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8 Healthy Eating Tips for COPD Patients

By: Emily Lockhart on Thursday, October 27th

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD) understand how difficulty breathing can interfere with everyday life. According to statistics from the American Lung Association, COPD is a common lung condition that mixes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and affects roughly 24-million americans. Not only that, but the chronic condition can cause malnutrition (and massive weight loss), due to the calories required for the effort to breathe (breathing demands roughly 10 times more calories for COPD patients).

This is why it’s vital to eat and remain as healthy as possible while managing COPD. And while a healthy diet won’t cure your COPD, it can make life easier, strengthen your immunity, and help your body ward off chest infections and frequent hospital visits…

1. Sit Up Straight

Experts from Healthline.com recommend sitting up straight while eating to avoid placing undue pressure on the lungs. Do so with the aid of a high back dining room chair.

Reclining, or sitting slouched over, during meals can compress the lungs, compromising your breathing because of the extra pressure on your chest and lungs.

dinner party

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