Picnic Area
Find advice on managing your diet to suit the specific needs of your condition.
What’s in the Picnic Area and how could it help you?
In this area, you will find information about nutrition, how to eat and drink well, maintaining a healthy body weight and helping to manage your condition.
Quick links - here are links to guides on managing nutrition, diarrhoea and nausea and vomiting:
Your illness and weight
Some patients with your illness may struggle to maintain a healthy body weight.
In people with your illness, unintended weight change can be caused by an inadequate consumption of essential nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and small but important nutrients, from food and drink.
Some people may notice that they gain weight, as their condition may limit how much physical activity they can do. Others may unintentionally lose weight as a result of reduced appetite, taste distortion, dry mouth or other symptoms of their condition or side effects of treatment.
A balanced diet can help maintain a healthy weight and ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to work properly and support immune function.
A balanced diet can be combined with pulmonary rehabilitation to help maintain muscle mass. You can talk to your medical team for a referral to start pulmonary rehabilitation if required.
Being overweight can have a negative impact on health, increasing the risk of conditions of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A balanced diet support body functioning and reduces the risk of various diseases and conditions.
Healthy eating and balanced diet
Eating a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet is important, especially if you have lost your appetite or have unintentionally lost weight due to your condition.
Conversely, some people with Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis (PPF) may gain weight due to the effect their condition has on their physical activity levels. For these people it is important to eat healthy but filling foods that are high in protein but low in sugars and fats.
Our Nutrition Guide 'Making every Mouthful count' is a practical resource that can support you with:
Find practical advice and culturally inclusive Eatwell Guides.
Find calorie booster tips as well as ingredient cards for gaining or losing weight.
You may find it helpful to track your weight over time - use our tracking tool to support you with this.
Why does weight change occur?
Why does unintentional weight change occur?
You may have been experiencing unintentional weight loss as a result of a loss of appetite, difficulty in chewing, poor dental health, dry mouth and/or taste distortion, or weight gain because you are not able to move around as much.
Weight loss may also be exacerbated by the side effects from your OFEV® treatment, such as diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
There is no single, definite solution to resolve symptoms contributing to unintentional weight change. It is important to try and find out what works best for you.
Diarrhoea
Persistent diarrhoea can hinder the absorption of important nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals.
People who are being treated with OFEV® sometimes experience gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhoea.
Diarrhoea can be managed effectively with loperamide, which is a common over-the-counter medicine, available at your local pharmacy.
If you have any concerns or questions, please speak to your medical team.
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals
- Sitting after eating
- Eating simple low-fibre food such as white rice, pasta and white bread; soft, well-cooked, peeled vegetables and fruit; canned fruit and well-cooked rolled oats
- Cutting down on high-fibre food, such as whole-grain breads and cereals, nuts and legumes (peas, beans and lentils)
- Drinking enough water or other fluids throughout the day
- Reducing skins, pips and seeds from fruit and vegetables
- Cutting down on raw vegetables, such as cabbage and cauliflower, as they may cause wind or stomach pain – eating cooked vegetables and fruits may be less likely to make diarrhoea worse
- Eating high-protein foods daily such as meats without the skin (chicken, turkey or fish) or eggs
- Reducing your intake of fatty or spicy foods
- Drinking only small amounts of coffee or caffeinated drinks and/or fruit juices. You can reintroduce these drinks when your diarrhoea is resolved
More information about managing diarrhoea, view the guide below.
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea is the queasy feeling in the back of your throat or in your stomach. Left alone, nausea can cause vomiting.
Nausea and vomiting can result in dehydration, as well as a lack of appetite. It is important to discover ways to help you tolerate food intake and improve the experience.
If you are vomiting, it is important to drink plenty of hydrating liquids during the day to replace the water in your body.
- Eating dry foods such as toast or crackers
- Eating small, frequent meals
- Drinking fluids and sipping them slowly during meals, rather than on an empty stomach
- Food or drinks containing ginger (e.g., crystallised ginger, ginger tea or ginger biscuits) – this may help to reduce the feelings of nausea (unless on certain blood-thinning medication)
- Greasy, fatty or fried foods
- Food with unpleasant or strong odours
- Eating large meals
- Eating infrequently
- Eating too quickly
- Wearing tight or restrictive clothing
- Lying flat after eating
- Preparing food when you are feeling sick (ask your family or friends to help with cooking food or make food in bulk to freeze for times when you are unable to cook)
More information about managing nausea and vomiting, view the guide below.
Loss of appetite and taste
A lack of appetite can result in inadequate consumption of essential nutrients. Loss of taste and taste distortion can impair your eating habits or decrease your food intake, stopping you from consuming adequate nutrients your body needs to function.
It is important to find ways for you to eat and ensure a balanced nutritional intake.
- Eating small but frequent meals – aim to have six small meals or snacks a day
- Planning meals to include your favourite foods
- Eating high-calorie foods in your meal first
- Having a milky drink, if you can’t manage a meal
- Choosing high-protein and high-calorie snacks
- Getting some fresh air – this may stimulate your appetite
- Skipping meals
- Having a drink while eating or before a meal which may make you feel bloated and full
Impact of Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D helps our body to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet and is essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.
Vitamin D is naturally present in a small number of foods, such as oily fish and red meat, but it is difficult for us to get the recommended amount of vitamin D through food alone. Our main source of vitamin D is from the action of direct sunlight on our skin when we are outdoors.
The sun in the UK may not be strong enough for our body to make enough vitamin D. As such, Public Health England recommends adults to consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D.
For more information on Vitamin D deficiency, as well as all other topics covered on this page, please download our nutrition guide: 'Making every mouthful count'
NP-GB-103032 V2 | March 2026