Breathlessness and Diet

[saramic]

I have COPD and try and pay attention to things that make me more breathless such as weather, temperature, time of day etc. Recently I've been thinking about food, and would be very interested to hear if anyone finds that certain foods make their breathing worse. I suppose dairy is a no-no but would love to hear anyones thoughts.

[newlands]

I have come allergic to more foods just lately anything with sulphate in ,recently discovered blueberries amongst other fruit and veg contain salicylate ( aspirin ) a no no for people like me who also have asthma .

Having said that eating big meals isn’t good fo breathing difficulties ,yes time of day ,weather etc

Take care

Dorothy. Ps hope I spelt salicylate right

[Kristicats in reply to newlands]

I found out that milky drinks made my symptoms a lot worse . Had a shiny new all singing coffee machine/ device. So became addicted to lattes. Really suffered. Now I’m on arla lacto free milk ( it has the same make up calcium etc but has had an enzyme added to remove the lactose).Also love their cheese and butter spread and cheese spread!

[christina1947]

Hi Saramic just wanted to tell you I missed milk but now I have almond milk from Aldi or Lidl it’s non dairy and apparently good for your immune system. They do non sweetened one too Take care xxx

[JANET127]

I read that Potatoes and Broccoli close your airway a little bit! My favorite! I had Polish Kielbasa yesterday and it took my breath away! I love that too! I am a milk drinker! I love milk and I refuse to give that up! Janet127

[Meme50 in reply to JANET127]

I have also found Broccoli to affect my breathing sometimes.....after a large serve!

[Ergendl]

My previous husband Bob who died in 2003 of heart failure brought on by severe COPD, had to avoid cows milk and bleached wheat flour. His abdomen swelled up to an exta 16" with cows milk, so I used soya milk to stabilise him, and then he was OK with sheep or goat milk. The bleached wheat flour made him very breathless. He could cope with Alinson's wholemeal flour as in the 1980s to 1990s when their advert said "nowt taken out" it was true. I also had to make sure his sweet sour sauce did not have too much vinegar in as he struggled to blow off acidity from highly acid foods.

[Fennella02]

I think chocolate might do it for me 🙁

[saramic]

Thank you all so much! Lots to think about and try. I'm also thinking about gas inducing foods like beans and that perhaps the gas puts pressure on the lungs - but maybe that's a bit far fetched!

[lKeith]

saramic

Hi, The specialists say that a vegan type diet is best, leaving out red meat etc. I have plenty of vegetables and am now drinking coconut milk, but meat I love it and for the time being will keep in diet,knowing one day it's got to go. I hadn't realised that blueberries might be bad, (We grow them in the veggie patch along with other fruits but now knowing they may contribute to breathing they'll have to be replaced with another fruit, increase the rasberries maybe.

Windy conditions effect me especially face on I find it takes my breath away and I can only do one thing at a time, walk or talk but not both together. Cod conditions also have an adverse effect (so I try to spend much of the winter in warmer climes or stay indoors at home)

Keep safe & well

IKeith

[saramic in reply to lKeith]

Yes I also love meat. Very interesting about the blueberries! Thanks.

[2Sn00py]

Let your own body tell you what to eat. I fed my sons (now 30 years ago) everything that was on the “healthy diet”. When my younger son was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, I discovered that I was actually killing him by feeding him all these so called good foods. It turned out that everything he liked was actually good for him. Stopped reading most of the good diet articles since then. A little of everything does most people good!

[melboy]

I like milk, every morning it's cereals and semi skimmed plus lots of cups of tea during the day with no noticeable affect on my COPD. No doctor or nurse has ever advised me against dairy foods, I think some of these 'don't do' warnings are taken too literally and possibly only apply to certain people.