Good or bad foods

[Cappuccinolife]

hi. I have emphysema. Is there any particular foods to avoid or eat that helps in any way?

[6538]

Funny enough I would like to know as well, as just recently sometimes the thought of eating certain foods makes me give mealtimes a miss.

[Mopsey1897]

I read to avoid carbonated drinks and any vegetables such as broccoli that can cause too much stomach gas. Dairy can also cause a problem with some people. Everyone is different though. I know if I get constipation or bloating it really affects my breathing.

[Alberta56]

I think you just have to listen to your body, and avoid any food you can't face eating. There are plenty of alternatives in the fruit and veg department to give you the vitamins and minerals you need. Top up with supplements if you don't feel you're getting enough. Personally I don't fancy a lot of meat these days, but that's just me.

[Ergendl]

Try to follow healthy eating guidelines, but an occasional treat is OK. Avoid too much of anything too acidic such as foods pickled in vinegar. If you are underweight or overweight, aim for a target weight around a BMI of 23-4 for women and 24-5 for men. If you retain a lot of fluid, cut down on your salt intake.

If you have any concerns about eating and weight, ask to see a dietitian who will give guidance specifically designed for your situation.

[Nula2 in reply to Ergendl]

HI Ergendl, sorry I know I'm always bombarding you with diet questions but I now eat ready meals (veggie, chicken and vegan ones) as my energy levels are very low and this means less cooking and less washing up. I eat them 6 days a week and have salmon salad on the 7th day. Is this Ok? Thank you for reading this and I understand if you'd rather not reply xxx

[Ergendl in reply to Nula2]

Ready meals can be a very useful way of getting the nutrients you need. Their quality depends on where you're shopping for them. Wiltshire Farm Foods have a dietitian on the staff to ensure nutritional quality, and also deliver to your door. You can check out their website here: wiltshirefarmfoods.com .

Generally, the more expensive supermarkets have better quality ready meals - though some of the budget chain ones can be very good. Buying the most expensive in a supermarket may not be as healthy, as these may be higher in fat, sugar and salt.

Always try to check the labels if you can. Though I find the labels seem to be getting smaller and smaller, the older I get

[Nula2 in reply to Ergendl]

Thank you so much Ergendl, it's good to know that I'm not harming my general health by eating them. I will check out the farm website it sounds good. I'm very underweight which doesn't worry me unduly but when ever I go to GP's or hospital they are concerned about it and I have been told to eat lots of fats and sugars. I also have a very low sodium level so have been told to eat more salt. I get my weekly shop from Asda and buy their ready meals, but I have a friend who shops in M&S and Waitrose and she gets me ready meals from there sometimes which are much tastier. Thank you so much for your brilliant advice. I am very very grateful. 😊❤️❤️xxxx

[Ergendl in reply to Nula2]

That sounds a great arrangement. If you need to gain weight and improve your sodium intake, you can be far less choosy about the ready meals you eat. Tesco's Finest are a great example of a premium ready meal product, tasty and great for those who don't need to look at the labels too much.I'm sure the supermarkets you buy from have similar top of the range products too.

If your GP is concerned about your weight, ask to be referred to a dietitian, who will be able to give you much more specific dietary advice suitable for your circumstances.

[Nula2 in reply to Ergendl]

Thank you again Ergendl for taking the time to answer my questions and your brilliant advice. It's so kind of you. Your help and advice since I joined this brilliant forum have helped me so much.😊❤️❤️

[Biker88]

Diet is not going to affect emphysema stick to a balanced diet incorporating, all food types unless your have a specific requirement such as diabetes, Recent info shows dairy foods don’t increase mucous,

[Cappuccinolife in reply to Biker88]

I did wonder about dairy products as it’s often said about it increasing mucous. Good to know it doesn’t.

[Izb1]

I try to get the most colourful vegetable that I can find and am lucky that I like most veggies. I cooked Spanish lamb last night for my daughter who is visiting and the sweet peppers not used will go into a mixed salad today for lunch. I think colour makes it more appealing. If your appetite isn't good then try eating little and often. Homemade soups are good fun too and helps to build your immune system . Try to avoid the prepacked stuff and eat fresh as much as possible, I know that's hard when not feeling well x

[PaulineHM]

Hello,

My feeling is that diet/nutrition is really important in helping me to manage the condition.

We with COPD need quite a bit of energy to breath, so I have reduced my carb intake because processing that takes a lot of energy away from my breathing.

I eat as much fresh produce, especially fruit and veg as possible. If some veg produces too much gas then stay away from it. Frozen is just as good. I don’t eat much meat, but loads of high protein foods.

I stay away from sugar, ultra processed foods and highly palatable food. Drink plenty of water.

Of course it is hard to say how much all this makes a difference but it suits my lifestyle.

You could give it a try and see if you feel any difference?

Go well

Pauline

[PW_R]

I feel that diet is overstated with COPD. As someone said a while back on here, you can’t eat your way out of lung disease. Broadly it will progress because of infections or a continuation of smoking. I was eating an incredibly good diet & didn’t avoid any infections. Then I ate a poor diet, but half isolated / masked a lot and I avoided all infections.

A number of people (namely Russel Winwood) have had alot of success with keto. Essentially no carb. He has written a lot about it & significantly improved breathlessness & energy with it.