Even the healthiest person would find it difficult to breathe during the warm and very damp weather in the summer season. The patients ailing with a chronic lung disease such as COPD or pulmonary fibrosis have to be very careful. Surprisingly COPD is more common in women than men. Literally, 37% of women are more likely to have COPD than men.
Good nutrition means healthy eating. You need good nutrition to make your body stronger. You should eat a variety of foods every day. When you have COPD, preparing food and eating large meals may lead to shortness of breath. Here are some ways to help prevent shortness of breath.
Eat 6 small meals each day, instead of 3 large meals.
Chewing and digesting food uses up oxygen. When you eat a small meal, you use up less oxygen than when you eat a large meal. In addition, a large meal fills your stomach. A full stomach presses on your diaphragm. The diaphragm is the main muscle we use to breathe. When your stomach presses on your diaphragm, it is harder for you to breathe.
Eat slowly, and breathe evenly
Avoid gas-forming foods like:
- All beans (except green beans)
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cucumbers
- Melons
- Onions
- Raw apples
- Turnips
Your doctor will prescribe the type of oxygen device, the flow rate, and how and when to use it. When traveling OxygenWorldwide can supply in over 120 countries and take any stress out of the arranging of your oxygen supply.
ref: http://www.upmc.com
