5 ways to live your best with COPD

People living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been dealt a difficult hand in recent months. Living with COPD has become more challenging because of concerns about COVID-19 and wildfires damaging air quality across the country. That's why, in recognition of COPD Awareness Month, we’re focusing on helping people with COPD find the resources they need to live well.

What is COPD?

What is COPD? 

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) isn’t just one disease. It refers to a group of conditions that block the flow of oxygen to lungs and cause breathing-related problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of COPD symptoms includes: 

• Frequent coughing or wheezing. 

• Excess phlegm, mucus, or sputum production. 

• Shortness of breath. 

• Trouble taking a deep breath.[1] 

Because many of the symptoms of COPD are also symptoms of “just getting older,” many people don’t get medical attention until the COPD is advanced. To manage COPD well, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms and treatment options.[2] 
 

Tools for Managing COPD 

Many people living with COPD manage to live full, active lives. Here are some tips from the American Lung Association for how to manage the disease while maintaining your quality of life: 

1. Protect your lungs and avoid anything that could cause a flare up, like smoking cigarettes and air pollution.  

2. Eat the right types of food to help you breathe better and avoid foods that cause gas or bloating. Also, try to eat small, frequent meals to give your lungs space to fill with air and empty out more often. 

3. Work with your doctor to find a COPD medicine that works for you and your specific needs. There are many types of medicine for COPD and each person's COPD symptoms and medication needs are different.  

4. Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise routine to help strengthen your respiratory muscles and help your heart send oxygen to your body. 

5. Stay in tune with your emotions and reach out for support. Anxiety and depression are more common with people with COPD and can get in the way of living your life to its fullest.[3]

If you or a loved one are living with COPD, we hope you find this advice helpful! For more resources and tools, check out the American Lung Association’s COPD support and education resources.  

1. Basics about COPD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

2. COPD Management Tools. American Lung Association. 

3. Living with COPD. American Lung Association.