Pull Up a Chair, It's Time To Eat!

If you find yourself short of breath at mealtimes, this section is for you.

Shortness of breath can make eating hard work. If you use all your energy preparing a healthy meal, you may find yourself unable to eat and/or enjoy what you have prepared. Here are a few practical suggestions on how to conserve energy and get the most from your meals.

• Eat six smaller meals instead of three big meals. Smaller, more frequent meals are recommended since many people with chronic lung disease feel more short of breath when their stomach is full. This is because the diaphragm can not work as well when the stomach is full. You can satisfy your nutritional needs, keep your stomach comfortable and help your diaphragm to work better by eating smaller, more frequent meals.
• Another way to avoid that "too full" feeling is to eat less of the foods that cause gas. Keep a food diary to find out if they are a problem for you. The follow­ing foods are common offenders.

• Plan to eat before you are too hungry or tired.
• Refuel before you hit empty.
• Breathe evenly while you are chewing and eating.
• Stop eating if you need to catch your breath.
• Relax at mealtime.
• When cooking or baking, double or triple your favorite recipes to keep your freezer full for times when you do not feel like cooking.
• Freeze foods in small portions for when you do not feel like cooking.
• Use prepared foods to save time and energy in the kitchen. Frozen meals, prepared foods or take-out meals from a restaurant can make your life easier. Remember, the sugar, salt, or fat content of these foods may be higher than homemade.
• Do the tasks that require the most effort when you have the most energy. For example, many people would agree that grocery shopping is a tiring task. This chore can be done when you feel freshest, in the morning or after a rest. Better yet, make a list and have a friend or family member pick up your groceries for you!
• Don't stand in the kitchen when you can sit. Bring your chopping, cutting and mixing projects over to the kitchen table and sit while you prepare the food or keep a barstool by the kitchen counter.
• Smaller, more frequent meals are recommended for people with chronic lung disease.

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Many people with chronic lung disease also suffer from gastroesophageal reflux (GER or GERD). Reflux can make symptoms of lung disease worse.

In this condition, the valve between the stomach and esophagus (swallowing tube) is weak and acid leaks out of the stomach and into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Excess weight and overeating can contribute to reflux.

Here are a few recommendations to decrease the risk of reflux and heartburn.

• Avoid overeating. Choose several small meals to balance your intake throughout the day. A full stomach will put extra pressure on the valve causing it to open and allow acid into the esophagus.
• Eat low fat foods. Avoid fats and oils. Examples include fried foods, heavy sauces and butter or margarine. Choose low fat dairy products and lean meats.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol. Decaffeinated coffee can also increase stomach acid.
• Avoid foods that you know cause your heartburn. These foods vary from person to person and may include spicy or acidic foods.
• Avoid eating for 2-3 hours before lying down. Lying down increases the risk of heartburn.

Steroids and Diet

Some people with chronic lung disease take steroid pills on a regular basis. Steroid pills (such as prednisone or methylprednisolone) are strong medicines that decrease swollen airways. They also have some nutritional side effects to be aware of.

Steroid therapy has the potential to interfere with the way the body uses specific nutrients, including calcium, potassium, sodium, protein and vitamins D and C.

If you take steroid pills for chronic lung disease, it is very important to eat a well balanced diet that meets the Food Pyramid Guidelines . A healthy diet that includes foods from each food group can make up forsome of the nutritional effects of steroid therapy. Over a long period of time, steroid pills can increase the risk of osteoporosis (loss of calcium in the bones).

Therefore, it is very important to eat foods high in calcium, such as dairy products. If you need to control calories, low fat dairy products may be used. To prevent other side effects, limit the use of salt and foods that are high in sodium and decrease the amount of cholesterol and fats in your diet. In addition, certain supplements, such as calcium and a multi-vitamin may help. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian about specific concerns regarding steroids and your diet.

"Taking your medicine, staying active, eating healthy, and working together with your doctor are all important.”