Nutrition for pneumonia. Dietary rules for acute pneumonia

Pneumonia is a complex disease and its treatment always requires an integrated approach. The patient must not only take medications prescribed by the doctor, but also follow a daily routine and eat right. Nutrition for pneumonia in adults and children should be selected so that the body receives all the necessary vitamins and nutritional components in sufficient quantities. Dietary nutrition must be followed not only during illness, but also during recovery from it. This will help prevent various complications.

Features of the course of pneumonia

Pneumonia is a pathological process that is localized in the lungs and most often does not affect the bronchi. During this inflammatory process, an infiltrate is formed in the lung cavity. If the disease is very severe, partial destruction of pneumocytes may occur, which leads to severe intoxication.

With pneumonia, the patient is bothered by shortness of breath, high fever, abnormal sweating and severe cough. When intoxicated, the body's energy reserves are greatly consumed, which always leads to exhaustion. That is why, both during the illness itself and during recovery after it, it is important to eat rationally and follow a daily routine.

Dietary nutrition is developed in accordance with the pathogenesis of the disease.

Dietary goals

Proper nutrition for pneumonia should pursue certain goals. So, all foods consumed by the patient must be as high in calories as possible in order to maintain normal energy balance in the body. One of the important aspects of the issue is the good digestibility of consumed products. Their assimilation should require as little energy as possible.

A diet for pneumonia should contain a lot of protein, which is a kind of building material for the construction of new cells and the restoration of damaged ones.

The patient's food should contain a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, which are a source of vitamins and minerals. These substances are necessary for the normal functioning of many metabolic processes.

A person with pneumonia should drink a lot. These can be decoctions, compotes, fruit drinks and juices. But most experts agree that there is nothing better than purified water, which the patient should drink at least 2 liters per day. If you have a tendency to edema, then you need to drink liquid only before 6 pm.

Any diet, both during pneumonia and immediately after it, should help strengthen the immune system.

What foods should be in the diet

The diet for pneumonia in adults and children should consist of different products that together can satisfy all the needs of the body. An indicative list of products that should be present on the patient’s table every day looks like this:

Various vegetables. These can be zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin and black radish.
Fruits – apples, bananas and citrus fruits.
Berries - gooseberries, cranberries, black currants and raspberries.
Cereals – buckwheat, barley, pearl barley, wheat and semolina.
Lean meats - chicken breast, rabbit and veal.
Fish – you should give preference to low-fat varieties. Pollock, hake and trout are good options.
Eggs – preferably homemade.
Dairy products - hard cheeses, milk, kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese and yoghurts.

You can prepare different dishes from all these products. The main condition for dietary nutrition during and after pneumonia is limiting the consumption of carbohydrates and salt. If a patient eats too much salty food, fluid accumulates in the body, which leads to edema.

In the acute phase of pneumonia, the patient needs to drink warmed baked milk with a small addition of butter. This drink is very beneficial for the lungs and the whole body as a whole.

Sample menu

Meals for pneumonia in adults and children should be fractional. The patient should eat up to 6 times a day, but in small portions. With fractional meals, much energy is not spent on digesting food and nutrients are better absorbed.

In the acute phase of the disease, you should adhere to the following dietary plan:

Breakfast should mainly consist of protein foods. These can be milk porridges, puddings, jelly and casseroles. For breakfast, you can drink a glass of full-fat yogurt and eat an omelet made from a couple of eggs.
Second breakfast should be no later than 11 am. This breakfast should consist of vitamin-rich foods. These can be fruit salads, fruit jelly or baked apples. During the second meal, the patient should drink a glass of natural juice or fruit drink.
During lunch, the patient should eat approximately the same amount of proteins and carbohydrates. Lunch should be a bowl of soup or borscht with sour cream, porridge supplemented with fish or meat, and sweet tea with a bun.
For an afternoon snack, you can eat a couple of pancakes with cottage cheese and raisins, washed down with a cup of cocoa.
Semolina porridge with milk and a piece of bun with jam are good for dinner.

The second dinner may consist of a baked apple or a glass of kefir with cookies. During the day, the patient can eat different types of nuts and dried fruits. If you have pneumonia, you can also eat roasted vegetables and meat.

Such a diet contains the optimal amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are so necessary for a weakened body.

Nutrition after illness

Nutrition after pneumonia should include foods that will promote the regeneration of damaged tissue. In addition, the diet should be aimed at activating metabolic processes in the body.

During rehabilitation, the patient is allowed to consume simple carbohydrates, which are the main source of energy. The menu for one day during this period looks like this:

An omelette of two eggs, a vegetable salad, a glass of cocoa with milk.
Compote with a pie or bun.
Borscht with sour cream, buckwheat porridge with stewed veal, squash caviar, bread.
Fresh apple or freshly squeezed fruit juice.
Cottage cheese, a piece of lean meat, kefir and cookies.

During the recovery period, you need to eat a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. If you are allergic to citrus fruits, then you should give preference to local products. You need to stick to a diet for a couple of weeks after recovery.

The patient needs to limit the consumption of fatty, fried, smoked and pickled foods. Do not overuse semi-finished and canned foods.

In case of pneumonia, it is very important to provide the patient with a balanced diet. This will help you regain strength faster and speed up your recovery. Dietary nutrition is especially important for pneumonia in children and the elderly; such patients are especially difficult to tolerate this disease.

Pneumonia is an insidious disease that can cause death. This disease is most often transmitted by airborne droplets. Pathogenesis begins immediately after the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the respiratory tract. The risk of contracting pneumonia increases when exposed to negative factors. Among them are weakened immunity, addictions, chronic pathologies, and mechanical chest injuries.

Nutrition for pneumonia is of particular importance.

Pneumonia is classified according to the following indicators:

Etiology – bacterial, viral, fungal.
Form – primary, secondary, acute, chronic.
The place where the infection occurred – hospital, community-acquired.
The affected area is total, segmental, focal, lobar, unilateral, bilateral.

Common signs of pneumonia include chest pain, dyspnea, severe cough, and moderate hyperthermia.

Authorized products

With a gentle diet you can:

Meals for a patient with a history of pneumonia are prepared at home from the following food products:

The amount of sugar in pneumonia is limited. Allowed products include marshmallows, preserves, marmalade and honey. Correction of the drinking regime becomes an obligatory step. Instead of soda, coffee, strong tea and alcoholic beverages, use freshly squeezed juices, jelly, fruit drinks, and compotes. The amount of liquid must be increased to avoid dehydration. To enhance the effect of the prescribed treatment, take decoctions and infusions prepared on the basis of medicinal herbs.

Products prohibited for consumption

The general condition of a patient suffering from pneumonia may worsen due to smoked meats, canned food, sausages, and marinades. The same goes for fatty and spicy foods. Food should not be prepared by frying. When foods are exposed to high temperatures, harmful substances are produced that increase the load on the body and slow down the digestion process.

The list of prohibited items also includes:

fat sour cream, cream;
pearl barley, barley and corn cereals;
hard cheese;
baked goods (cakes, pastries, chocolate).

When these products are consumed, conditions are created that promote more active activity of pathogenic microorganisms. The patient needs to forget about vegetables, the consumption of which leads to irritation of the mucous membranes lining the intestines. Among them are radishes, onions, cabbage, and garlic.

Contrary to popular belief, a lot depends on diet for pneumonia. The patient suffers from severe illness for a long time, one of the symptoms of which is lack of appetite. After the general condition improves, the patient returns to his previous diet, forgetting that the functionality of the stomach and other gastrointestinal organs is noticeably reduced during pneumonia. A person undergoing treatment for pneumonia in a hospital is prescribed a special diet.

General rules for creating a diet

When adjusting the diet, the diet includes foods that:

contain a sufficient amount of calories;
well absorbed in the process of metabolic metabolism;
rich in protein and vitamins, they are necessary for the restoration of damaged functional tissues.

Patients with a history of pneumonia are prescribed treatment table No. 13. With its help, they reduce the risk of intoxication of the body and activate the defense mechanism.

In children

The diet of a child with pneumonia is similar to the diet prescribed to adults after surgery. For normal development, the child's body must receive proteins, simple carbohydrates and vitamins.

They are present in:

Pneumonia in adolescents is quite severe. Food must be prepared from high-quality products in full accordance with the recommendations of doctors. Particular care should be taken when introducing new foods into the diet of a patient suffering from pneumonia. Pureed dietary meat is added to liquid porridges, vegetables and fruits. The food is washed down with tea, juices and fruit drinks. To speed up regeneration after pneumonia, drug therapy is supplemented not only with diet, but also with physical procedures. The greatest effect can be achieved through regular walks in the fresh air and oxygen therapy. Using the latter procedure, oxygen starvation is prevented in case of pneumonia.

In adults

Healthy recipes

For vegetable soup you will need weak meat broth, fresh herbs and root vegetables. The recipe may also contain tomatoes, cauliflower, peas and butter. The dish is prepared as follows:

Prepare the vegetables.
Bring the broth to a boil, add salt.
Add chopped vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions) to the pan.
After a quarter of an hour, add cauliflower, tomatoes and green peas.
After 10 minutes, add greens to the soup.

You can serve in 10-15 minutes. Before this, add butter and spices to each portion. The latter are not recommended for use in pneumonia.

Semolina porridge is often included in the menu for pneumonia. The dish can be prepared with either water or milk. To make it delicious, you need:

observe the proportions (1 liter of milk requires 6 tablespoons of cereal);
semolina is poured into the pan only after the milk has boiled;
salt and sugar are added to the milk while boiling;
you need to stir constantly;
the remaining ingredients (jam, berries, pieces of fruit) are added immediately before serving.

The porridge cooks quickly. After boiling the dairy product, no more than 7 minutes should pass.

Pneumonia is one of the most dangerous diseases of the respiratory system. The most severe consequences occur in children, the elderly and weakened people. All patients must follow a diet for pneumonia. Thanks to a balanced diet, you can quickly restore energy balance and accelerate the regeneration of tissues damaged by pneumonia.

Pneumonia, as a rather complex disease, requires not only the prescription of medications, physiotherapeutic methods and exercise therapy as treatment. In many ways, the speed of recovery of a patient with pneumonia depends on caring for him, creating an appropriate sleep and rest regime, room ventilation and air humidification, as well as diet.

Diet during the acute period of illness

Nutrition for pneumonia, or more precisely during the acute period of the disease, will depend on the duration of the fever. Usually, at high temperatures, appetite is significantly reduced. Therefore, among the products most suitable for high temperatures are:

Broths

The advantage of broths is that this food product contains many fat-soluble vitamins, proteins, and fats in an easily digestible form, in the form of an emulsion. It can be given to the patient even when he does not want and cannot eat. In addition, the broth contains a lot of water, which replenishes the body's expenses during illness.

Not all broths are equally good for nutrition: to restore strength in children, it is better to prefer turkey broths (a less allergenic product) with the addition of carrots, onions, and fresh herbs. The preparation time for this broth is 30-40 minutes.

It is not advisable for children under one year of age to consume broths, neither sick nor healthy. Adult patients with pneumonia can be given chicken broth with the addition of noodles, carrots, onions, garlic and herbs. Contraindications to such a diet include acute and chronic diseases of the liver, biliary tract, gallbladder, and pancreas.

Light soufflés made from chicken, turkey, and white fish. Steam cutlets

These products contain complete protein necessary for the synthesis of own proteins, incl. and immunoglobulins to fight infection. Nutrition for pneumonia should include meat products in an easily digestible form that does not require large amounts of digestive enzymes, such as fried or baked meat.

Vegetables and fruits

A diet for pneumonia must include fresh green vegetables and salads, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and herbs. The combined use of vitamin C and other microelements promotes their better absorption. If you don’t want to eat vegetables for a short time, you can replace them with fresh fruits and berries.

Cereals

Among cereals, it is better to give preference to the most complete ones: buckwheat, oatmeal. They can be eaten as side dishes.

Milk

If possible (appetite), during the acute period during treatment with antibacterial drugs, it is necessary to eat fermented milk products. It is better to give preference to unsweetened ones, for example, matsoni, ayran, bio-kefir, bio-yogurt. Children can add sugar and fruit. Fermented milk products in the diet for pneumonia contribute to the normalization of microflora and activity of the gastrointestinal tract against the background of the use of antibiotics.

One of the most important links in the treatment of any infectious diseases, incl. and pneumonia, is a competent drinking regime.

The amount of fluid consumed during the acute period of pneumonia depends on the patient’s body weight, his activity and sweating, ambient temperature and heating.

Approximate physiological fluid requirements are shown in the table below.

For pneumonia, 10 ml/kg must be added to the total value obtained from the table for each degree of temperature above 37 degrees.

For example, for a five-year-old child weighing 20 kg per day, it is necessary to replenish: 100*20 + 10*20 = 2,200 ml/day. (both in the form of broths and in the form of compotes, pure water and fruit drinks).

Among the liquids during the acute period of pneumonia it is useful to consume:

Clean drinking water at body temperature at the moment. It is water at body temperature that has the fastest absorption and causes the fastest replenishment of water deficiency in the body. Cold/hot water is absorbed much more slowly.
Fruit drinks made from lingonberry, cranberry, raspberry jam. Why exactly from these types of jam? Lingonberry or cranberry jam will enhance the formation of urine, and therefore the removal of toxins that are released by pathogenic microorganisms and damaged lung tissue. Raspberries, in addition to other useful substances, contain microdoses of aspirin, which is responsible for its antipyretic effect. In addition, these berries contain large amounts of vitamin C.
Herbal infusions – linden, chamomile. Linden and chamomile have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
Compotes from dried apricots and raisins, in addition to quenching thirst, help restore the content of potassium, sodium and vitamins in the internal environment of the body.

Sweet fruit drinks and compotes are a source of fast carbohydrates - glucose and fructose. The breakdown of glucose and fructose is the most cost-effective way to obtain energy, which is very important for a sick body. Black and green teas, as well as coffee, will not be beneficial at high temperatures, since the water from them is absorbed more slowly, which contributes to the development of water deficiency.

ATTENTION! In each case, be sure to coordinate the specific menu with your doctor!

Recipes for specific dietary tables are given in the "Recipes" section.

The main task of dietary nutrition for pneumonia is to maintain the general strength of the body, increase its resistance, and reduce intoxication. During the height of the disease, the calorie content of the diet is reduced by limiting the consumption of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and salt (up to 8 g per day). The amount of vitamins increases: ascorbic acid, foods rich in calcium salts. Products that contain a lot of phosphorus and manganese salts have a beneficial effect on the patient’s body. At the same time, food should be easily digestible and not contribute to increased gas formation or bloating. Consumption of foods rich in B vitamins (meat, fish) has a beneficial effect on intestinal function. Dairy products are very important as a source of easily digestible protein and calcium.

Food is prepared in chopped, pureed and boiled (steamed) form. Food temperature should be at room temperature. Spicy, salty, pickled foods, hot seasonings and sauces are excluded. The amount of free fluid consumed should be at least 2 liters per day (due to diluted juices of fruits and berries, rosehip decoction, jelly, compote).

The meals are fractional 5-6 times a day, in small portions, in a liquid crushed state, in order to spare the digestive organs as much as possible.

As the patient's condition improves, his diet expands to a calorie content of 2000-2500 kcal (proteins - 130 g; fats - up to 90 g; carbohydrates - up to 350 g). The amount of table salt increases to 12g. Products that stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and the excretory function of the pancreas are recommended: vegetable and fruit juices, cranberry juice, decoction of black currants, rose hips, meat broths, mucous decoctions of cereals.

In the acute period of pneumonia in the presence of high temperature in bed rest, diet No. 13 is prescribed with mechanical and moderate chemical sparing. Diet No. 13 is replaced by diet No. 15, which can also be used from the very beginning of the disease if its course is mild.

What can you eat if you have pneumonia?:

Bread and flour products: wheat bread made from premium flour, 1st grade; dried bread, crackers; dry unsweetened cookies;
Soups: weak low-fat meat and fish broths with egg flakes, quenelles; pureed meat soups; mucous decoctions of cereals with broth; soups with broth or vegetable broth;
Meat dishes: lean meat without fat, tendons, films; poultry meat without skin, finely chopped; steamed dishes from beef, chicken, turkey; boiled - from veal, chicken, rabbit;
Fish dishes: lean fish, boiled, steamed in the form of cutlets or in pieces;
Dairy products: kefir, yogurt, fresh cottage cheese, sour cream, grated cheese, milk, cheese in dishes;
Egg dishes: soft-boiled, steamed, egg white omelettes;
Vegetable dishes: potatoes, carrots, beets, cauliflower in the form of puree, soufflé, steam puddings; early zucchini and pumpkin do not need to be wiped; ripe tomatoes;
Pasta: well-cooked pureed semi-liquid porridge with the addition of broth or milk, steam puddings, soufflé made from semolina, rice, ground buckwheat, boiled vermicelli;
Snacks: jellied pureed meat, fish; caviar; mincemeat made from soaked herring;
Fruits: very ripe raw soft fruits, sweet berries, sweet and sour, pureed, baked apples; dried fruit puree; jellies, mousses, pureed compotes, jellies; milk cream and jelly; sugar, honey;
Sauces and spices: white sauce with meat broth, vegetable broth; milk, sour cream, vegetarian;
Beverages: tea with lemon, tea and coffee with milk (weak); diluted fruit juices; rosehip decoction, fruit drink;
Fats: natural butter; up to 15 g of refined vegetable oil in dishes.

What not to eat if you have pneumonia:

rye and any fresh bread, muffins, pastries;
fatty broths, cabbage soup, borscht, legume soup, millet;
fatty meat, duck, goose, lamb, pork, sausage, canned food;
fatty fish, salted smoked fish, canned food;
full-fat sour cream, cream, sharp fatty cheese;
millet, pearl barley, barley, corn grits, legumes, pasta;
white cabbage, radishes, radishes, onions, garlic, cucumbers, rutabaga, legumes, mushrooms;
smoked meats, vegetable salads, fatty and spicy snacks;
fruits rich in fiber, with rough skin, chocolate, cakes;
hot fatty sauces, spices, cocoa.

Sample one-day menu for pneumonia

First breakfast: semolina milk porridge, tea with milk;
Lunch: soft-boiled egg, rosehip decoction;
Dinner: meat broth with egg flakes, steamed cutlets, mashed potatoes, apple compote;
Afternoon snack: baked apples without sugar; yeast drink with sugar;
Dinner: dried apricot puree, cottage cheese with milk, tea with lemon;
For the night: milk.

ATTENTION! The information presented on this site is for reference only. We are not responsible for possible negative consequences of self-medication!

Often pneumonia is not only an independent disease, but can develop against the background of cardiovascular diseases, injuries or operations. Pneumonia can also occur as a result of hypothermia with high humidity, ARVI, high levels of gas pollution, mental or physical fatigue, malnutrition, lung disease or smoking, congestion in the lungs in seriously ill and elderly people, intrauterine pneumonia or sphyxia, birth trauma, developmental defects lungs or heart, pneumonia in newborns, cystic fibrosis, hypovitaminosis, malnutrition, recurrent bronchitis, acquired heart defects, chronic lung diseases, heart failure, alcoholism, drug addiction. A person with pneumonia is not contagious to others, as the disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets.

Types of pneumonia

primary or community-acquired pneumonia; hospital-acquired or nosocomial pneumonia; pneumonia in patients with various types of immunodeficiency; total; focal; share; segmental; one-sided; two-sided; primary; secondary.

Common symptoms of pneumonia

cough;
a “cold” that lasted more than a week;
it is impossible to take a deep breath, every attempt provokes a cough;
low body temperature;
dyspnea;
pronounced pallor of the skin.

Useful foods for pneumonia

The diet for pneumonia aims to support the body’s protective function by reducing the load on the immune system and digestive tract. It is very important to reduce the amount of consumed fats and carbohydrates, salt, and increase the level of consumption of foods with calcium, vitamins, B and. Food should be taken in small portions, at least six times a day, but not forced to eat if the patient refuses to take it. Dishes should be steamed, oven-baked or boiled, thoroughly grinding until mushy. It is imperative to provide the patient with plenty of warm fluids. The diet becomes a little more varied during the recovery period; you can increase the amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and reduce the amount of fluid consumed.

lean chicken, meat, chicken or meat broth;
low-fat varieties of fish;
dairy products;
fresh vegetables (cabbage, carrots, herbs, potatoes, garlic, onions);
fresh fruits (citrus fruits, apples, grapes, watermelon, pears);
dried fruits (dried apricots, raisins);
berry, vegetable and fruit drinks, juices;
pasta and cereals;
decoction of rosehip, black currant, weak tea, lingonberry and cranberry fruit drinks, sour juices (pomegranate, lemon, quince, apple), decoction of dried fruits;
jam, honey;
products that contain vitamin A and carotene (cream, egg yolk, sweet pepper, parsley, green onions, apricots, lettuce, sea buckthorn fruits).

Sample menu for acute pneumonia

Early breakfast: semolina porridge and a glass of milk.
Lunch: fruit jelly, a decoction of fresh or dried raspberries with honey.
Dinner: pearl barley soup with non-concentrated meat broth, mashed potatoes with steamed fish, watermelon.
Afternoon snack: applesauce, yeast drink with honey.
Dinner: cottage cheese with raisins, rosehip broth and chocolate.
Before bedtime: a glass of milk.

In the period between doses, you can drink freshly squeezed vegetable or fruit juices, heated alkaline mineral water.

Diet during recovery and after pneumonia

lean chicken, meat, fish, light broths made from them;
fermented milk products, milk, cheese;
fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, sauerkraut juice;
cereals, bakery products, pasta;
jam, honey, dark chocolate, jam;
fruit or vegetable juices, mineral water, fruit drinks;
tea, decoctions of rose hips, medicinal herbs or black currants.

Sample menu during the recovery period for pneumonia

Early breakfast: two soft-boiled eggs, vegetable salad with black bread, milk with a bun.
Lunch: rosehip decoction with lemon and honey.
Dinner: vegetable soup with meat broth, steamed fish soufflé, mashed potatoes, plum juice with pulp.
Afternoon snack: apple compote, tangerine.
Dinner: cottage cheese casserole, cabbage rolls with meat, jam or fresh berries, yeast drink.
Before bedtime.