Authored by BlueAngel on
Thursday, June 24, 2004
This entry should be of interest to those of us who have respiratory problems (i.e. COPD, Asthma, etc) and are curious about how our diets help or compromise our already stressed respiratory systems.
This information is presented in an easily understood format for both the patient with respiratory problems as well as the caregivers. Rotech Company is at the forefront of providing these educational tools.
What About Food?
Food! Everyone wants to know about food. After all, we have to eat it to stay alive. However, we do much more than eat food. We celebrate with it. We get consolation from it. We use it as a way to communicate with others. And we certainly have strong feelings about which foods we like and which we do not like. No matter how you think of food, one thing is sure, you must eat food to get the nutrition needed for life. This lesson will answer some of the most common questions concerning your diet and COPD.
· Is my breathing affected by the food I eat?
· I don’t want to eat because I’m always full.
Why is that?
· If I don’t eat as much as my doctor wants me to, will it really hurt me?
· Should I stay away from too much water if I have a problem with fluid in my legs and feet?
· Should I go on the diet I read about in a magazine?
· What if I don’t have the energy to cook or much of an appetite?
· Should I use food or vitamin supplements?
· What if I’m overweight?
Is my breathing affected by the food I eat?
There are several things about your diet that can affect your breathing. Some of them might be 1) a lack of readily available energy, 2) muscle/weight loss, 3) bloating after eating, 4) too much weight 5) poor fluid management
Also, if you do not eat enough food for the energy you need every day, then that energy will come from either stores of fat or from muscle tissue. Any time muscle is lost, it affects your breathing by making your breathing muscles weaker. Weak muscles do not work as efficiently as strong muscles do, and they use more oxygen to do their job.
Finally, some foods produce a lot of gas during digestion and can cause bloating, making your breathing more difficult. Foods that cause an excessive production of gas during digestion may include broccoli, cauliflower, other cabbage related foods, and cooked beans. You should avoid foods that cause you to feel bloated and have to work harder at your breathing.
You only need to avoid foods if they cause a problem for you. Some have believed they must avoid milk products because they increase mucus production, but this is unfounded. Unless your doctor has restricted your diet for some other reason (eg, low-sodium, low-fat, ulcer), eat the foods that you like.
First of all, people who suffer from COPD often use six to ten times more energy for breathing than others use for the same job. If you do not eat enough food to supply that added need, then you may run out of energy for other activities during the day.
I don’t want to eat because I’m always full. Why is that?
As discussed earlier, moderate to severe COPD often results in lungs that grow larger with too much stale air. The diaphragm gets pushed down toward the belly, and that causes a full feeling. If you eat too much, then your stomach gets tight and it gets even harder for your diaphragm to do its work of breathing.
The solution to this problem is to increase your number of meals during the day and decrease your portion sizes.
If I don’t eat as much as my doctor wants me to eat, will it really hurt me?
As discussed earlier, if you do not eat enough, it could lead to muscle and weight loss. But it could also cause critical deficiencies in proteins (what the body uses to repair and maintain tissues), fats (essential fats are important to your body and can only be added through food), vitamins (the things that help to turn food into energy, and minerals (building blocks used by the body to maintain bodily functions and manufacture bone, blood, and teeth).
Malnutrition and weight loss have been shown to be risk factors for infection, hospitalization, and failure of your lungs. If eating a large meal causes you to feel bloated, a solution to the problem is to eat several small, well balanced meals throughout the day. Focus on eating higher calorie foods. End the day with a nice bowl of ice cream.
Should I stay away from too much water if I have a problem with fluid in my legs and feet?
Many people mistakenly reduce water intake in an effort to deal with swelling in their extremities. In fact, too much fluid in swollen extremities is often due to something other than drinking too much water. Not drinking enough water can actually make the problem worse.
Water helps you to digest food and get rid of waste. But COPD can cause you to produce too much mucous. Plenty of water in your diet will help to keep that mucous thin so it can be moved out of your lungs more easily. Mucous in your lungs traps a lot of germs, so getting it out is very important. Never underestimate the importance of drinking enough fluids.
Drinking 8-10 glasses of fluid per day is about right. Alcohol should be avoided in excess but a single drink (1 oz of liquor, 4 oz wine, or 12 oz beer) is acceptable and evidence exists that it may even be beneficial. Always discuss your entire diet with your doctor as there may be other reasons to restrict your fluid and diet (eg, salt-, alcohol-, fat-restriction).
If you haven’t already guessed, there are many ways to get more fluids into your diet—water is just one of them. Be sure to ask your doctor about drinking more fluids. Drinking fruit juice, a milkshake, or even a beer with your meal in place of water is a good way to increase your calorie intake. <(Please check with your physician about drinking any alcoholic breverages, including beer. The reason being that some of the medicines you are prescribed might not be compatible with alcohol.)
Should I go on the diet I read about in a magazine?
There are a million and one diets going around out there. You should not pay attention to any of them without showing them first to your physician. Supplements or vitamins should never be added to your diet before consulting your doctor because some supplements can cause problems with your medications. In fact, the best way to ensure a healthy balance of vitamins and minerals is to follow a well balanced diet using small meal sizes several time a day and by drinking plenty of water between meals.
What if I don’t have the energy to cook or much of an appetite?
Prepare nutritious foods that require less energy to fix. Fix a large portion and freeze some to heat up later. Convenience foods (eg, pre-cooked, ready to eat) can provide good alternatives but you do have to watch sodium levels if you are on a salt-restricted diet.
"Meals on Wheels” can be an inexpensive and nutritious option if you don’t cook. Casserole meals save energy by being an entire meal in one dish, cutting the energy needed to prepare the meal and to clean up.
Many patients have a problem with a poor appetite. Some medications can upset the stomach (eg, theophylline), but the most common cause of poor appetite is swallowing mucus. If you cough up mucus or have sinus drainage, avoid swallowing the mucus as much as possible.
Should I use food or vitamin supplements?
High calorie supplement drinks can be useful when you are unable to eat well (eg, during an illness). Special formulations for people with breathing problems are available but any quality supplement is probably fine for COPD patients at home. Eating a good meal is best but drinking a high-calorie, high-vitamin drink can substitute when necessary.
Vitamin supplements (eg, one a day) may be helpful, especially when diet is lacking in proper vitamins. There is some evidence that increased intake of Vitamin C (500-1,000 mg/day) and beta- carotene (it produces Vitamin A and E) can be helpful.
What if I’m overweight?
For other patients with COPD, their problem might be the opposite- they are overweight. Obesity (> 20% over ideal body weight) can also have a negative impact on breathing and general health. Obesity restricts the movement of the chest and decreases lung volume. It can predispose the patient to other problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. If you are overweight, a responsible weight loss program under your physician’s guidance can be helpful.
Proper nutrition is important to everyone but especially the patient with breathing problems. Find the diet that is best for you and practice it on a daily basis in order to improve your general health and breathing. Talk to your doctor when you have questions. Taking these steps can help you in your goal to breathe easy.
Study Questions About Your Diet
Circle the letter that best answers each question.
1. T or F Many people who suffer from COPD should pay close attention to eating enough food because they use much more energy to breathe than other people do.
2. Which of the following foods produce more gas and thus can cause bloating as they are digested?
a. Steak
b. Milk
c. Cabbage
d. All of the above
3. Which of the following eating patterns is best when you suffer from COPD.
a. Two big meals per day.
b. Two small meals per day.
c. Three regular meals per day.
d. Three light meals per day with three snacks between those meals.
4. T or F If you swallow mucous, that could cause you to loose your appetite.
5. Getting plenty of liquids in your diet will
a. cause your feet to swell.
b. thin out your airway mucous.
c. not make any difference.
d. mean you’ll have to drink water to get all the needed fluid.
6 .T or F A “once per day” vitamin and mineral supplements is probably a good idea for people with COPD.
http://www.rotech.com/respiratory/v2/health hyper/diet/diet2/nn4/diet2.htm
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