How can I eat when I feel breathless?
Sometimes eating might feel difficult when you’re breathless. There are ways to help if this is a problem for you. You could:
• eat softer, moist foods that don’t need too much chewing
• have more nutritious liquids like milk, smoothies, juice, or soups
• eat smaller meals and snack more often
• eat slowly and take smaller mouthfuls.
If you have problems swallowing
Being breathless while eating might cause problems with swallowing, like food going down the wrong way.
If you have problems swallowing your food, talk to your doctor. They may refer you to a speech and language therapist for a swallowing assessment.
How can I eat when my mouth is dry?
A dry mouth can be caused by breathing through your mouth, taking inhaled medications, or using oxygen therapy. To help you eat with a dry mouth, you could:
- drink plenty of fluids - at least 6 to 8 glasses a day (2 to 2.5 litres)
- take sips of fluid to keep your mouth moist while eating
- eat soft, moist foods with lots of sauce
- if you use a steroid inhaler, rinse your mouth out after using it
- avoid mouthwash that contains alcohol, as this can dry out your mouth more
- avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, as these will dry out your mouth
- try sugar-free gum, mints or sweets, or fruit to help you produce more saliva.
If your mouth is dry and causing soreness, tell your doctor. They can prescribe products to help you produce saliva.
Why has my sense of taste changed?
A dry mouth can sometimes affect your taste. Try to experiment with herbs, spices, chutneys, pickles, sauces, and oils to improve the flavour of your food.
If you dislike the taste of something, try it again another time, as your taste may continue to change.
How can I eat if I feel sick?
Some medicines for your lung condition might make you feel sick. This might make you feel less like eating, but you should still try to eat something. You could try to:
- have cold food and drinks
- avoid spicy or greasy food
- eat some dry food, like toast or crackers
- drink ginger or peppermint tea.
Why am I bloated?
If you’re breathless, you may gulp air when you eat. This causes bloating. Bloating is also a symptom of other conditions, so talk to your doctor to find out the exact reason. To reduce bloating, you could:
- sit upright while eating and for up to half an hour after
- try not to rush and make sure you chew your food well
- try to limit fizzy drinks
- eat smaller amounts of foods that give you gas
- try drinking peppermint tea
- drink plenty of fluids - at least 6 to 8 glasses a day (2 to 2.5 litres)
- try to be as physically active as you can.
Does dairy make my mucus thicker?
Dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt don’t make you produce more mucus. So you should include dairy foods in your diet, unless you’ve been diagnosed with an allergy.
If you do find dairy makes your mucus stickier or harder to remove, try rinsing your mouth and drinking a little water or fruit juice after drinking or eating milk products.
Help with food shopping
If you find it difficult to get to the shops because of your lung condition, there is help and support available to you. You can:
- contact local charities for help with food shopping
- contact your local council for help with getting food or essential items.
The charity Scope has more help for shopping if you have mobility issues.
Get support
Call our Helpline for support with your condition. Get advice on your medicines, symptoms or travelling with a lung condition, or just call us to say hello.