Be Battle Ready

Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, and reproduction. Vitamin A also helps the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs work properly.

It can come from plant or animal sources. In beef liver and other organ meats and in green leafy vegetables and other green, orange, and yellow vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, and squash.

Vegetarians, young children, and alcoholics may need extra Vitamin A. You might also need more if you have certain conditions, such as liver diseases, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant. It is important for your skin, bones, and connective tissue. It promotes healing and helps the body absorb iron.

Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C,including citrus fruits and their juices, red and greenpepper, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, bakedpotatoes, and tomatoes.

People who smoke and those who are exposed to secondhand smoke, infants who are fed evaporated or boiled cow's milk, and people with certain medical conditions such as severe malabsorption, some types of cancers, and kidney disease requiring hemodialysis may need more Vitamin C.

Vitamin D (vitamin D2 and/or D3) helps your body absorb calcium and has a role in your nerve, muscle, and immune systems.

Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Fortified foods provide most of the vitamin D in our diets, including milk, breakfast cereals, and some orange juice and yogurt products. Fatty fish and fish liver oils are the best natural sources of Vitamin D.

Breastfed infants, older adults, people with conditions that limit fat absorption, and people with dark skin or those who seldom expose their skin to sunshine may need more Vitamin D.

Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) is an antioxidant. It plays a role in your immune system and metabolic processes.

It can come from vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, and green vegetables. It is also fortified in some breakfast cereals, fruit juices, margarines and spreads.

The diets of most Americans provide less than the recommended amounts of vitamin E. Nevertheless, healthy people rarely show any clear signs that they are not getting enough vitamin E. People with certain disorders, such as liver diseases, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease may need extra vitamin E.

Iron is a mineral and is part of hemoglobin, a protein which carries oxygen from our lungs throughout our bodies. It helps our muscles store and use oxygen.

It is found naturally in lean meat, seafood, poultry, white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, peas, nuts and some dried fruits. It is also added to some fortified food products such as breakfast cereals and breads.

Your body absorbs iron from plant sources better when you eat it with meat, poultry, seafood, and foods that contain vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Zinc is a mineral needed for the body's immune system to properly work. It plays a role in cell division, cell growth, and wound healing. Zinc is also needed for the senses of smell and taste.

It is found in oysters, which are the best source of zinc, red meat, poultry, seafood such as crab and lobsters, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products. It is also found in some fortified breakfast cereals.

Some studies suggest that zinc lozenges or syrup (but not zinc dietary supplements in pill form) help speed recovery from the common cold and reduce its symptoms if taken within 24 hours of coming down with a cold.