🥗 How to Make Your Diet Work for Your Best Body Health: The AHEI Guide
When it comes to diet quality, the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) is a research-backed tool that scores your eating habits based on how well they align with evidence for reducing chronic disease risk. Unlike many trendy diets, the AHEI is rooted in long-term health outcomes, including lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Use the following AHEI-based guidelines to steer your daily meals toward your best possible health.
✅ Eat More of the Right Foods
Focus on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, and whole-food-rich options:
- Vegetables (excluding potatoes): Aim for at least 5 servings per day. Go for color variety to cover a spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants.
- Whole Fruits: Eat 2–3 servings daily. Prioritize berries, citrus, and apples for fiber and polyphenols.
- Whole Grains: Replace refined grains with brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, or whole-wheat pasta. Target at least half of all grains from whole sources.
- Nuts and Legumes: Include 1–2 servings daily of almonds, walnuts, lentils, chickpeas, etc., for healthy fats, fiber, and plant protein.
- Healthy Fats: Use olive oil, avocados, and fatty fish (like salmon or sardines) instead of butter or margarine.
❌ Eat Less of the Harmful Foods
Limit intake of foods that promote inflammation, insulin resistance, and vascular damage:
- Red and Processed Meats: Reduce consumption of beef, bacon, sausage, and deli meats. Opt for lean poultry, fish, or plant-based alternatives.
- Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Fruit Juice: Minimize to <1 serving per week if possible. Even 100% fruit juice is less ideal than whole fruit.
- Trans Fats: Avoid ultra-processed snacks and fried fast food, which still may contain hidden industrial trans fats.
- Refined Grains: Cut back on white bread, white rice, and sugary cereals; these spike glucose and provide minimal nutritional benefit.
- Sodium: Keep intake under 2,300 mg/day, or lower if you have high blood pressure or cardiovascular risk.
💊 Nutrient & Lifestyle Enhancers
AHEI isn’t just about food—your lifestyle choices matter, too:
- Moderate Alcohol: If you drink, limit to 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men. Red wine in moderation has been associated with some benefit.
- Calcium and Vitamin D: Ensure you’re meeting needs through fortified foods, dairy, or supplements if necessary, especially for bone health.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Get from fatty fish or consider a supplement for heart and brain protection if your diet is low in fish.
🧠 Why the AHEI Works
- Based on Harvard School of Public Health research
- Linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and mortality
- Designed to be flexible and culturally inclusive, making it sustainable long term
- Focuses on overall patterns, not strict exclusions
📅 Start Today with Simple Shifts
- Swap your breakfast bagel for steel-cut oats with berries and almonds.
- Replace soda or juice with sparkling water and lemon.
- Cook dinner using olive oil, roasted vegetables, and grilled salmon instead of processed meats and white rice.
- Pack nuts and fruit for snacks instead of chips or bars.
Want help in improving nutrition, monitoring your nutritional health with lab testing, or crafting your personalized AHEI-aligned eating plan?
📞 Contact Women’s Health Practice at 217-356-3736 or visit www.womenshealthpractice.com.
