Patient education: COPD and diet (The Basics)

What is COPD? — COPD stands for "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease." It is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. In people with COPD, the airways (the branching tubes that carry air within the lungs) become narrow and can be clogged with mucus (figure 1). The air sacs can also become damaged. This makes people feel short of breath and tired.

COPD can be a serious illness. It cannot be cured and can get worse over time. But there are treatments that can help.

You might have heard COPD called "chronic bronchitis" or "emphysema." These are types of COPD.

Why might I need a special diet? — There is no specific diet for people who have COPD. Generally, doctors recommend a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.

If you have excess body weight, this can make breathing problems worse. Losing weight can help you breathe more easily.

However, some people with severe COPD need extra calories or protein in their diet. For example, you might lose weight or have no appetite if:

●The work of breathing tires you out.

●You feel too full after you eat a small amount of food.

●Food tastes different because of the mucus you cough up.

●The treatments and medicines you take have side effects that make it hard to eat – For example, some medicines can cause nausea or vomiting.

Why is it important to eat enough? — It's important to eat enough so you stay as healthy and strong as possible. Eating enough and getting enough fluids will also give you more energy and help you feel better in general.

What foods can help me gain weight if I need to? — If you need to gain weight, eating foods with a lot of calories and protein in them can help. Some examples of these foods are:

●Thick, cream-based soups

●Milk, milkshakes, cheese, pudding, and smoothies

●Nutritional supplement drinks, such as Ensure, Boost, or Carnation Instant Breakfast

●Eggs, chicken, lean red meat, and fish

●Yogurt, frozen yogurt, and ice cream

●Peanut butter and other nut butters, nuts, dried fruit, and granola bars

What can I do on my own to eat enough? — To eat enough and make sure that your body gets the nutrients it needs, you can:

●Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day, instead of 3 large meals.

●Set alarms to help remind you to eat if you don't have an appetite.

●Eat healthy snacks in between meals whenever you feel hungry.

●Add butter, oil, nuts, gravy, powdered milk, protein powder, or cream to your foods to give them extra calories and protein.

●Drink fluids between meals instead of with your meals, so you don't fill up on fluids.

●Eat foods that smell good, or add spices or condiments to your food.

●Eat with family or friends.

●Buy pre-cooked foods, or cook food ahead of time and freeze it.

●Ask someone to cook or shop for you, if you are unable to.

●Take a short walk about an hour before you eat. This might help you work up an appetite.

●Ask your doctor if you should take vitamins or work with a dietitian (nutrition expert).

●If you have side effects from your treatments that keep you from eating, these tips might help:

•If you have nausea, eat foods that are bland and dry, such as crackers, rice, and toast. Avoid foods that are spicy and greasy.

•If you have trouble having a bowel movement, try to drink more fluids. You can also eat foods with a lot of fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, oatmeal, and some whole-grain breads and cereals (figure 2).

More on this topic

Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (The Basics)
Patient education: High-calorie, high-protein diet (The Basics)
Patient education: High-fiber diet (The Basics)

Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High-fiber diet (Beyond the Basics)