Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a condition that causes chronic inflammation of the lungs. It can often lead to respiratory issues like shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and excess production of mucus, which narrows the airways. Over time, COPD can potentially lead to serious complications like cardiovascular diseases, muscle weakness, and brittle bones.

Certain dietary measures can help COPD patients, but here are a few dietary mistakes to avoid for managing the condition:

Consuming excess salt
Consuming excess salt can elevate blood pressure levels and increase a COPD patient’s risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, it leads to a large amount of fluid retention in the body that causes certain organs to swell up. It can also lead to swelling in the lungs due to excess fluid retention.

Opting for dairy
Other than the fact that dairy can be harmful to people with COPD who are also intolerant to lactose, it increases the production of mucus and adds to their discomfort. The consumption of dairy products like yogurt, cheese, and milk is also known to cause severe bloating and gas-related issues, which further constricts the airways and aggravates COPD symptoms, causing or worsening breathing trouble.

Reaching out for fried foods and snacks
Fried foods are greasy and heavy for digestion, and they can often cause issues like acid reflux, bloating, and gas. Other than that, if one’s diet consists majorly of fried and processed foods, it may lead to issues like weight gain and obesity, which put immense pressure on the diaphragm. This could also elevate the risk of several types of respiratory disorders or worsen any existing issues, including COPD.

Adding cruciferous vegetables to the plate
While it is recommended to include plenty of fruits and vegetables in the diet, including a lot of cruciferous vegetables is a common diet mistake to avoid for COPD patients. Vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower aggravate respiratory issues, so they’re best avoided by COPD patients. Other than these vegetables, the consumption of certain fruits like peaches, melons, and apricots should also be limited. Such foods can cause bloating or gas issues, which may lead to breathing difficulty. Instead, COPD patients can include fruits like berries, pineapples, and grapes in their diet and opt for other veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes to manage the symptoms.

Including cold cuts and cured meats
Cured meats and cold cuts are known to contain a higher amount of compounds like nitrites and nitrates. The consumption of these compounds is one of the common diet mistakes that should be avoided by COPD patients, as they are particularly harmful to lung health and the respiratory tract. Instead, one can opt for grass-fed meat and fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel.