The Power of the Plate; How You Eat Can Influence Your Body and Your Mind
Featured guest writer: Amy Wilke, MS, RD, LD, CNSC Clinical Dietitian, Nutrition Support Specialist,
Keck Hospital of USC, USC Head and Neck Center
March has been recognized as National Nutrition Month by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The 2026 theme is “The Power of Nutrition”. My interpretation of this topic is: how you eat can influence your body and your mind. This relates to the following ideas that nutrition has the power to:
- Fuel your body: giving you the energy to think, move and function
- Support your health: strengthening your immune system and helping to manage or prevent chronic diseases
- Shape how you feel: affecting your mood, focus, sleep and stress
- Aid in healing and longevity: helping your body repair itself and age better
- Influence performance: whether it’s work, sports or daily life
You can power your day by:
- choosing healthy foods from all the food groups
- alternating your food choices within each food group to provide a variety of nutrients
- avoiding fad diets that promote unnecessary restrictions and unhealthy habits
Balanced nutrition means including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein foods and dairy products in your daily diet. Moderation is key so limiting the amount of added sugars, saturated fats and high sodium foods you eat can benefit your health and wellness.
A healthy lifestyle is a mix of everyday habits that supports your body and mind. Besides nutrition it includes:
- Regular physical activity
- Adequate sleep
- Hydration
- Stress management
- Mental and emotional well-being
- Healthy relationships and social connections
- Avoiding harmful behaviors
- Getting routine healthcare and screenings
- Work-Life balance
Sometimes making lifestyle changes can feel overwhelming. So to make transformations that stick, start with small changes that are attainable. Three examples of this process are:
- Walking 10 minutes twice a day
- Increasing the amount of water you drink during the day
- Shutting down your electronics 15 minutes earlier each night for some downtime before bed.
As these small changes become habits, you can increase the time you are doing and add new changes.
At March’s Support group, I will be discussing nutrition action changes such as smart snacking and eating on the go. I hope you can make it!
About our featured guest writer
