Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a condition that requires lifelong management. There’s no cure, but lifestyle changes and medication can ease symptoms and boost your quality of life.
PAH: Foods to Eat and Avoid
A heart-healthy diet is key to managing PAH and should include:
- Whole grains
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Lean meats
- Low-fat dairy products
- High-potassium foods (like dried fruits, bananas, and oranges)
- High-magnesium foods (peanuts, tofu, and broccoli)
Meanwhile, try to avoid or cut back on these foods and ingredients:
- Saturated fat
- Trans fat
- Cholesterol
- Salt
- Smoked, cured, salted, and canned meat
- Refined sugar
Talk to your doctor about whether you should cut back on vitamin K. That’s a nutrient found in green leafy vegetables and certain oils. It can affect how well blood-thinning medicines work.
PAH and Physical Activity
When you have PAH, exercise may tire you quickly. But it’s important to your overall health. You and your health care team will work together to come up with a program that works for you. But in the meantime, some general safety tips for exercising with PAH include:
- Work out when you feel the most energetic.
- Avoid exercising by yourself.
- Avoid holding your breath.
- Build warmup and cooldown periods into your workout.
- Start with less strenuous exercises, like walking, and work up to more challenging ones.
- Avoid heavy lifting or straining.
Some shortness of breath is normal while exercising, but stop and rest if you feel too tired, light-headed, or dizzy.
Pulmonary Rehab for PAH
Pulmonary rehabilitation is for people living with an ongoing lung disease or other breathing problems such as PAH. It aims to ease symptoms, boost your exercise ability, and make daily activities easier. It’s an outpatient program you do at a hospital, clinic, or at home.
Your rehab team will first test your lung strength and physical activity level. They’ll ask about your medical history, treatments, and mental health. They’ll also want to know what you typically eat and drink. All this information helps them craft a rehab program tailored to your needs, which could include:
- Exercise to boost cardio and strength
- Changes to what you eat
- A plan for a healthy weight
- Education about PAH and how to control it
- Ways to preserve your energy
- Breathing techniques
- Mental health counseling and support groups
Saving Your Energy
Everyday tasks can take longer than usual when you have PAH. Save energy with these tips:
Order your to-do list from most to least important. Give yourself permission to hold off on the ones that aren’t essential.
Set practical goals for the tasks you want to accomplish. Think about how much time you need to complete them and your energy levels.
Make adjustments around your home. Examples include storing everyday products at eye level and raising your toilet and clothes dryer. This limits the amount of times you have to bend over and helps you breathe easier.
Use pickup and delivery services if it’s in your budget. You can get groceries, medications, and other items delivered, saving the energy these errands require.
Let friends and family pitch in. They likely want to help however they can. Ask them to do a load or two of laundry, go grocery shopping for you, or cook a few meals that can be frozen and thawed on days you don’t have the energy to cook.
Use mobility devices. Wheelchairs and electric carts can help you avoid walking long distances and tiring quickly. You can also apply for a disabled parking permit.
Rest Is Essential
PAH already tends to make you tired, so it’s important to practice good sleep hygiene to boost your energy. Give yourself the best chance of a restful night’s sleep by following these tips:
Keep a schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This helps keep your body in a consistent rhythm. If you need to adjust your bedtime or when you wake up, try to do it gradually over several days instead of all at once.
Give yourself 30 minutes to wind down. Start your routine half an hour before your target bedtime. You can drink hot tea, take a relaxing bath, or read a book. Choose calming activities that tell your body sleep is near.
Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and distraction-free. Avoid watching TV or scrolling on your smartphone 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Make sure the temperature is on the cooler side (around 65 degrees). Dim or turn off all lights, and consider a sleep mask to keep things dark.
Traveling With PAH
Having PAH doesn’t mean you have to stop exploring. But it does mean extra planning since certain temperatures or altitudes can worsen symptoms. Consider the following when planning a trip:
- Share travel plans with your doctor well in advance.
- Ask if you’ll need extra oxygen.
- Pack enough medicine and medical supplies.
- Research the altitude of your destination and its possible effects.
- Find a PAH specialist at your destination in case of an emergency.
The higher you go, the more oxygen you may need. This applies to travel by air and land. Here are some tips for traveling by air:
- Book seats with extra legroom.
- Get a letter from your doctor explaining your medical needs to ease security checks.
- Take extra oxygen on the plane if needed.
- Check in early for your flight.
- Use airport assistance services if needed.
- Carry extra medicine and supplies in case of delays.
- Wear compression stockings and walk around every two hours to lower your chance of blood clots.
Signs of low oxygen include:
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Headache
If you’re traveling outside the U.S., research laws on entering a country with medical supplies. You may need special documents.
Other Lifestyle Changes
There are other healthy habits you can adopt to help manage PAH:
Watch your weight. It can affect how well you breathe. Plus, quick weight gain could mean your condition is getting worse.
Don’t smoke. It seriously affects your heart and lungs. So does secondhand smoke. Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.
Avoid activities that can lower blood pressure. Long, hot baths or showers, saunas, and hot tubs could make you feel faint.
Share your medication list. Your doctor needs to know what other drugs you take. That’s because some can interact with PAH medication and worsen symptoms.
Take your medications as prescribed. Be sure to take them at the same time each day, and only change your routine if your doctor advises you to.
Check in with your doctor. Let them know if your symptoms change or if your medicine causes side effects. Be sure to attend all your follow-up appointments.
Get vaccinated. When you have PAH, illnesses that affect your breathing, like the flu and pneumonia, can lead to more health problems. Talk to your doctor about which vaccines can protect you.
Consider birth control. PAH can lead to serious health problems for you and your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about which birth control options are best for you.
Prepare for an emergency. Make a kit with supplies and information you’d need in an urgent situation, and always keep it with you.
Join a support group. Connecting with people who understand what you’re dealing with can be a big help emotionally. You can search online or ask your doctor about local PAH support groups.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: E+/Getty Images
SOURCES:
Pulmonary Hypertension Association: “Day-to-Day Living,” “Exercise and PH,” “Traveling With PH.”
MedlinePlus: “Pulmonary Rehabilitation.”
Mayo Clinic: “Pulmonary hypertension.”
Familydoctor.org: “Pulmonary Hypertension.”
Cleveland Clinic: “Pulmonary Hypertension (PH),” “Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.”
American Heart Association: “Pulmonary Hypertension – High Blood Pressure in the Heart-to-Lung System.”
