated drinks such as sodas or sparkling water might be pleasant and refreshing but lead to bloating, which brings extra pressure on your lungs.

Dairy Products

Some people experience that dairy products such as milk and cheese enhance mucus production, making the breathing more labored.

Acidic Foods

Citrus fruits and dishes that are tomato-based can, at times cause acid reflux, which makes a person’s COPD symptoms worsen or breathing worse.