By Dr. Christina D. Economos and Miriam E. Nelson, Ph. D.

How would you define “power food”? 

Would it be food that:

• Was effortless to prepare
• Inexpensive
• Heavenly tasting
• Satisfied our hunger
• Had minimal calories
• Made us feel happy and energetic
• Had lots of good fiber

…and contained all the vitamins, protein, and minerals we need on a daily basis? 

Probably no food can fulfill all these criteria. In fact, the key to “power” foods is variety.  

According to LLuminari expert Christina Economos, Ph.D., “foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, and lean meats provide a wide variety of nutrients important for growth, development, and lifelong weight management.”

Maintaining good nutrition habits is tough for anyone, but especially difficult for a caregiver. Caregivers are juggling the potentially selective appetites of a patient, myriad demands of family members, and their own personal mealtime likes and dislikes.

With the volume of nutrition advice available, some valid and some not, following some simple guidelines seems practical.  LLuminari expert Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., offers suggestions in her book Strong Women Eat Well.  

Hydro Power

One of the most essential nutrients is water. About 55 percent of the average body is made up of water. This may not be such a pleasant image but Dr. Nelson suggests visualizing a plum versus a prune. One is hydrated, the other is not. Don’t let your body become prune like?drink water. About 60 percent to 70 percent of your water comes from drinking liquids. The rest come from water that is part of solid food including fruits/veggies, soups, and even chicken and cheese.

Always think of fluids as a way of preventing rather than treating thirst. If you feel thirsty, you are dehydrated. Begin every day with a glass of water, drink a beverage between and at every meal, and create the habit of taking a bottle of water whenever you go out. Caffeinated beverages serve as diuretics but are better than no liquid at all.

Keep Your Grains Whole

Another important mark of a good diet is grains, and switching to whole grains is surprisingly easy. Think of ways to translate your diet into one containing more whole grains and fewer refined grains. Switch breakfast cereals. Change from white to whole grain bread. Transition from white to brown rice, and even from regular to whole grain crackers.

Close to Perfect Foods

Fruits and vegetables are as close to perfect foods as possible. They’re easy to prepare, they taste good (who can resist a ripe cherry or a perfect tomato), and they’re unbelievably good for you. Build a habit of bringing more of them into your daily life. Add fruit to your breakfast (add to cereal or yogurt for example), try new types of fruits to see what you like. Prepare fruit for snacking. Buy half a watermelon, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and see how easily it becomes a favorite snack. 

Protein Variety

Everyone needs protein on a daily basis but we tend to get much more than we need. The average woman needs about 50 grams to 80 grams of protein daily; an average piece of chicken contains 34 grams so perhaps we don’t need to worry so much about getting large amounts of protein-rich foods with every meal. Make sure to eat proteins from a variety of sources, not just animal protein. Some of the best ways to get protein are fish, eggs, dairy foods, soy products, and legumes.

Meal Planning

Planning meals when you are stressed and tired becomes a challenge. Every time you plan a meal, double it. That way you can simply reheat or mildly redesign it the next night. Use your freezer wisely. It might make more sense to store less ice and instead accept any offer of a homecooked meal from a friend or neighbor. Even if you don’t need it today, freeze it and use it when you do.

Finally, don’t forget comfort foods. While good nutrition is important, eating for pleasure is too. One of the best ways to achieve a balance is the 80/20 plan.

If 80% of what you eat is good for you, the other 20% is what you really want to eat. Think about a healthful salad topped with grilled chicken, followed by one of your children’s homemade cupcakes.

It is far better to have a piece of chocolate every day than a box every four days!