Consuming grapefruit, but also bananas, fish and cheese relieves the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema, both of which are mainly caused by smoking.
A team of researchers from Europe and the United States of America, who studied the eating habits of a group of 2,167 COPD patients for three years, observed a direct link between the consumption of grapefruit, bananas, fish and cheese and the improvement symptoms of these lung diseases, informs feellikecooking.ro.
People who consumed these foods within a 24-hour period showed improvements in a number of parameters, such as lung function, physical condition and white blood cell count.
Corrine Hanson, the study’s coordinator, says that COPD patients should receive nutritional advice as part of their treatment.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases usually affect people over the age of 35, although most patients are diagnosed only around the age of 50.
COPD affects men more often than women, although the number of patients diagnosed with COPD has increased in recent years.
“Diet is a potentially modifiable risk factor for the development and progression of many diseases, and there is evidence that diet plays a role in both the development and clinical symptoms of COPD. This study aimed to evaluate this association,” added Corinne Hanson.
