Best foods and diet plans

[Delia69]

Whats the best foods for helping with lung conditions that I can give both myself and my family without you much emphasis on dieting

[eleanordigby]

Anti-inflammatory foods are best for the lungs. There’s probably a list on here somewhere, but anyway you can google. Off the top of my head - green tea, cherries/cherry juice (expensive though!) any berries especially blueberries, pomegranate, almonds, spinach, olives, sardines, garlic. Turmeric is very good, though I’m not particularly keen on the taste. And dark chocolate, which I AM keen on. I’m sure there’s lots of advice online.

Obviously avoid inflammatory foods - eg fast food, ready meals, anything processed, and sugar

[Delia69 in reply to eleanordigby]

Thank you so much x

[Ergendl]

Be cautious about very acidic foods like eating lots of pickled onions or a very strong home-made sweet/sour sauce (yes, I made that mistake with my previous husband who had severe COPD). We blow off dietary acids in our breath, so if breathing is challenging, it gets harder and with overindulgence the blood can become slightly more acidic which is not a good thing.

[SORRELHIPPO in reply to Ergendl]

Thankyou for that, explains a lot for me.

[Lapis5]

Avoid dairy as it causes mucas, Avoid red meat, fatty food, no fried food, best to eat organic vegetables if possible, some salomon, chocolate and sugar cause mucas. Tho tiny bit is ok but not always. Mediterranean diet seems best for me. YOu can see the site on line w receipes.

[eleanordigby in reply to Lapis5]

Someone should do a recipe thread! It’d be great to swap ideas for easy main meals. Not me though because I’m not much of a cook 🙄

[MoyB]

Yesterday I cooked a small chicken in my slow cooker for the first time. It was gorgeous! Took 4 hrs. I trussed it to make it easier to handle, then browned it in the wok - no fat required - and popped it straight into the pre-heated slow cooker. it needed nothing added and cooked away while we went out.

It has to be the healthiest way of cooking it!

We had it with mashed potato, steamed carrots, cauliflower and green beans (all in the steamer so only used one gas ring). Left the juice to cool in a jug the skimmed it and made Bisto chicken gravy then added some of the chicken juice. I popped the gravy into the microwave for a minute so it heated the juices through and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a very easy meal, tasty, economical and enough meat for 4, so cold chicken today.

I think it could be made more lung friendly by using all organic ingredients, but that would put the price up a bit.

We're experimenting with the slow cooker to keep costs down and also give more flexibility as have had lots of appointments lately, so good to throw something in the pot that won't spoil if eaten later than expected.

I agree with avoiding acidic foods, although now and again is ok, and sometimes can't be avoided if the meal is cooked for you. Chocolate is my nemesis! Mustn't eat it too close to bedtime as I have a hiatus hernia so experience reflux if I have it too late and that reflux has really messed with my lungs!

I think a recipe thread is a great idea.

xx Moy

[eleanordigby in reply to MoyB]

I use my slow cooker A LOT. Your roast chicken sounds delicious. I make a lovely chicken curry in ours, with onions & potatoes, spices of course, half a jar of mango chutney, then spinach thrown in at the end. I use chicken thighs, skinned but on the bone, because they’re so cheap & tasty. Yum!

[Patk1 in reply to MoyB]

Did u cook on high Moy? I do lots of casseroles and broth&dumplings in mine.gammon ,pork+ beef joints are so tender frm it.i often cook mince previous nt in it to make plate pie or shepherds pie.also curry,chilli.i love mine and also use steamer on one ring,such an economical way to cook x

[MoyB in reply to Patk1]

I've got two books and one says it's ok to cook on low or high but the other one says definitely to cook on high so that's what I did, just to be on the safe side. I've not thought of cooking mince in it - will try it! xx Moy

[peege]

basically try to eliminate inflammatory foods like processed foods, sugar

concentrate on fresh fruits and vegetables daily, the Mediterranean diet is anti-inflamatory ie cold pressed olive oil, olives, aubergines, courgettes, spinach, broccoli in fact colourful vegetables , fish 3 times per week - apparently tuna doesn't count - pulses ie red kidney beans, nuts & seeds. Berries are extremely good anti-inflamatory food too.

Plenty of advice on line.