If you’ve recently been diagnosed with COPD, chances are you’ve been told that you need to improve your eating habits.
Your doctor may even have referred you to a registered dietician to create a personal diet plan.
A healthy diet won’t cure COPD, it will help your body fight off infections and make you feel better.
“Eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight are important parts of managing COPD.”
Good nutrition doesn’t have to be boring or difficult to follow. Just follow these healthy diet tips.
Stay Balanced
A healthy diet includes a variety of foods.
Try to include these in your daily diet
•Low-fat protein foods such as lean cuts of meat, poultry, and fish—particularly oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
•Whole grain foods such as whole-grain bread, bran, brown rice, and oats.
These foods are also high in fiber, which helps improve the function of the digestive system.•Fresh fruits and vegetables.
They contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which will help to keep your body healthy.
Some fruits and vegetables are more suitable than others; refer to the foods to avoid list below to find out more.
•Foods containing high levels of potassium, including bananas, oranges, tomatoes, asparagus, and potatoes. Potassium-rich foods can be useful if your dietician or doctor has prescribed you diuretic medication.
Know What to Avoid
Certain foods can cause problems such as gas and bloating, contain too much fat, or are low in nutritional value. Foods to avoid include
:Salt
Too much sodium or salt in your diet causes water retention, which may affect your ability to breathe.
Remove the saltshaker from the table and don’t add salt to your cooking. Use unsalted herbs and spices to flavor food instead.
Check with your dietician or health care provider about low-sodium salt substitutes.
They may contain ingredients that could affect your health. Also, be sure to check the labels of the foods you buy and avoid any containing more than 300g of sodium per serving.