COPD and Nutrition: Healthy eating for those with COPD

Introduction

Healthy eating — meals, snacks, and drinks – is important for everyone, but those living with COPD need to ensure their diet can help them maintain their strength and fitness and fight infections. This article aims to help you understand some of the main things to think about when planning meals for someone with COPD. It cannot provide exact advice because the specific ingredients and quantities will vary between individuals depending on the severity of their COPD, their weight (BMI), activity levels, and any co-existing conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease.

A healthy weight is especially important for those living with COPD

If someone is living with COPD, then they will already be experiencing difficulty moving around, and their heart and lungs will be under strain. If they are also carrying extra weight, then their heart and lungs will have to work much harder when they move at all, and that will make any breathlessness worse and put more stress and strain on these vital organs.

At the same time, being underweight might also be problematic. It is often a sign that someone is not getting enough nutrients, and if so, their immune system might not be functioning properly, increasing their risk of chest infections and flare ups. Being underweight can also be linked with fatigue and weaker muscles and bones, compounding age related risks such as falls.

Regular weigh ins – probably monthly – can help to indicate whether someone is losing or gaining weight, and this is a worthwhile activity for someone with COPD and nutrition concerns. Your ideal weight depends on your gender and height. You can find out more about this at the NHS website.

COPD can make eating less enjoyable

Inhalers, nebulisers or regular oxygen can all cause a dry mouth, which makes it more difficult to swallow, taste, or chew foods.

Smoking can also affect taste and make these symptoms much worse.

Some inhalers can also increase the risk of mouth infections such as oral thrush, which can also cause a dry mouth or alter taste sensations. For these reasons, it is helpful to rinse and gargle with water after using a steroid inhaler.

Both a dry mouth and altered taste can make eating less enjoyable and lead to a loss of appetite.

Breathlessness can also make mealtimes more difficult. Some people might be too breathless to eat a large meal and might find it easier to eat smaller meals and snacks.

Warning: Any difficulty swallowing needs prompt medical assessment and advice. Make sure those affected see a doctor if there is any difficulty swallowing, frequent coughing, or a garbled voice during meals.

Food ideas when breathlessness, loss of taste or a dry mouth are problems

Dry mouth

If a dry mouth is a problem, then it can be helpful to eat soft or moist foods, e.g. minced beef in shepherd’s pie, rather than chunks of meat.

Also, sucking on fruit sweets, ice lollies made with fruit juice or squash, or chewing sugar-free gum can be helpful.

A doctor can also prescribe special pastilles or saliva sprays to ease a dry mouth – it is well worth discussing this with them.

Loss of taste

If loss of taste is a problem then it is worth trying foods with stronger tastes, e.g. sharp or spicy foods, or using more condiments, seasonings and sauces

Breathlessness

Consider more frequent smaller meals featuring softer, moister foods such as casseroles, curries, sauces, gravy, milky puddings, fruit smoothies, and ice creams, which are also easier to eat when breathlessness is a problem.

See below for expert advice: