COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)is a general term used to group people suffering with chronic (longterm) lung problems, the initial cause of the lung damage is varied. Depending on the progression of the disease you may be overweight, have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight or be underweight.
Initially weight gain can be an issue as physical activity becomes more difficult with increasing shortness of breath.
At this stage healthy eating is important, as being overweight can make breathing harder. Additionally the effort involved in moving a larger body is greater.
As the disease progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to breath.
This then increases the amount of nutrients you need from your food, as more energy is required to breath.
It can be difficult to eat due to the effortful breathing. Furthermore you can become increasingly tired making it difficult to prepare and cook food.
A person with COPD is at high risk of malnutrition due to the nature of the symptoms.
In addition as the disease is slow onset, the continued risk of undernutrition increases as the disease progresses.
How can an Eatatease Dietitian help?
The UK registered dietitians at Eatatease can advise on the most appropriate diet based upon your present medical condition. The e-consultation option allows a comprehensive dietary review to be undertaken by a UK registered Dietitian.
Get PERSONALLY tailored diet advice about COPD from one of our registered dietitians!
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