We don’t often think of it this way but the food we eat is actually fuel for our body. This is why it’s so important for eat healthy. Our body isn’t going to work like it’s supposed to if all we’re feeding it is high fat, pre-packaged, overly processed foods. Your body should function like a well oiled machine! Diet is even more important for people with health conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that “causes obstructed airflow from the lungs,” says the Mayo Clinic. In most cases it’s caused by smoking, but can also be a result of genetics, air pollution, or workplace exposure. The main symptoms of COPD is difficulty breathing, cough, mucus production and wheezing, adds the source. To help reduce these symptoms, it’s important to keep the body healthy by maintaining a healthy weight and eating a well rounded diet which means avoiding the following foods…
1. Salt
A little sodium here and there in our diet isn’t so bad, but we should really try to limit the amount of salt we consume, especially people with COPD. Eating too much salt can be hard on the lungs because it causes the body to retain fluids, explains Healthgrades. This can increase blood pressure and lead to shortness of breath. If you’re concerned about how much salt you’re eating, talk to your doctor and find out what they recommend.
The hardest thing about limiting salt is that its in a lot of the food we eat, particularly if you tend to eat out at restaurants or buy processed or pre-packaged foods. When shopping at the grocery store, make a conscious effort to eat more fresh foods. When buying pre-packaged or processed foods, read the labels. You might be surprised to learn how much sodium is in the foods we eat on a daily basis. Healthgrades recommends looking for products with 140-mg or less of sodium per serving.
