Editor’s Note: No website is designed to, and can not be construed to, provide actual medical advice, professional diagnosis or treatment to you or anyone. Elephant is not intended as a substitute for medical or professional advice, care or treatment.

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We all want to be healthy.

We see the commercials on television saying we should eat this or do that in order to be our healthiest. Special diets may work for some, but what about those that just want a healthy immune system?

Why should we jump through hoops and pay for expensive probiotics and exercise videos that may work or may not work?

Our diet is the best way to protect our immune system. Here are my favorite seven nutritional foods for boosting the immune system:

Yogurt

I eat a yogurt each morning for breakfast. I stick with Greek yogurt since it usually has less sugar and contains healthy bacteria. The yogurts you want to stay away from are the ones that are loaded with sugar and have unhealthy flavors like Boston Cream or Key Lime Pie. Stick to the plain, vanilla or honey flavors. Buyers beware of those claiming to be Greek yogurts, but actually are just regular yogurts. Greek yogurt is a great way to help boost your immune system.

Oats

I am a big fan of eating oatmeal or porridge. It helps to keep you full, and you can also add fruit, jams or honey to give more flavor. Make sure you purchase real oatmeal and not instant. The instant oatmeal has, surprise, surprise, lots of sugar added to it. Steel cut oats or porridge oats have virtually no sugar, so you can sweeten it to your taste preference. I like it best served with warm milk and a teaspoon of blackcurrant jam. Simply delicious. This is one of my favorite healthy foods to eat.

Garlic

People tell me I put too much garlic in my food, but I like to think I am safe if a vampire ever attacks. When it comes to garlic, it is great for your immune health for two reasons: it fights infections and fights bacteria. It is recommended to have two cloves a day to gain these benefits. Not only is it good for your immune health, but it is also proven to lower stomach cancer by up to 50%. That seems a good excuse to have some baked ziti or a big bowl of spaghetti, right?

Shellfish (clams, oysters, crabs, lobster…)

When you have a touch of the flu you should ditch the chicken noodle soup for a bowl of clam chowder. It seems as though shellfish helps white blood cells produce cytokines which is a protein that kicks the flu virus right out of your body. If you are looking for something to fight colds, get mackerel and salmon since they have the omega 3 in them that fights the common cold. It is recommended to have about two servings of shellfish a week to prevent colds and the flu.

Tea

Although tea is not a food, it boosts your immune system like the other foods listed here. As someone who has lived in the United Kingdom for a few years, I can tell you tea is a big part of their culture, so I have adopted it into mine. Both black and green tea contain amino acids that boost your immune system. Tea also helps your blood fight viruses. It seems as though all of those tea breaks I used to take actually benefited my health. In all honesty, whenever I feel a cold come on I drink green tea, and feel a big difference the next morning. This is a great drink to have for those who are active in health and fitness. I often drink five or more cups of tea a day.

Beef

We all know it is rich in iron, but did you know that beef is also rich in zinc? When people become vegetarians, they often lack zinc which ultimately increases their likelihood of infections. Zinc is how we form white blood cells and therefore we should not be afraid to eat beef once a week. You only need a three ounce serving to help boost your white blood cells in order for you to fight off infections. You do not need to eat a steak a day in order to have enough zinc in your diet.

Sweet potatoes

My friends and I are obsessed with sweet potato fries. Who would have thought that they were good for my immune system? Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A and will help your body fight off bacteria and infections. These are also great for your skin and have plenty of beta-carotene which your body will turn into Vitamin A. To keep yourself looking younger, and your immune system strong, eat half a sweet potato a few times a week.

These are my seven favorite nutritional foods that will boost your immune systems. Some seem like treats, while others make more sense. Next time you reach for the kettle to make tea, think about what a treat you are having and how your body is also thanking you for it. Now, if only biscuits were good for you too.

References:

Glozine

Consumer Health Digest

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Author: Katleen Brown

Image: Pexels

Apprentice Editor: Meghan Alton; Editor: Travis May