A presentation created for Pulmonary Rehab about nutrition and COPD.

1. Welcome to
Pulmonary Rehab
Nutrition & Lung Disease
Babette Parthum, RRT
Clinical Coordinator
Respiratory Therapy

2. ● Your body needs food as fuel to perform all activities,
including breathing.
● The right mix of nutrients in your body can help you
breathe easier.
● Good nutrition helps the body fight infections.
● Breathing requires more energy for people with COPD
o A person with COPD may burn up to 10 times
more calories during breathing than a healthy
person.
Why is Nutrition Important?

3. ● Metabolism: the process of changing food to fuel in
the body
o Food and oxygen are changed into energy and
carbon dioxide
o Carbon dioxide is a waste product and is exhaled
● You use energy for ALL activities - from sleeping to
exercise
Food + Oxygen Energy + Carbon
How Does Food Relate to Breathing?

4. ● Maintain a healthy body weight
● A registered dietician can tell you
○ What your “goal” weight should be
○ How many calories you should
consume per day.
Nutritional Guidelines

5. ● Overweight: heart and lungs have to work
harder, makes breathing more difficult
o exercise regularly, limit total daily calories
● Underweight: May feel weak and tired, more
likely to get an infection
o Must consume enough calories to produce
energy to prevent weakening of the
diaphragm and other respiratory muscles.
Nutritional Guidelines

6. ● Monitor your weight: if you have an unexplained
weight gain or loss (2lbs/day or 5lbs/week), notify
your doctor
o diuretics (fluid pills) may make you lose weight
 May need to take potassium supplement (ask
your doctor)
 Foods high in potassium: bananas, oranges,
potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus
o steroids may make you gain weight
Other Nutritional Guidelines

7. ● Drink plenty of fluids: 6-8 eight-ounce glasses per day of non caffeinated beverages to keep mucus thin and
easier to cough up.
Note: If you have a heart problem such as CHF as well
as COPD, follow doctors’ guidelines for limiting
fluids.

8. ● Make sure you are getting enough calcium
and vitamin D
○ take supplements if necessary
● Wear your nasal cannula while eating if
continuous oxygen is prescribed
○ Eating and digestion require energy, your
body will need the oxygen

9. ● Avoid overeating or foods that cause gas or
bloating
○ Might make breathing difficult
○ Foods that cause gas include:
■ carbonated beverages
■ fried, greasy, heavily spiced foods
■ apples, avocados, and melons
■ beans, broccoli, brussel
sprouts,cabbage

10. ● Include high fiber foods: vegetables, fruit,
cooked dried beans, pasta, rice
○ moves food along the digestive tract
○ helps control glucose levels
○ Can reduce cholesterol levels
○ Goal - consume 20-35 grams per day

11. Control the sodium (salt) in your diet
○ Consuming too much causes the body to
retain too much water, which causes
breathing to be difficult
○ Helpful hints to limit daily salt intake
■ remove salt shaker from table, use herbs
or no salt spices to flavor foods, don’t
add salts to food when cooking, avoid
foods with > 300mg sodium/serving

12. ● Dyspnea (shortness of breath) and cough
interfere with adequate dietary intake.
● Fatigue interferes with buying and preparing
foods.
● Chronic mouth breathing alters the taste of food.
● Headaches and mental status changes occur
because of excess levels of carbon dioxide in the
blood.
Reasons for Poor Nutrition
With Lung Disease

14. ● Drink milk instead of low-calorie beverages.
● Talk to your doctor or dietician about supplementing
meals with a nutritional supplement such as ensure
or boost. Supplements help increase calories and
provides nutrients to your body.
● Avoid low-fat or low-calorie products.
o Examples of high calorie snacks: ice cream,
cookies, pudding, cheese, granola bars, crackers
with peanut butter, eggs, fruit or vegetables with
dip, popcorn with butter
Tips for Gaining Weight

15. ● Clear your airways one hour prior to eating
● Eat slowly. Take small bites. Breathe deeply while chewing.
● Choose foods that are easy to chew.
● Instead of eating 3 large meals, try eating 5-6 small meals.
This will keep your stomach from filling up too much so
your lungs have more room to expand.
● Drink liquids at the end of your meal. Drinking during a meal
might make you feel bloated.
● Eat while sitting up to relieve the pressure on your abdomen.
Tips to Overcome
Shortness of Breath While Eating

16. ● Choose foods that are easy to prepare. If you
use all of your energy to cook, you won’t
have enough left to eat.
● Rest just before eating.
● Eat largest meal with higher calorie intake
early in the morning.
● Avoid non nutritious beverages (coffee, tea,
sodas)
Tips for Improving Your Appetite & Diet

17. ● Eat more protein and fat, less simple sugars.
● Walk or other light activity to stimulate
appetite.
● Keep food visible and within reach.
● Choose high-protein, high-calorie snacks
● Limit alcohol consumption: might slow
down your breathing and make it difficult to
cough up mucus.
Tips for Improving Your Appetite & Diet

18. It is very important
to choose foods
from each food
group to ensure that
you are receiving
all the nutrients that
you need.

19. Picture courtesy of nutrition.com

20. ● The things you eat can affect the way you breathe.
● It’s important to maintain a healthy body weight.
● Pay attention to how many calories you consume per day.
● Avoid overeating.
● Avoid foods and beverages that cause gas or bloating.
● Include high-fiber foods in your daily diet.
● Limit sodium (salt) intake.
● Use nutritional supplements as recommended.
● Choose foods from each food group when planning your
daily meals to ensure you are receiving the appropriate
nutrients.
Conclusion

21. ● Advance Healthcare Network for Respiratory Care
and Sleep Medicine
● The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
● American Lung Association
● The Cleveland Clinic
● COPD Foundation
● United States Department of Agriculture:
ChooseMyPlate.gov
References