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Nutrition and lung health in chronic respiratory diseases

Nutrition and lung health in chronic respiratory diseases

Already Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, spoke to us more than 2.400 years ago about the importance of food for health. Famous is his aphorism "be food your medicine and

 

Already Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, spoke to us more than 2.400 years ago about the importance of food for health. Famous is his aphorism "be food your medicine and medicine your food".

Chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, among others; the vast majority of them have their origin in the interaction of genetic and environmental factors such as pollution, tobacco and, of course, in the diet. More and more studies show us that nutrition influences their development. In addition, both being overweight and underweight can have negative consequences for our lung health.

What do we know as healthy eating?

A healthy diet is one that includes foods from all groups of the food pyramid in their proper measure.

Some Tips to achieve it are:

1. Every day he consumes vegetables, vegetables, cereals, bread and potatoes.
2. Take fresh fruit daily and if one of them is a citrus (orange, tangerine...) better.
3. Twice a week eat legumes, but be careful with the accompaniments, do not overdo it with chorizo, black pudding, bacon... cook them with vegetables.
4. Cook and dress with olive oil, try to forget the sauces and butter.
5. He eats low-fat dairy daily.
6. Leave space on your table for fish several times a week.
7. The meat must be lean while the consumption of fatty meats is recommended occasionally.
8. Season with aromatic herbs, vinegar, garlic, onion and/or lemon and avoid salt as much as possible.
9. Avoid as much as possible the consumption of sweets, industrial pastries and fast food.
10. Do not consume alcoholic or sugary drinks.
11. Drink about 2 liters of water a day.

In addition to this, remember that you have to eat breakfast like a king, like a prince and dinner like a pauper so that this last meal is the lightest. At mid-morning and mid-afternoon he has a healthy and balanced snack.

And don't forget to stay as active as possible, a sedentary lifestyle is one of our worst enemies.

How the diet helps me if I am a person with a respiratory disease.

A high consumption of highly processed foods can accelerate the decline in lung function.

The consumption of fruit and vegetables together with vitamins A, D, E and zinc seems to have a protective effect on the asthma. Studies show that 6-year-olds with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop allergies and asthma. The same goes for obese people.

People with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) can improve their symptoms and lung function by eating foods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To reduce the risk of suffering from it, it is necessary to have a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, weighing and whole grain products. Increasing fiber in the diet will also reduce diet and symptoms. While consuming raw meat is associated with a worsening of symptoms and an increase in hospital admissions.

A low body mass index in these people is an indicator of poor results, while being slightly overweight can have protective effects.

In COPD, the amount of food we eat at each meal is also very important. For these people, breathing means a significant energy expenditure, if we add a copious meal to this, the situation becomes more complicated since this digestion will also require a large energy intake, so if we combine the two factors it produces an important sensation of drowning For this reason, people with COPD, and in general, all people with respiratory diseases, should avoid this type of food and eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.

A high consumption of fruit and vegetables also protects against lung cancer, while vitamin supplements do not.

Malnutrition also negatively affects people with cystic fibrosis, so it is essential to control your diet and weight. In the case of pancreas involvement, it would be necessary to follow a high-calorie diet and add pancreatic supplements.

Obesity is a risk factor for Sleep apnea, since it is present in 60-90% of people with this disease. It also increases the incidence of pulmonary embolism, as obese people often have blood clots that can block one or more blood vessels in the lungs. Losing weight and changing your diet will help minimize this risk and reduce its consequences.

 respiratory infections Since pneumonia is also influenced by our diet, malnutrition increases the risk of death and vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor that facilitates the development of all of them.

What diet should I take to have good lung health?

More studies are needed to find out exactly how diet can help our respiratory system, but what is clear today is that to maintain good lung health it is necessary:

1. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruit.
2. Reduce the consumption of salt.
3. Restrict omega 6 fatty acids and trans fats.
4. Guarantee the intake of essential omega 3 fatty acids by eating soy, green leafy vegetables, oily fish and shellfish.
5. Eat foods rich in antioxidants such as broccoli and tomatoes.
6. Consume foods rich in magnesium such as nuts, seeds, spinach...
7. Stay active and do moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

If you have questions about respiratory diseases, you can contact our coaches (a team of physiotherapists specialized in respiratory) who will advise or refer you when necessary or through our Awareness line, made possible thanks to the support of Boehringer Ingelheim Spain.