Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a common lung disease that causes obstructed airflow in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. COPD is caused due to long-term exposure to harmful gases or particulate matter, most often cigarette smoke, and the symptoms include coughing, mucus, and wheezing. People with COPD have a greater risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and a variety of other conditions.

Apart from following the treatments prescribed by the doctors, it is important to follow the right diet to get relief or prevent COPD symptoms:

1. Low-carb diet
This might be the best diet to alleviate the symptoms of COPD. A diet with reduced carbohydrate intake can help people with COPD manage their health efficiently as it lowers carbon dioxide production.

2. Protein-rich foods
It is recommended to follow a protein-rich COPD diet consisting of grass-fed meat, pastured poultry, eggs, and oily fish like sardines, mackerel, and salmon. This helps in maintaining strong respiratory muscles. This ensures efficient healing of lungs and relief from COPD symptoms, helping the patient breathe easier.

3. Complex carbohydrates
Foods like peas, bran, potatoes with skin, lentils, quinoa, barley, and oats are rich in complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are also high in fiber, which helps in better blood sugar management and keeps heart diseases due to COPD at bay.

4. Fresh produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables like avocados, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, asparagus, bananas, oranges, beets, and asparagus contain essential fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These can help in boosting the immune system and can also help in increasing the effectiveness of the treatment of COPD symptoms. Some of these foods are also rich in potassium, which can be used to treat diuretic conditions that may arise due to COPD.

5. Healthy fats
A COPD diet consisting of healthy fats that come from nuts, seeds, coconut, coconut oil, olive oil, fatty fish, and cheese can provide overall nutrition and long-term energy while being treated for COPD.

While it is important to follow a COPD diet to maintain energy levels and prevent the symptoms, you also need to be aware of several foods that worsen the symptoms of the condition and should be avoided:

• Salt
  Salt contains sodium, causing water retention that can affect the ability to breathe, worsening the symptoms of COPD. So, it is recommended to replace salt, for example, with alternatives like unsalted herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of food without harm.
• Select fruits
  Peaches, apples, apricots, and melons are fruits that contain fermentable carbohydrates, which can cause gas and bloating in some people, and they can also cause breathing problems in people with COPD. Instead, it is recommended to focus on low fermentable fruits like berries, pineapples, and grapes.
• High-fat foods
  Deep-fried, greasy foods, and other dairy foods like high-fat milk and some variety of cheese can make phlegm thicker, which can make it difficult to manage COPD symptoms, so it is best to avoid them.

Apart from following the COPD diet, it is also important to consult a doctor for proper treatment and diet plans for managing the condition.