Roughly 15 million adults have been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while still another 12 million could have COPD unknowingly. COPD commonly strikes in middle age, and cigarette smoking is the leading risk factor. Consistent exposure to dust and chemicals can also heighten the risk of COPD.
Actively making healthy lifestyle choices can make a major difference in the severity of symptoms for you or someone you care about that has been diagnosed with COPD. Not only that, but sticking to a healthier diet for those with COPD can help them feel better, improve the strength required for breathing, and better fight off chest infections.
Happier Home Care, top provider of home care in Glendale and the nearby areas, offers these guidelines to better manage COPD symptoms:
- Get plenty of potassium. People with COPD who take diuretics need extra potassium. Good options include potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, and oranges.
- Always eat breakfast. For a person with COPD, breathing burns as many as ten times more calories than it does for individuals without COPD, so beginning the day with a nourishing breakfast can provide the calories and nutrients necessary for the day.
- Try to avoid gas-inducing foods. Foods such as beans, fried foods, and carbonated drinks that produce gas and bloating can make breathing harder for someone with COPD. Avoid these types of foods to prevent symptom flare-ups.
- Drink plenty of liquids (without caffeine). Liquids help to thin mucus in the air passageways; but beverages with caffeine can conflict with some medicines and lead to restlessness, so it’s best to bypass caffeine.
- Lower intake of sodium. Sodium can result in water retention, making it harder to breathe, so limit foods that contain more than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. Sodium-free spices like parsley, oregano, garlic, basil, curry, onion, rosemary, and lemon juice are all flavorful alternatives.
Happier Home Care, provider of the most trusted home care in Glendale and the nearby areas, is experienced in caring for COPD patients and their families and can assist in managing COPD symptoms, as well as making sure the home is safe and free from irritants. Contact us today online or at 818-651-6679 to learn more ways we can help.