Diagnosed with COPD? A Guide to What You Should Do!

by Alisha Perry A Blogger

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease which is characterized by increasing breathlessness. The term ‘COPD’ encompasses several health conditions like chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. There are some common symptoms of COPD that include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, lack of energy, and cyanosis (blueness of the fingernails or lips).

If you are also diagnosed with COPD, first of all, don’t fret and get distressed about the fact that it is a progressive and incurable disease because with the right treatment measures you can manage your COPD and you can still enjoy your life to the fullest. Here is a guide to what you should do to treat and manage your COPD on your own.

Quit Smoking today

A long term cigarette smoking can damage your lungs, which can be one of the major causes of COPD. Even a passive smoker is also at the risk of lung diseases. Therefore, smoking can be hazardous for your health.

Especially if you are suffering from COPD, smoking can make the condition worse for you. So, quit smoking immediately, also avoid passive smoking. Stay away from the smoking area.

If you are addicted to smokers and it is not easy for you to quit smoking, then various techniques can help you. You may take nicotine replacement therapy, or you may resort to counsellings and medications. Giving up nicotine is the first step to treat your COPD.

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy

A healthy diet can help you in managing and treating COPD to a great extent. Eating healthy food improves your overall health and builds your body strength to fight with several diseases.

Have a small and well-balanced diet. There are some foods that COPD patients must include in their diets, such as:

Protein-rich foods like eggs and fish
High fiber foods like oats, barley, lentils, peas, etc
Potassium-rich foods like beets, potatoes, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, avocado, leafy vegetables, and more.

Apart from this, there are some food items that COPD patients should avoid, such as, too much salt in their food and fried foods. Moreover, drink plenty of fluids. Keep your water bottle with you and drink frequently.

Do Physical Excercise

When it comes to COPD, physical exercise is a must. Especially, Yoga can help manage COPD. Go for a morning walk, fresh air of morning helps in treating COPD. A regular exercise keeps your body active and fit and allows you to perform your daily activities without any problem. Furthermore, learn and practice new breathing techniques can help in decreasing shortness of breath.

Use the right Oxygen Concentrator

Some COPD patients need oxygen therapy for their body to function properly. Oxygen therapy, like an oxygen concentrator, improves the quality of life and lets you enjoy your life even with COPD. So, if your doctor has prescribed you oxygen concentrator, then buy and use the right one that ensures quality.

There are mainly two types of oxygen concentrators, one is a portable oxygen concentrator, and the other one is a home oxygen concentrator, you can buy as per your need. There are many oxygen concentrators available in the market. Some robust and highly-rated concentrators that are popular among COPD patients are: