Having COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is scary. You’ve probably experienced a persistent cough, a cough with a lot of mucus, a shortness of breath, wheezing, a tightness in the chest and because of the shortness in breath you’ve had to limit your activities. That can be frightening of course.

Because there isn’t a cure for COPD, there are ways to live a healthier life. If you smoke, quit. Stay away from second-hand smoke, dust and other lung irritants. Be sure to take the medication that’s been prescribed. Even if you feel better, you must take it exactly as prescribed. Continue to see your doctor at least twice a year, and eat healthy foods. Although it is not considered a way to stay healthier, you might benefit from COPD clinical trials. Your doctor can point you in the right direction (or you can just move through our site here).

However, one of the most important things (besides quitting smoking) you can do is change up your nutritional habits. Good nutrition is important for everyone, and if you have COPD eating a balanced diet can give you more energy and improve your overall health. You might require more calories than a healthy person, but the doesn’t mean you get to consume large quantities of empty calories! You might need more calories because it takes more energy to breathe with COPD.

COPD treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in DeLand, Florida. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but there is a need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand the condition.