Foods That Can Cause Breathing Difficulties

Foods That Can Cause Breathing Difficulties

Most of the time, breathing is a natural and automatic process. Some patients with COPD, allergies, asthma, and other conditions may struggle with each breath. The symptoms of COPD and asthma include wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. Lung problems like COPD, asthma, and allergies cause airways in your lungs to swell and make it difficult to take in air. Certain foods can trigger breathing difficulties. Lessen the number of attacks by steering clear of foods that trigger attacks.
The foods listed below are associated with breathing difficulties. By avoiding these foods, you may find that the number and severity of attacks lessen

1. Corn
For some people, corn causes bloating and gas, putting pressure on the diaphragm. When there is pressure on the diaphragm, the muscle below our lungs. This muscle expands and contracts, allowing you to breathe. When it cannot do this, you experience difficulty in taking breaths. Rather than grilling corn on the barbeque, choose a green salad. Keep in mind that you need to avoid corn products, not only corn on the cob. Cereal, sauces, tortillas, and snacks, and many other products contain corn

2. Excess salt or sugar
Too much salt or sugar affects your breathing. Eating more salt than your body can handle causes it to retain water and causes swelling and fluid to accumulate in your lungs. Fluid in the lungs makes it more difficult for your lungs to work and provide oxygen to your body. Sugar is another culprit. By reducing sugar, less carbon dioxide is produced, and it is easier to breathe

3. Preservatives and additives
Preservatives and additives in your food can worsen your symptoms. Two common additives are sulfur and nitrites. These are added to the food to help preserve freshness. Bacon, hot dogs, sausages, and other cured meat products contain nitrites. Sulfites are found in a variety of snacks. Dried banana chips are a tasty treat but may make it cause breathing problems. Dried fruit usually contains sulfites, another additive known to affect breathing. Passing on the dried fruit does not mean giving up on healthy and delicious snacks. On your shopping list, replace dried fruit with fresh fruit. If you enjoy guacamole, prepare it yourself since the pre-made ones usually have this additive

4. Milk
Drinking milk may be good for your bones, but it can make breathing more difficult. It causes more mucus or thicker mucus to be produced, both of which lead to breathing difficulties. If you have COPD or other lung issues, try using a non-dairy product like almond or coconut milk instead of regular milk

5. Cabbage
Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are usually excellent choices. High in nutrients and fiber, they are easy to prepare. They are also known to cause gas and bloating. If you live with COPD, asthma, or other breathing issues, these are not the vegetables for you. The good thing is that there is a wide variety of vegetables from which to choose