are you empowered?

what is it to be empowered? what is "power" in this sense?

here's a quote from a class i'm in now:
"power works in intimate ways - what we eat, what we wear, what products we use"

i've really never thought to use the word power in this way. though, from the frame of empowerment, this does make a lot of sense. i guess this discourse of power includes oppression, both self- and institutional (and other forms, i'm sure), and, having power, one becomes free from these forces (partially at least).