The symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD) include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and sputum. It is important for you to get the right type of treatment for your condition. Doctors often also recommend patients make changes to their diets as certain foods can make COPD symptoms and breathing a lot worse. 
Here is a list of foods that you should remove from your diet if you suffer from COPD

1. Salty foods
Salt is hard on your lungs because it can lead to water retention. You will be more likely to have shortness of breath if your body is retaining water. You are also more likely to develop high blood pressure. Not only should you hold the salt when you are seasoning your food, but you should also read the sodium labels. The vast majority of the salt that people consume comes from processed food. You should read the food label before you buy anything. It is best for you to look for foods that have less than 140 mg of sodium in them. If you struggle to control your sodium intake, then it is a good idea for you to talk to a dietitian

2. Carbonated beverages
Sodas and other carbonated beverages tend to cause bloating. That is why it will be harder for you to breathe if you drink a carbonated beverage. Many of these drinks also have a lot of sugar. Too much sugar can cause inflammation

3. Caffeinated foods and drinks
Many people consume caffeine because they want to have energy. However, caffeine isn’t good for you if you suffer from COPD. Caffeine is in tea, chocolate and coffee. Caffeine can make your medications less effective

4. Cured meats
Salami, bacon and pepperoni are examples of cured meats. They can trigger a COPD flare up. There was a study published in the European Respiratory Journal that showed that people who ate cured meat were more likely to end up in the hospital. Cured meat has nitrates and nitrites in it. There are a few reasons that cured meat isn’t good for people who have COPD. These meats have too much salt in them. Nitrites and nitrates can also damage the lung tissue by causing inflammation

5. Dairy products
Milk, ice cream, cheese and other dairy products should be avoided if you have COPD. Milk has casomorphin in them. The casomorphin can stimulate the production of mucus. Milk and milk-containing products have also been shown to trigger inflammation

6. Acidic foods and drinks
Your esophagus has a ring of muscle around it. This ring of muscle is a valve that is designed to prevent stomach acid from moving into your throat. If you consume too many acidic foods and drinks,  you will be more likely to develop acid reflux. Acid reflux can worsen COPD symptoms