feeling OK. These appointments give your doctor a chance to track your condition and adjust your treatments.
Paying close attention to your symptoms should be a top priority. If you have frequent exacerbations of COPD in which your symptoms worsen, your doctor may want to change your treatments. Here are some common signs of exacerbation that you may want to discuss with your doctor:
- You start coughing up more mucus (sputum) than usual
- The mucus becomes thicker
- The mucus contains blood or changes from colorless or yellow to green
- You suddenly notice more coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
- Your energy level drops noticeably
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Give your lungs a break
Give your lungs a break by pacing yourself throughout the day and finding ways to lessen your workload. For example, you may be able to do some chores sitting down. Better yet, ask someone else for help.
Eat Healthy
A healthy diet is especially important for people with COPD. Shortness of breath can make eating difficult. Eating small meals more frequently can sometimes help.
Try to get plenty of fruits and vegetables along with high-protein foods such as milk, fish, eggs, meat, and soy. Drinking plenty of water can help, too.
Water may help thin mucus and phlegm so that it’s easier to expel by coughing. If you can’t seem to eat enough calories, liquid supplements like Ensure or Resource may help.
It takes a lot of effort to manage COPD. But if COPD gets severe, everything will take a lot of effort. It’s better to take care of yourself now and breathe easy later.