Vitamins and minerals for immune system

Colds and flu, then cough, fever and headache! Oh my..! These are very common nowadays here in the Philippines because of the sudden changes of climate. Most of the people specially the babies are very susceptible to viruses such as colds and flu. Even myself, I was absent for few days because I’m sick, I’ve got fever and flu. But now, I feel better. I did not take any antibiotic. I just drink plenty of warm water, Gatorade and fruit juice. Besides, I wrapped up myself warmth and always wear my socks. Due to this unconditional climate or during the colder months of the year, we should keep in mind about what are the things we should do to keep our immune system healthy or strong. We have to take care of our body’s self-defense system and it will take care of us. Actually, there are plenty of ways, and one of them is to eat a balanced diet rich with certain vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin or Mineral	Where is it found?
Vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine)	chicken, cod, bread, whole cereals, vegetables and milk
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid)	fruit and vegetables such as oranges, kiwi fruit, peppers, broccoli and sweet potatoes
Vitamin D (also known as calciferol)	Formed when skin is exposed to sunlight, and found in liver, oily fish and eggs.
Vitamin E (also known as tocopherol)	Plant oils such as corn and soya oil, nuts, seeds and wheatgerm.
Copper (trace element)	Liver, nuts, shellfish and wholemeal bread.
Selenium (trace element)	Brazil nuts, bread, fish, meat and eggs.
Zinc (trace element)	Meat, shellfish, milk and dairy foods and wheatgerm.