When a person has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), routine activities like breathing, walking, and eating become a challenge. While a nutrition-rich diet is essential to help manage the symptoms better, fatigue, shortness of breath, persistent dry or wet coughing, wheezing, and pressure in the chest can make preparing meals a daunting task. Here are six of the best and easy-to-prepare snacks for managing COPD:

Cheese
Cheese is a great source of calcium and protein, both of which provide energy. The vitamin A and D, selenium, and magnesium content in milk are essential nutrients that help strengthen the bones and fight respiratory illnesses. Including a small amount of cheese in the weekly diet provides healthy calories that are beneficial for people with COPD.

Salmon
Protein is necessary to strengthen the respiratory system, and what better way to get it than from fresh wild-caught salmon. Also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon helps reduce inflammation and makes breathing easier, especially for people with COPD. Tuna, herring, sardine, and mackerel are other COPD-friendly fish.

Fruit and vegetable smoothies
If one is too tired to step into the kitchen and prepare a full meal, whipping up a glass of energy-boosting fruit smoothie can help. One can add fruits and vegetables of their choice, like berries, apples, kale, spinach, mangoes, or carrots, and let the healthy calories from the drink do their work. One can get an abundant dose of potassium, fiber, vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, protein, and calcium, depending on the ingredients they choose. Fresh fruits and vegetables are immunity boosters that improve overall health and prevent respiratory infections.

Oats
Rich in fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamin A, oats are easy-to-prepare and one of the best snacks for COPD patients. It does not need much effort to put together a bowl of oats, berries, and yogurt, but the snack can be filling and can also prevent flare-ups. Oats provide sustained energy through the day with complex carbohydrates, and they are especially helpful when a person is tired during a flare-up.

Hard-boiled eggs
Eggs are one of the most nutritious snacks that provide calories and nutrients like proteins, vitamins A, B, D, E, and K, folate, selenium, phosphorous, zinc, calcium, and healthy fats. Eggs help keep the muscles strong, especially when they become strained by laborious breathing. The lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants in eggs that help support lung function. Hard-boiled eggs with a few slices of avocado, roasted walnuts, almonds, and a handful each of baby spinach and kale is one of the best snacks for managing COPD symptoms. One can also sprinkle a little salt and freshly crushed black pepper and add a dash of lime juice to this snack.

Nuts
Nuts are rich in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation. Almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, and walnuts are abundant in numerous nutrients and provide calories that are necessary for people with pulmonary diseases. Plain or dry roasted nuts or nut butter that do not contain any added salt, sugar, or other artificial additives are good for COPD patients.