Avoiding Breathing Troubles
If you have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), what you drink can affect your breathing. Some drinks can make your symptoms worse. It’s important to know what to avoid to help you feel better.
Worst Drinks for COPD
1. Alcohol
Alcohol can lead to dehydration, which makes your mucus thicker. This can make breathing harder. Drinking alcohol can also weaken your immune system, putting you at risk for infections, which are dangerous if you have COPD.
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2. Dairy Drinks
Milk and other dairy drinks can cause more mucus production. Extra mucus makes it harder to breathe, especially if you already have lung problems like COPD. Avoid drinks like milkshakes or cream-based beverages.
3. Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks, like soda and fruit punch, can lead to weight gain. Carrying extra weight puts more pressure on your lungs, making breathing harder. Sugar can also cause inflammation in your body, which can worsen COPD symptoms.
4. Caffeinated Drinks
Too much caffeine, found in coffee and energy drinks, can make you feel jittery. It can also interfere with some COPD medications. Caffeine can also lead to dehydration, making it harder for your body to clear mucus from your lungs.
5. Carbonated Drinks
Soda, sparkling water and other fizzy drinks can cause bloating. Bloating puts pressure on your lungs, making it harder to take deep breaths. It’s best to avoid carbonated drinks if you have COPD.
6. Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are full of sugar and caffeine, both of which are bad for people with COPD. The sugar can cause inflammation, and the caffeine can make breathing more difficult by raising your heart rate.
7. Fruit Juices with Added Sugar
Some fruit juices contain a lot of added sugar. Like sugary drinks, these juices can increase inflammation in your body and lead to weight gain. Both can make COPD symptoms worse.
8. Artificially Flavored Drinks
Many flavored drinks are full of chemicals and artificial ingredients that can irritate your lungs. This can lead to more coughing and shortness of breath, which is bad for people with COPD.
Treatments for COPD
If you have COPD, some treatments can help you manage your symptoms:
- Medications: Inhalers, bronchodilators and steroids can help open up your airways and reduce inflammation.
- Oxygen therapy: If your oxygen levels are low, using oxygen can help you breathe better.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation: This program teaches breathing techniques and exercises to improve lung strength.
- Quit smoking: Smoking makes COPD worse, so quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health.
- Stay active: Gentle exercises, like walking, can help improve your lung function and make breathing easier.
By avoiding the wrong drinks and following these treatments, you can better manage COPD and breathe more easily.
Read on to learn about the worst drinks for lymphoma.