Welcome to Pulmonary Rehab

Nutrition & Lung Disease

Babette Parthum, RRTClinical CoordinatorRespiratory Therapy

● Your body needs food as fuel to perform all activities, including breathing.

● The right mix of nutrients in your body can help you breathe easier.

● Good nutrition helps the body fight infections.● Breathing requires more energy for people with COPD

o A person with COPD may burn up to 10 times more calories during breathing than a healthy person.

Why is Nutrition Important?

● Metabolism: the process of changing food to fuel in the bodyo Food and oxygen are changed into energy and

carbon dioxideo Carbon dioxide is a waste product and is exhaled

● You use energy for ALL activities - from sleeping to exercise

Food + Oxygen Energy + Carbon Dioxide

How Does Food Relate to Breathing?

● Maintain a healthy body weight ● A registered dietician can tell you

○ What your “goal” weight should be ○ How many calories you should

consume per day.

Nutritional Guidelines

● Overweight: heart and lungs have to work harder, makes breathing more difficulto exercise regularly, limit total daily calories

● Underweight: May feel weak and tired, more likely to get an infectiono Must consume enough calories to produce

energy to prevent weakening of the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles.

Nutritional Guidelines

● Monitor your weight: if you have an unexplained weight gain or loss (2lbs/day or 5lbs/week), notify your doctoro diuretics (fluid pills) may make you lose weight

May need to take potassium supplement (ask your doctor)

Foods high in potassium: bananas, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus

o steroids may make you gain weight

Other Nutritional Guidelines

● Drink plenty of fluids: 6-8 eight-ounce glasses per day of non caffeinated beverages to keep mucus thin and easier to cough up.

Note: If you have a heart problem such as CHF as well as COPD, follow doctors’ guidelines for limiting fluids.

● Make sure you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D○ take supplements if necessary

● Wear your nasal cannula while eating if continuous oxygen is prescribed○ Eating and digestion require energy, your

body will need the oxygen

● Avoid overeating or foods that cause gas or bloating○ Might make breathing difficult○ Foods that cause gas include:

■ carbonated beverages■ fried, greasy, heavily spiced foods■ apples, avocados, and melons■ beans, broccoli, brussel

sprouts,cabbage

● Include high fiber foods: vegetables, fruit, cooked dried beans, pasta, rice○ moves food along the digestive tract○ helps control glucose levels○ Can reduce cholesterol levels○ Goal - consume 20-35 grams per day

Control the sodium (salt) in your diet○ Consuming too much causes the body to

retain too much water, which causes breathing to be difficult

○ Helpful hints to limit daily salt intake■ remove salt shaker from table, use herbs

or no salt spices to flavor foods, don’t add salts to food when cooking, avoid foods with > 300mg sodium/serving

● Dyspnea (shortness of breath) and cough interfere with adequate dietary intake.

● Fatigue interferes with buying and preparing foods.

● Chronic mouth breathing alters the taste of food.● Headaches and mental status changes occur

because of excess levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Reasons for Poor Nutrition With Lung Disease

● Drink milk instead of low-calorie beverages.● Talk to your doctor or dietician about supplementing

meals with a nutritional supplement such as ensure or boost. Supplements help increase calories and provides nutrients to your body.

● Avoid low-fat or low-calorie products.o Examples of high calorie snacks: ice cream,

cookies, pudding, cheese, granola bars, crackers with peanut butter, eggs, fruit or vegetables with dip, popcorn with butter

Tips for Gaining Weight

● Clear your airways one hour prior to eating● Eat slowly. Take small bites. Breathe deeply while chewing.● Choose foods that are easy to chew.● Instead of eating 3 large meals, try eating 5-6 small meals.

This will keep your stomach from filling up too much so your lungs have more room to expand.

● Drink liquids at the end of your meal. Drinking during a meal might make you feel bloated.

● Eat while sitting up to relieve the pressure on your abdomen.

Tips to Overcome Shortness of Breath While Eating

● Choose foods that are easy to prepare. If you use all of your energy to cook, you won’t have enough left to eat.

● Rest just before eating.● Eat largest meal with higher calorie intake

early in the morning.● Avoid non nutritious beverages (coffee, tea,

sodas)

Tips for Improving Your Appetite & Diet

● Eat more protein and fat, less simple sugars.● Walk or other light activity to stimulate

appetite.● Keep food visible and within reach.● Choose high-protein, high-calorie snacks● Limit alcohol consumption: might slow

down your breathing and make it difficult to cough up mucus.

Tips for Improving Your Appetite & Diet

It is very important to choose foods from each food group to ensure that you are receiving all the nutrients that you need.

Picture courtesy of nutrition.com

● The things you eat can affect the way you breathe.● It’s important to maintain a healthy body weight.● Pay attention to how many calories you consume per day.● Avoid overeating.● Avoid foods and beverages that cause gas or bloating.● Include high-fiber foods in your daily diet.● Limit sodium (salt) intake.● Use nutritional supplements as recommended.● Choose foods from each food group when planning your

daily meals to ensure you are receiving the appropriate nutrients.

Conclusion

● Advance Healthcare Network for Respiratory Care and Sleep Medicine

● The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition● American Lung Association● The Cleveland Clinic● COPD Foundation● United States Department of Agriculture:

ChooseMyPlate.gov

References