COPD-Friendly Foods to Help Manage Symptoms
One thing about COPD is that the very act of breathing ends up burning more energy than a person without COPD. If you have been losing weight without any efforts, then you can add these foods as comfort foods into your diet and help boost your energy to feel your best. However, if you have weight management issues, then it is best to draw up a restraint in the amount that you intake.
Some of the best foods to eat when diagnosed with COPD are as follows:
1. Complex carbohydrates
When you have COPD, you tend to experience fatigue as the day progresses. This is all the more reason why you need to pack as much energy into your breakfast as possible. To begin with, start with at least adding in about 25-30 grams of fiber daily, and this can be through the addition of a simple bowl of bran or a slice of wheat toast. You can get the best source of carbs from fruits, starchy vegetables, beans, lentils, and whole-grain foods.
2. Oatmeal and milk
This could be a starter meal for your day to get that power-packed breakfast, or it could be a snack you want later into the day to keep you energetic. This is the best source to get a balance of fiber, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. When you add milk to your oatmeal instead of water, you essentially ramp up the nutrition value. The great news is that it does not add weight and a great choice for those who want to cut down those extra pounds. You can also add in a few berries and spruce up the flavor without adding many calories.
3. Proteins
One of the biggest challenges with COPD is the fatigue that sets off through the day and makes you exhausted at the end of it. You can consciously add in foods that have high nutrition by adding on high calories rather than empty calories. Some of the best possible ways to do this are to avoid the mashed potato and stick to protein-rich foods like beef, tofu, chicken, and fish. Just remember you need to keep the fat low, so pick lean meat over fatty ones.
4. Cheese
You can easily spruce up your meal with the addition of cheese to simple dishes such as vegetable and rice. They not only add flavor but deliver on calcium and caloric value for boosting the health of your body. Those diagnosed with COPD have calcium deficiencies that arise due to the brittleness setting into the body. With reduced-fat or part-skim cheeses, you can avoid too many high calories and yet get the benefits of this food.
Many other foods go a long way in boosting energy when you have COPD. Simple things such as staying hydrated with water and adding milk to your diet can add many benefits in addition to giving your body the energy it requires.