Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) means finding ways to breathe easier, but shortness of breath – dyspnea – doesn’t only affect your lungs. Shortness of breath can also make it difficult to eat, leading to another common complication of COPD: malnutrition.
According to the American Lung Association, some COPD patients require 10 times as many calories to breathe than a healthy person. Following a diet that gives your body enough energy for breathing and eating is critical with COPD. Prolonged malnutrition leads to unhealthy weight loss and is linked to a decrease in survival among COPD patients.
The COPD Diet
Eating a healthy diet won’t cure COPD, but it will help you maintain a healthy weight, breathe easier and give your body the fuel it needs for your daily activities. Incorporate the tips below into your COPD weight-management plan:
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