Diet in bronchitis: obstructive, chronic, acute, allergic

When you have bronchitis, the lower respiratory tract becomes inflamed. If you delay treatment or treat it incorrectly, there is a risk of developing pneumonia and bronchial asthma. Does the patient need special nutrition to recover and what is the diet for bronchitis?

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

Indications

A diet for bronchitis is considered a component of complex treatment. Since the main symptom is cough, indications for prescription arise depending on its nature. For example, foods that promote sputum discharge are introduced into the menu, or, in the case of a dry cough, stimulate its transition to a wet one.

Elevated temperature is an indication for the prescription of antipyretic decoctions. The menu of a patient with bronchitis includes dietary dishes in liquid, mashed or pureed form.

The so-called 13th table is designed specifically for respiratory diseases, including acute infections. It is prescribed in the presence of the following symptoms: inflammation, high temperature, weakness, headache.

[ 4 ], [ 5 ]

General information bronchitis diets

Bronchitis affects not only the respiratory system, but also other organs and systems. They are involved in the pathological process, as they are subject to intoxication, reduce functionality and resistance to adverse factors. In addition, the digestive organs are affected by the drugs taken orally by the patient.

A classic example of a diet is No. 13 according to Pevzner. The essence of the diet for bronchitis is that easily digestible products should minimize the body's energy costs for digestion and absorption of food. It is also designed to:

• provide detoxification;
• improve immunity;
• support the work of the heart;
• reduce the side effects of medications.

Diet is rightfully considered an auxiliary therapeutic method, which, along with medications and folk remedies, contributes to a faster recovery.

Preference is given to protein and vitamin-rich products. Dairy products are useful: cottage cheese, kefir, cheese, milk. Multivitamin preparations are prescribed to those who are not prone to allergic reactions.

The menu should limit easily digestible carbohydrates, which are found in potato and semolina dishes, as well as in sweet products - sugar, jam, honey. Sorrel and spinach are not recommended, which promote swelling and retain sodium in the body.

The caloric content of the diet, as well as the consumption of proteins and fat, are reduced at high temperatures. Fractional meals are useful - six or more times a day. Gradually, the caloric content should be increased by eggs, fish, meat. These dishes replenish the protein loss caused by the evacuation of phlegm. Proteins also strengthen the immune system, neutralize the effects of antibiotics.

The diet for bronchitis also concerns drinking. During an exacerbation, it is recommended to drink from 1.5 to 3.5 liters of liquid. Like food, drinking should be divided.

Diet for acute bronchitis

Some medications, particularly antibiotics, can disrupt digestion. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to follow a special diet for bronchitis. Properly selected food and drinks can influence the processes occurring in the body in the right direction. For example, it is useful for patients with bronchitis to sweat, and the easiest way to improve sweating is with the help of decoctions of such plants as linden and elder flowers, raspberries, mint, sage.

The acute course is characterized by coughing fits accompanied by headache. The illness lasts up to three weeks.

• Drinking plenty of fluids is a must in the diet for acute bronchitis. Alkaline liquids are recommended: Borjomi with milk, alkaline fruit drink. Proteins and vitamins should predominate in the diet, but in moderate quantities. Short-term therapeutic fasting is practiced, unloading the body exhausted by heat and intoxication.

If the patient has difficulty with fasting, then it is enough to limit yourself to a low-calorie diet for bronchitis. As the condition improves, more filling dishes are included in the diet, in particular, fish, meat, eggs. They saturate the blood with proteins lost with phlegm and reduce the negative effects of antibiotics.

[ 6 ], [ 7 ], [ 8 ]

Diet for obstructive bronchitis

In obstructive bronchitis, the bronchi are affected, pulmonary ventilation is impaired, and bronchospasms develop. This condition occurs after viral infections, due to environmental pollution or other provoking factors, and is accompanied by a strong cough and sometimes a fever. When under stress, a person suffocates and tires quickly. Children have characteristic wheezing sounds; this condition can be complicated by asthma.

First of all, the doctor selects medications, then talks about the diet. The diet for obstructive bronchitis includes a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, especially antioxidants C and E. It is important that polyunsaturated fatty acids predominate, which are abundant in seafood: they have anti-inflammatory properties.

Recommended drinks include uzvars, fruit drinks, fresh compotes, fresh juices, and herbal infusions. If the patient's breathing is impaired, the diet for bronchitis should be low-calorie, with a minimum of simple carbohydrates.

Harmful products for a patient with obstructive bronchitis are sugar, salt, spices, seasonings, tea, cocoa, coffee, strong broths. They contribute to edema, stimulate the secretion of glands, and can cause spasm of the affected bronchi.

[ 9 ]

Diet for chronic bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is often a consequence of acute bronchitis, which for some reason was not treated completely. The main symptom is a cough with mucous or purulent sputum, sometimes accompanied by suffocation, which may be a sign of asthma development. Bronchial cough lasts for months or longer, alternating exacerbations and remissions, involving the nasopharynx in inflammation. Such patients are forced to constantly breathe through the mouth.

A diet for chronic bronchitis is prescribed taking into account that not only the respiratory system, but also the cardiovascular system suffers from the pathology. Inflammation disrupts metabolism, and the work of many organs affected by toxins decreases. The disease has a particularly negative effect on digestion. Therefore, a diet for bronchitis is necessary in most cases.

• To reduce inflammation, it is recommended to limit foods with fast carbohydrates (sweets, honey, jam).
• Leafy vegetables containing oxalic acid are prohibited: they retain sodium and remove calcium, which is why swelling occurs and does not go away.
• Vitamins are necessary to improve protein metabolism. They are best obtained from fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Dairy products are essential: they saturate the body with proteins and calcium.

It is healthier to eat small, low-calorie meals. You should increase your caloric intake as you recover.

Drinking should be mentioned separately. Useful drinks in a diet for bronchitis include clean water, green vegetable juices, rosehip infusion, and light wild rosemary tea. They should be warm, but not hot.

[ 10 ], [ 11 ], [ 12 ], [ 13 ]

Diet for allergic bronchitis

Allergic cough is caused by allergens that enter the body and provoke swelling of the mucous membranes. These can be various reagents: dust, animal hair, plant pollen, some products, household chemicals and cosmetics, foreign proteins, etc.

A diet for allergic bronchitis is one of the elements of an allergy sufferer's lifestyle, aimed at protecting against provoking factors. The patient should not smoke, sleep on down pillows, live in a dusty apartment or work in polluted areas. A diet for this type of bronchitis limits the consumption of brightly colored fruits and berries, chocolate, spices and seafood.

A hypoallergenic diet should contain 130 g of protein and fat, including a third of vegetable fat, 200 g of carbohydrates. In total - 2800 kcal. Vitamin saturation is provided by fresh vegetables, fruits, natural juices (except for prohibited ones). Yeast, bran, dietary meat, vegetarian soups, casseroles, fermented milk products, lean pastries - these are the products and dishes that the patient needs. Food should be mechanically processed, boiled, stewed, baked, consumed 4 - 6 times a day.

The hypoallergenic diet limits salt and strictly prohibits the following foods:

• citrus;
• nuts;
• fish and seafood;
• smoked and fried foods;
• mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and other spices;
• mushrooms;
• coffee, chocolate;
• whole milk;
• poultry;
• eggs;
• baked goods;
• honey;
• tomatoes, eggplants;
• strawberries, melon;
• alcohol;
• kvass, mineral water;
• industrial products with dyes and various additives.

Of the folk remedies, decoctions of viburnum, yarrow, and wild rosemary are recommended in the proportion: a teaspoon of medicinal raw materials per glass of boiling water. Many people are helped by baths from succession: steam 200 g of dry grass in a bucket of water, strain and pour into the bath.

[ 14 ], [ 15 ], [ 16 ]

Diet for bronchitis in adults

The diet for bronchitis in adults includes light and easily digestible dishes that do not require much effort from the body to digest. After all, the body constantly needs energy to resist infection and other factors that provoked the disease.

The therapeutic diet for bronchitis performs the following tasks:

• facilitates the digestion process;
• saturates the body;
• replenishes energy;
• improves the patient's well-being.

It is recommended to reduce the amount of food in each portion by half compared to the usual amount. In the old days, they even recommended one- or two-day fasting in order not to "feed" the disease. Food that can irritate the respiratory tract or requires a lot of energy to digest is completely excluded from the diet.

The drinking diet includes plenty of warm drinks – no warmer than body temperature. To replenish the water balance, the best choice is Borjomi mineral water. The healing water from Georgian springs is drunk not only in its pure form, but also mixed with milk. This is a proven folk method of treating the respiratory system.

The recipe is simple: pour the same amount of Borjomi into boiling milk, stir and drink in small sips. Drink a glass every quarter of an hour. Under the influence of the drink, the cough goes away, phlegm is removed, easing the patient's condition.

But hot drinks are not recommended for bronchitis. They irritate and can even burn the mucous membrane, cause a sore throat and worsen the course of bronchitis. It is advisable to give up coffee, which contributes to dehydration of the body, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol and smoke.

[ 17 ], [ 18 ]

Diet for bronchitis in children

An important aspect of the diet for bronchitis in children is the removal of phlegm. To thin it, it is recommended to eat onions. Small children are mixed with honey and given a teaspoon several times a day. Children over five years old can eat onions with various dishes or bread.

• Together with phlegm, the body loses protein, so the next point of the diet for bronchitis is replenishment of protein components. For this purpose, the child is offered dairy or dietary meat food.

Fatty fish in the menu will help slow down the development of the inflammatory process. If the little patient refuses it, a portion of fish oil will do as an alternative.

In case of tracheitis and bronchitis in children it is recommended to mix Borjomi with milk and honey. And cocoa, beloved by children, is not recommended, due to the fact that the drink irritates the mucous membrane and stimulates a lingering cough.

Pumpkin seeds and nuts also have a place in a diet for bronchitis, as they are rich in zinc, which is necessary for a growing body.

Most children enjoy drinking herbal infusions. If such drinks are given to children before bed, then mucus is removed from the bronchi more actively.

Benefits

Food can promote recovery, or it can aggravate the course of any pathological process. The benefit of a diet for bronchitis is to activate the immune system, relieve inflammation, and reduce the adverse effects of medications and toxins.

Principles of diet for bronchitis:

• limiting fast carbohydrates and increasing the amount of proteins;
• exclusion of products containing oxalic acid (spinach, sorrel);
• consumption of foods containing calcium (milk and its processed products);
• fortification of food;
• fractional meal intake.

Fractional nutrition is recommended so as not to overload the digestion. When the temperature rises, the caloric content of the diet is reduced. Often the patient himself refuses heavy meals, since the body "does not accept" them. The daily norm is up to 1800 calories. As the patient's condition improves, the caloric content of the diet should be increased: good nutrition for bronchitis promotes recovery.

A diet for bronchitis also includes plenty of fluids. High temperatures are accompanied by thirst, so during an exacerbation it is necessary to drink about two liters of water. It is best to drink mineral waters, as well as green vegetable juices.

What can and what can not?

The question of what a patient can eat arises in every patient, regardless of the nature of the disease. A diet for bronchitis is aimed at reducing intoxication and exudation in the bronchi, renewing the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract. The menu should include products with vitamins, minerals, complete proteins, enriched with energy.

What can you eat?

The best way to cook food is to steam or boil it. Light soups, salads, and low-fat dairy products are useful. Use the following products:

• protein - to replenish protein reserves that are lost with phlegm (fish, meat, cottage cheese);
• containing increased amounts of calcium – to prevent inflammation (milk, kefir, etc.);
• containing magnesium – to improve well-being and prevent asthma (bran, sprouted grains, nuts, pumpkin seeds, beans, sesame, buckwheat, olives, bread, sea fish, tomatoes);
• with vitamin C – to increase the immune system (citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries);
• with vitamins A and E – to catalyze metabolism (carrots, broccoli, green cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, peas, peaches);
• herbal decoctions – to speed up diuresis and cleanse the body (linden and elderberry blossom, raspberry, mint, ginger, anise);
• fresh juices – to saturate with vitamins, minerals, and improve metabolism;
• milk with honey and soda - for coughing.

A diet for bronchitis may include folk remedies: onions, including for inhalation, chicory or horseradish with honey, strawberry juice with milk.

What shouldn't you eat?

What foods does the bronchitis diet limit or prohibit? “Outlawed,” first of all, are flour sweets and chocolate, which contain excess calories, burden the body and suppress the immune system. Fatty broths, smoked meats, and canned goods are also on the list of prohibited foods.

Alcohol and coffee dehydrate the body, which is undesirable for respiratory diseases. Cocoa increases the cough reflex.

Hard foods irritate the throat, which leads to increased coughing. Therefore, you should avoid dry food, coarse porridges (barley, pearl barley), hard meat. It is better if the food is slightly undersalted - to avoid fluid retention in the sick body.

The common belief about the benefits of hot drinks misleads many. In fact, hot drinks, if they bring relief, do so for a short time; and if the inflamed throat is injured, the cough becomes even stronger. Only warm drinks are useful for bronchitis.

• When studying the question of what you can’t eat with bronchitis, you come across contradictions, in particular regarding honey and citrus fruits. Some believe that the bee product is a source of many useful components, very useful for bronchitis; others remind us of its allergenicity and excessive sweetness, which can be harmful to the patient.

Citrus fruits are, on the one hand, rich in vitamin C, which is essential for immunity; on the other hand, they contain fruit acids, which create an acidic environment favorable to viruses.

Perhaps the truth is really in the middle, and in small quantities these products will be beneficial for the body. Just remember that honey does not like high temperatures, so it should be put in warm, not hot tea or decoction.

Contraindications

In principle, following a diet for bronchitis is not so difficult, since most of the healthy products are present on our table every day. Is the method of cooking a little different for the patient: boiling, steaming, softening dishes, etc. are recommended. And also a minimum of spices, sugar and salt. The diet should not cause allergies and relapse of the disease.

Contraindications to the diet for bronchitis are associated with diseases of other organs, in particular, the digestive system. For example, if the vitamins prescribed to the patient are not balanced, that is, they interfere with the normal absorption of each other, then they can provoke an additional problem - the formation of gallstones and urinary stones.

Pregnant women with bronchitis should eat according to their physiological condition.

[ 19 ], [ 20 ], [ 21 ], [ 22 ], [ 23 ]

Possible risks

Risks associated with a bronchitis diet arise in the following circumstances:

• if a reaction to an allergen or a substance intolerable to the body occurs;
• when consuming stale or poor quality products;
• when eating food that is too heavy for a sick organism;
• during pregnancy;
• with constant malnutrition.

To avoid unwanted consequences and risks, you should stick to a healthy diet in general and a special diet for bronchitis in particular. If you want, it is not so difficult to abstain from unhealthy food and habits, and instead accustom yourself to a healthy lifestyle. Especially when your own health is at stake.

[ 24 ], [ 25 ]

Complications

Possible complications of bronchitis occur with improper treatment, interrupted course, failure to follow doctor's orders, smoking, and exposure to factors unfavorable for breathing. Bronchitis is most severe in infants and elderly patients. Complicated bronchitis develops into pneumonia or asthma, as well as bronchopneumonia, pulmonary emphysema, or purulent bronchitis. A diet for complicated bronchitis is mandatory, as is bed rest.

Complications of chronic bronchitis in a small child are very dangerous. This can bind him to taking medications and constant preventive procedures for life. At the same time, problems arise with the cardiovascular system, the general development of the child and his vital functions.

It is extremely important to protect small children from bronchitis and pneumonia, which produce mucus. After all, a child is unable to get rid of it on his own, and doing this from the outside, using special tools, is undesirable and unsafe.

The patient's nutrition plays an important role in the treatment process, and a competent doctor always pays attention to the diet, in particular with bronchitis. Healthy, balanced food supports immunity, restores lost nutrients, and counteracts unwanted consequences and complications. The patient recovers faster, becomes more energetic and cheerful, accelerating his own recovery.

[ 26 ], [ 27 ]