Nutrition as a Priority for Lung Health-

While I have been home I have been going through various things and some things were pertaining to my mom- she had COPD, sarcoidosis, congestive heart failure, insulin issues etc especially in the later years before her passing-- she's a big reason for my journey towards becoming a nutritionist. I am not quite to the point of being a nutritionist yet-- but I have made it to being a nutrition intern. Hoping she is seeing this and is proud-- wish I could still be helping her along with others but I think she would be excited to know I am at least still trying to help others..

Well, it's an understatement when I say how emotional some of these things are but I thought I would share some of the things in them such as a 7 day meal plan I used and modified for my mom weekly... We stuck towards 6 small meals/snacks with high fiber and protein. See below for examples of what we tried to follow--

Monday

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with strawberries and oats.
(would make a few for the week and place them in the frig for whenever)
Snack: Baby carrots with homemade hummus
Lunch: Whole-grain sandwich with precooked turkey beast sliced and vegetables (her favorite was baby spinach-there would be quick to grab sandwich baggies prepped without mayo or mustard- and no lunch meat-- the meat would be from grilled or cooked skinless chicken breast sliced for sandwiches or baked turkey beast sliced etc.)
Snack: Homemade Chocolate Protein bar
Dinner: Homemade chicken salad with celery, ranch dressing.
Snack: A piece of fruit or cup of fruit for dessert (orange or kiwi or berries such as a medley of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, walnuts and cinnamon.
Snack: Small apple with nut butter (she loved apples and it was usually peanut butter low sodium)
Lunch: Leftover chicken salad from the night before.
Snack: celery with cream cheese
Dinner: Salad with tomatoes, grilled chicken and cheese with Italian dressing.
Snack: Smoothie (usually pre-made sandwich baggies (fruit and/or veggies) for quick to grab then all that would be need is almond milk or juice)

Wednesday
Breakfast: Omelet with veggies (peppers, baby spinach), and tomatoes. A piece of fruit.
Snack: Small banana with nut butter (peanut butter low sodium.. but there are others out there)
Lunch: Whole-grain sandwich, with leftover grilled chicken, cheese and fresh vegetables (baby spinach usually-- it was a favorite).
Snack: Homemade Chocolate Protein bar
Dinner: Meat lasagna. (individual homemade lasagna containers placed in the freezer)
Snack: Mixed, unsalted trail mix of nuts sprinkled on top of frozen yogurt

Thursday
Breakfast: Yogurt with berries and unsalted nuts or ground up flax seed or granola.
Snack: A piece of fruit with cheese stick
Lunch: Leftover meat lasagna from the night before.
Snack: celery with cream cheese
Dinner: Baked chicken, served with brown rice and vegetables.
Snack: Homemade Chocolate Protein bar

Friday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, rolled in a burrito
(usually homemade pre-made in freezer).
Snack: A piece of fruit with cheese stick
Lunch: Greek yogurt with strawberries, oats and nuts.
Snack: Baby carrots with homemade hummus
Dinner: Stuffed pepper with a side salad.
Snack: Smoothie (usually pre-made sandwich baggies (fruit and/or veggies) for quick to grab then all that would be need is almond milk or juice)

Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, nuts and cinnamon.
Snack: Small apple with nut butter (she loved apples and it was usually peanut butter low sodium)
Lunch: Whole-grain sandwich with vegetables.
Snack: Baby carrots with homemade hummus
Dinner: Homemade pizza topped with cheese and vegetables
Snack: Homemade Chocolate Protein bar

Sunday
Breakfast: Omelet with veggies (peppers, baby spinach), and tomatoes.
Snack: A piece of fruit with cheese stick
Lunch: Leftover pizza from the night before.
Snack: Smoothie (usually pre-made sandwich baggies (fruit and/or veggies) for quick to grab then all that would be need is almond milk or juice)
Dinner: Grilled chicken, with vegetables and a small baked potato.
Snack: Mixed, unsalted trail mix of nuts sprinkled on top of frozen yogurt

Please note she didn't always follow above especially towards the end but she tried as much as she could... plus there were foods we had to avoid because they caused bloating and gas which would make eating for her uncomfortable like beans, broccoli, onions etc.

Lastly, some tips we learned along the way--

-Choose foods that are easy to prepare. Save your energy for eating, otherwise you might be too tired to eat-- definitely made sure of this while making sure less sugar, processed foods and low salt options were eliminated.

-Ask your family to help with meal preparations or other tasks too-- This was a hard one for my mom-- we tried to make sure she was as independent as she could be but when she couldn't we were ready to help but getting her to ask was very hard.. so please ask family and/or friends for help-- it's okay to do so when you need it. This was one thing we worked on all the time because it was so hard for my mom to ask for help especially what she deemed as “easy” tasks when in reality they weren't easy tasks anymore.

-Check to see if you are eligible to participate in your local Meals on Wheels program. Or the various shopping programs like Instacart, Peapod etc.

-Freeze extra portions of what you cook so you have a quick meal when you're too tired- definitely tried to help make sure things were in the freezer for quick meals and snacks.

-Rest before eating so you can enjoy your meal.
Try eating your main meal early in the day so you have enough energy to last you for the day-- sometimes mom's dinner meals were breakfast and breakfast were dinner... it helped to make sure she was getting everything necessary for the day.

-Don't drink 30 minutes to an hour prior to meals and don't drink during meals-- save fluids for after meals/snacks or in between so that you get the necessary nutrients – another aspect that was hard for mom but we worked on it especially when she could only have 64 oz daily (CHF).

-Also putting down your fork or spoon in between bites so you are mindful and in the moment helps with slowing down one's eating.

-Making sure airways are clear and sitting up while eating is also a key point in lessening pressure on the lungs while eating.

Well, that's all I have for today... will continue to dig through what I have and research for more...

Hope this helps and finds you well.

With Gratitude,

Linnette Johnson, MS, MA

Integrative Functional Nutrition Intern
Health & Wellness Coach

5 Elements Coaching LLC