Three Vegetables That Help Fight Abdominal Fat

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, cabbage, etc. contain very specific and unique phytonutrients such as indole-3 carbinol (I3C) that help to fight against estrogenic compound often found in food supply and our environment. These chemicals include pesticides, herbicides, and certain petrochemicals from air and water pollution, household cleaners, plastics, cosmetics, etc can react with your hormones and make your body store excess abdominal fat.

food supply and our environment, such as pesticides, herbicides, and certain petrochemicals from air and water pollution, household cleaners, plastics, cosmetics, etc can react with your hormones and make your body store excess abdominal fat.

The Truth About Muscle Soreness

When you first started working out, you probably hated it. Soreness hurts! But as you progressed, you no doubt embraced it most of us consider it a signal that we’ve done our diligence and stimulated plenty of muscle growth. But is that true?

The fact is, there are no studies connecting muscle soreness to hypertrophy. Okay, don’t stop reading yet; you will get some good stuff from being a bit sore and you’ll probably even want to strive for it. But first you need to know what causes muscle soreness.

It’s believed that the pain is caused by microtrauma in muscle fibers and it’s primarily triggered by the negative, or eccentric, stroke of an exercise like when you lower a bench press, squat or curl rep.

Once your body repairs those microtears, it follows that the muscle should grow larger; however, that trauma is in the myofibrils, the force-generating actin and myosin strands in the fiber. Those strands grab onto and pull across one another to cause muscular contraction. When you control the negative stroke of a rep, there is friction as those strands drag across each other in an attempt to slow movement speed to prevent injury and that dragging, it’s believed, is what inflicts the microtrauma.

That’s a simplification, but you get the idea. So it appears that some growth can occur after muscle soreness is repaired, but it’s in the myofibrils. More and more research is beginning to show that those force-generating strands do not contribute the majority of muscle size; serious mass comes via sarcoplasmic expansion. That’s the “energy fluid” in the fibers that’s filled with glycogen (from carbs), ATP, calcium, noncontractile proteins, etc.

So if soreness is an indication of only small amounts of muscle growth, why strive for it? Well, even small amounts of growth contribute to overall mass. Most of us want every fraction we can scrape up. But the real reason to seek some soreness is to burn more fat.

When the myofibrils are damaged by emphasizing the eccentric, the body attempts to repair them as quickly as possible. That repair process takes energy, a lot of which comes from bodyfat. The process usually takes many days, so your metabolism is stoked to a higher level for 48 hours or more, helping you get leaner faster. (Note: High-intensity interval training, like sprints alternated with slow jogs, damages muscle fibers during the intense intervals, the sprints, which is why HIIT burns more fat in the long run than steady-state cardio where no muscle damage occurs.)

Do you need heavy negative-only sets to get that extra bit of size and metabolic momentum? That’s one way, but negative accentuated, or X-centric, sets may be a better, safer way.

For an X-centric set you take a somewhat lighter poundage than your 10RM and raise the weight in one second and lower it in six. That one-second-positive/six-second-negative cadence does some great things, starting with myofibrillar trauma for some soreness. While you’re coping with that extra post workout muscle pain, remember that it can build the myofibrils and that it’s stoking your metabolism during the repair process for more fat burning.

The second BIG advantage is sarcoplasmic expansion. At seven seconds per rep and eight reps per set, you get almost an entire minute of tension time (seven times eight is 56 seconds). A TUT of 50 to 60 seconds is something most bodybuilders never get—which is a shame because that’s optimal stress for an anabolic cascade and this is the perfect way to train as you age. I call it Old School New Body!

You can do an X-centric set after your heavy pyramid if you’re into heavy training. In other words, use it as a backoff set.

If you’re more into moderate-poundage, high-fatigue mass building, you can use X-centric as the last set of the sequence. Reduce the weight and do a one-up-six-down cadence. You’ll get sore, build some extra size and—bonus—burn for fat. How great is that?

Why you Need Omega 3's in Your Diet

Omega 3 benefits are wide-ranging and proven by clinical studies. Understanding the best Omega 3 sources means you can include more of these healthy foods in your daily meal planning. From heart health to depression treatment to pregnancy health, Omega 3 benefits are too good to ignore if you are interested in health.

What are Omega 3's

The Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA's) are polyunsaturated fats or the so-called "good fats". These desirable fats cannot be made by the human body, so they must be obtained from foods or supplemental sources. These fats are required for normal development of the brain, eyes and nerve tissue in humans. Clinical studies show that Omega 3 benefits come primarily from DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

Omega 3 Sources

The best Omega 3 sources are animal foods, not plant sources. For example, flaxseed is a source, but the body must convert the flax oil Omega 3 into DHA and EPA. This can be difficult for unhealthy or elderly persons. Three of the top Omega 3 sources are cold-water fish oil, grass-fed red meat and natural eggs. Omega 3 oils provide DHA and EPA in a natural form that your body can easily assimilate. No conversion is required by the body. Most of the clinical studies on Omega 3 benefits are based on fish oils from consuming fish and fish oil supplements.

Here are Omega 3 benefits proven by clinical studies:

1. Improves Heart Health - fish oil and Omega 3 benefits include reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, reducing the risk of heart-related sudden death and lowering unhealthy triglyceride levels. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish a week for healthy persons and one serving per day of fish or fish oil supplement containing at least 900mg of fish oil for persons with heart disease.

2. Improves Eye Health - consuming fish oil is related to lowered risk of developing age related macular degeneration, an increasing common eye disease in people over 50.

3. Improves Memory and Brain Function - DHA and fish oil have been proven to stimulate memory and the ability to learn. Research has shown that mothers who take supplemental DHA during their pregnancy and lactation may increase their baby's IQ.

4. Improves Skin and Hair Health - fish oil helps protect the skin against damage from UV exposure, and skin disorders such as psoriasis can consider fish oil supplementation a treatment option.

5. Lowers Cancer Risk - studies on Omega 3 benefits have linked lowered risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer to the consumption of fish oil.

6. Reduces Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease - clinical studies suggest that fish oil and DHA may protect the nervous system in humans.

7. Improves Mood - persons suffering from mood disorders such as depression benefit from fish oil supplementation and Omega 3. The lack of omega 3 fatty acids (DHA) has been linked by researchers to depression.

8. Reduces Allergies - fish oil protects against the symptoms of hay fever, sinus infections, asthma, certain food allergies and allergic skin conditions like hives and eczema.

9. Reduces Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms - Omega 3 benefits come from the EPA and DHA in fish oil that reduce the amount of compounds causing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis.

10. Reduces PMS Symptoms in Women - Omega 3 is converted into substances called 'prostaglandins type-3' that control contractions of the uterus, which cause the cramping.

How Exercise Can Help You Live Longer

One of the key things you can do to extend not only the quantity of your years, but also the quality, is to make a few simple changes to your lifestyle. One of the most important changes is regulating your insulin and leptin levels through diet andexercise.

I've often stated that your diet accounts for about 80 percent of the benefits you'll reap from a healthy lifestyle, but even if you're eating the best diet in the world, you still need to exercise effectively to reach your highest level of health.

This means incorporating core-strengthening exercises, strength training, stretching, and high-intensity activities into your rotation. High-intensity interval training boosts human growth hormone (HGH) production, which is essential for optimal health, strength, vigor, and yes—longevity.

That said, intermittent movement is equally (if not more) critical for maximizing the quality of your life. Chronic, undisrupted sitting—even if you maintain an optimum fitness program—has been found to be an independent risk factor for premature death. Intermittent movement is nothing more than the interruption of sitting, which can be done simply by standing up every 15 minutes or so. Physical activity also produces biochemical changes that strengthen and renew your brain—particularly areas associated with memory and learning.

Dementia may not be commonly regarded as a "killer disease." But the fact is that Alzheimer's disease now claims an estimated half a million American lives each year,1 making it the third most lethal disease in the US, right after heart disease and cancer! Loss of cognitive function, regardless of severity, also certainly impacts your quality of life.

Exercise Lowers Your Risk of Heart Disease, Even if You Have Risk Factors 

As recently discussed in the New York Times,2 one of the ways exercise helps you live longer is by lowering your risk for heart disease. It cites a recent Australian study published in PLOS One,3 which set out to quantify the role of exercise when it comes to reducing the risk for cardiac disease.

Using health screening data collected from more than 8,600 Australian men and women 15 years prior to the study, the researchers determined each person's Framingham Risk Score at the time of data collection.

The "Framingham Risk Score" is an algorithm that was developed decades ago. By inputting health conditions thought to be risk factors for heart disease—conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and so on—it estimates your risk for having a cardiac event within the next decade.

This calculation does NOT take exercise into account, however, and this is what the featured study sought to investigate. Could exercise override or ameliorate other risk factors for heart disease?

Regular Brisk Walking Can Cut Your 10-Year Heart Disease Risk in Half

The study participants were divided into three groupings based on their reported exercise levels at the time of data collection:

1. Those who never or rarely exercised
2. Regular brisk walking and/or occasional vigorous exercise
3. Those who worked out daily, and often vigorously

Next, they checked the national death registry to determine who had died since the health data was collected, and the cause of death. Most of those who had perished from heart disease had had high Framingham Risk Scores. But the level of reported exercise did turn out to be an important factor for who lived and who died. As reported by the New York Times:4

"Overall, people in the lowest exercise category had about twice the risk of dying from heart disease as those in the middle group and six times the risk of those in the group who exercised the most often and vigorously.

More surprising, when the researchers controlled for each volunteer's Framingham risk score and waist size, they found that exercising still significantly reduced people's risk of dying from heart disease. The benefits were fainter, amounting to about half as much risk reduction as before adjustment for these health factors.

But they accrued even among volunteers who had less-than-ideal blood pressure, cholesterol levels or waistlines. Someone with a high Framingham score who exercised had less risk of dying than someone with a similar score who did not."

Walking Also Cuts Stroke Risk in Elderly Men

Other research published in the November 2013 issue of the journal Stroke5 found that daily walking reduced the risk of stroke—another potentially lethal cardiovascular event—in men over the age of 60. A stroke involves either a rupture of an artery that feeds your brain (hemorrhagic stroke), or an obstruction of blood flow (ischemic stroke), with the ischemic type representing 75 percent of all strokes.

Nearly 3,500 men between the ages of 60 and 80 participated in the study, and here, they were divided into five groups, depending on how long they walked each week:

1. Those who walked 0-3 hours/week
2. 4-7 hours/week
3. 8-14 hours/week
4. 15-21 hours/week
5. More than 22 hours/week

The findings suggest that walking for at least an hour or two could cut a man's stroke risk by as much as one-third, and it didn't matter how brisk the pace was. Taking a three-hour long walk each day slashed the risk by a healthy two-thirds.

To Take Exercise as 'Medicine'—Mind Your Dose

Research and experience clearly tell us that exercise is a powerful medicine. But while the elderly may reap sufficient rewards by simply staying in motion for as long as possible each day, younger people (including those in middle age) would do well to pick up the pace and intensity.

As noted in the Australian study above, compared to those who exercised daily, and often vigorously, sedentary people had a SIX TIMES greater risk of dying from heart disease over the course of 15 years. There's not a pill on earth that can bolster your life expectancy that much!

I've often stated that to optimize your benefits from exercise, you'll want to push your body hard enough for a challenge, while still allowing adequate time for recovery and repair. One of the best ways to accomplish this is with high intensity interval training (HIIT), which consists of short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by longer periods of recovery, as opposed to extended episodes of continuous vigorous exertion. This is a core part of my Peak Fitness program, and the Australian study makes a case for the wisdom of such an approach.

Exercising in Your 20s May Result in a Sharper Middle-Aged Mind

In related fitness news,6, 7, 8 researchers at the University of Minnesota have again highlighted the link between exercise, heart health, and brain health. They examined data collected over a 25-year period from 2,700 American men and women, concluding that those who had greater cardiorespiratory fitness in their teens and 20s scored better on cognitive tests in their mid-40s and 50s.

For each additional minute spent on the treadmill during the initial test, he or she was able to accurately recall 0.12 more words at follow-up 25 years later. Those who were fitter in their early adulthood also scored better on tests designed to assess reaction speed and the mental agility needed to answer trick questions. Here, the impact of fitness was again deemed to be independent of other dementia-related risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking.

As discussed in a recent post, obesity is associated with cognitive decline,9 in part because it increases levels of inflammatory chemicals known as cytokines in your body, which are strongly damaging to brain function. According to a study published in theJournal of Neuroscience,10 it appears your body may react to excess fat as an invader, causing levels of cytokines to stay elevated, thereby causing chronic inflammation.

Exercise is, of course, a key ingredient for weight loss. But it's also a simple yet remarkably potent way to lower your levels of inflammatory cytokines, which will help protect your brain function.

Physical exercise has also been found to protect against other age-related brain changes. For example, those who exercise the most tend to have the least amount of brain shrinkage over time. Not only that, but exercise actually causes your brain to grow in size. For example, Kirk I. Erickson, PhD of the University of Pittsburgh found that adults aged 60 to 80 who walked for 30 to 45 minutes, three days per week for one year, showed a two percent increase in the volume of their hippocampus11 — a brain region associated with memory.

For Total Body-Mind Health, Adopt a Well-Rounded Fitness Program

Ideally, you'll want to strive for a varied and well-rounded fitness program that incorporates a wide variety of exercises. As a general rule, as soon as an exercise becomes easy to complete, you need to increase the intensity and/or try another exercise to keep challenging your body. Additionally, as I mentioned in the beginning, more recent research has really driven home the importance of non-exercise movement.

My interview with NASA scientist Dr. Joan Vernikos goes into great detail why this is so, and what you can do to effectively counteract the ill effects of prolonged sitting. Truly, the key to health is to remain as active as you can, all day long, but that doesn't mean you have to train like an athlete for hours a day. It simply means, whenever you have a chance to move and stretch your body in the course of going about your day—do it! And the more frequently, the better. That said, I recommend incorporating the following types of exercise into your overall fitness regimen:

1. Interval (Anaerobic) Training: This is when you alternate short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gentle recovery periods.
2. Strength Training: Rounding out your exercise program with a one-set strength training routine will ensure that you're really optimizing the possible health benefits of a regular exercise program. You can also "up" the intensity by slowing it down. For more information about using super slow weight training as a form of high intensity interval exercise, please see my interview with Dr. Doug McGuff.
3. Core Exercises: Your body has 29 core muscles located mostly in your back, abdomen, and pelvis. This group of muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout your entire body, and strengthening them can help protect and support your back, make your spine and body less prone to injury, and help you gain greater balance and stability.
Foundation Training, created by Dr. Eric Goodman, is an integral first step of a larger program he calls "Modern Moveology," which consists of a catalog of exercises. Postural exercises such as those taught in Foundation Training are critical not just for properly supporting your frame during daily activities, they also retrain your body so you can safely perform high-intensity exercises without risking injury. Exercise programs like Pilates and yoga are also great for strengthening your core muscles, as are specific exercises you can learn from a personal trainer.
4. Stretching: My favorite type of stretching is active isolated stretches developed by Aaron Mattes. With Active Isolated Stretching, you hold each stretch for only two seconds, which works with your body's natural physiological makeup to improve circulation and increase the elasticity of muscle joints. This technique also allows your body to repair itself and prepare for daily activity. You can also use devices like the Power Plate to help you stretch.
5. Stand Up Every 15 Minutes. I usually set a timer for 15 minutes while sitting, and then stand up and do one-legged squats, jump squats, or lunges when the timer goes off. The key is that you need to be moving all day long, even in non-exercise, or as I now like to call them, intermittent movement activities.

A Green Smoothie for Cancer Prevention

We have chosen specific fruits and vegetables that support the specific imbalances in the body that lead to cancer cell overgrowth.

We use two Green Apples for wonderful flavoring. Apples are a good source of vitamin C which is a necessary nutrient needed to turn the cancer overgrowth tide around. Sometimes we use six Pears instead of the green apples. Pears are also a good source of vitamin C and like apples contain pectin, a fruit fiber which slows the absorption of sugars. In spite of tasting sweeter pears often have a lower glycemic index than even green apples. It is important to keep sweets/sugars as low glycemic as possible as this is the primary energy source for cancer cells.

We use one bunch of Kale because it is at the top of the nutrient table in the majority of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, etc. Kale is rich in magnesium which supports our nervous system and is the control switch behind the sodium potassium pumps in our cell walls. K Magnesium is also vital for the absorption of calcium into our bones and Kale conveniently supplies the needed calcium as well as Vitamin C. ale is also rich in the B vitamins which support the nervous system and are very involved in energy production. A not so well known benefit of eating Kale is the amazing protein content. Kale contains over 40% protein by dry weight! Kale is also rich in chlorophyll, the blood of plants which enhances oxygenation of the body. Chlorophyll is almost identical to hemoglobin which is the oxygen carrying molecule in our blood. The difference is that chlorophyll contains magnesium whereas hemoglobin contains iron. Chlorophyll carries carbon dioxide while blood carries oxygen. This is also evidence of our symbiotic relationship with plant life. We breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide while plant breath in carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen.

We use ten stalks of Celery because it is a wonderful source of organic sodium that our body can use effectively.

We use two Cucumbers because they are rich in potassium, which is the primary electrolyte inside our cells. Potassium works in sodium-potassium pumps in cell walls which control intake of nutrients and excretion of cellular metabolic wastes. This is a critical process for those suffering the imbalance that leads to cancer cell overgrowth. Toxins must be removed as fast as possible so that homeostasis can once again be regained and health will then return no matter what your condition. Potassium is also critical in transmitting electrical energy throughout our nervous system.

We use a few stalks of Parsley which is high in iron, contains 3 times as much vitamin C as an orange, and is rich in calcium and magnesium. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron from vegetable sources up to fourfold and calcium and magnesium work together in muscle contraction and relaxation.

We use a small knob of Ginger which is a wonderful circulatory stimulant that enhances the delivery of all nutrients to the cells through the bloodstream. Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties so it helps reduce inflammation all over the body and possesses “anti platelet” activity, which helps thin blood and reduces the risk of clotting.

We use one lemon, a wonderful source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for immunity and tissue integrity as is involved in collagen formation. The pith is rich in bioflavonoids which enhance the absorption and activity of vitamin C. The organic acids in lemons cause the body to alkalize which in turn allows the body to release toxins from the lymphatic tissues, dissolves plastic residues built up in tissues, and creates an environment unfriendly to pathogens as well as cancer cells. Lemons are also rich in many B vitamins, are a great source of potassium and calcium, and add an enjoyable tangy taste to our juice recipe.

Foods to Avoid when Pregnant

Sushi: Except for California rolls, it isn’t safe to eat Sushi when you’re pregnant because it contains parasites that cause illness. Besides, these parasites can also harm your baby, so steer clear of Sushi during your pregnancy. Raw fish: Shark, swordfish, shellfish and marlin are some kinds of fish to be avoided during your pregnancy as they contain a high level of mercury which can damage the brain of the fetus.

Raw eggs: Eggs cooked with raw eggs may just be infected with salmonella, a bacterium that can make you vomit, and have fever and diarrhea, so stay away from Caesar Salad, Hollandaise salad, eggnog, homemade mayonnaise, sunny side eggs and scrambled eggs.

Unpasteurized foods and drinks: Unpasteurized foods can contain microorganisms which could harm you. But pasteurization kills these microorganisms and renders them healthy to consume.

Undercooked meat: Red meat should be avoided completely as it contains bacteria. In fact, deli meat contains listeria that is responsible for miscarriages and infecting the baby, which could be dangerous. Besides, they also contain toxoplasma gondii parasite that cause cysts that is known to enter the body of the fetus through the umbilical cord and cause havoc.Therefore, avoid all ready to eat meats, stuffed poultry and meat spreads as they are likely to contain harmful bacteria. Liver should also be avoided as it is rich in vitamin A, an excess of which can be damaging to the fetus.

Soft cheese: Yet again, being unpasteurized, soft cheese should be avoided as it contains listeria. Examples of soft cheese include brie, camembert, feta, bleu cheese and Mexican-style cheese.

Unwashed vegetables and fruits: Fruits and vegetables are good hiding places for listeria bacteria and toxoplasma gondii parasite.

Canned food: The can you pick up may just be quite old or its water content could contain bacteria, so avoid eating canned food while pregnant. The lining of the cans also contain Bisphenol A (BPA) that affect your endocrinal activity and brings harm to the fetus.

Home-baked items and ice cream: They could lead to bacterial infection and food poisoning.

Fats: Avoid eating saturated foods during your pregnancy, and instead opt for Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids foods.

Artificial sweeteners: You can go with Sucralose, Saccharin and Aspartame in moderation, but do not sweeten your tea or coffee with Sweet ‘N Low, Stevia and Cyclamate.

Other Items to Avoid

Alcohol and tobacco: Tobacco and alcohol are both bad for your fetus as they cause physical and mental retardation in newly born babies. In fact, your baby could suffer from any one of the range of disorders titled Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. These disorders include facial abnormalities, spinal defects, heart defects, retarded growth, retarded nervous system and problems relating to cognition.

Caffeine: Ensure that you have only 200 mg of caffeine-based beverages per day as it has been proved that doses any higher than this could give you a baby with low birth weight. So, be careful of the coffee and tea you drink each day.

Herbal supplements: The ingredients of herbal supplements are not known, so it’s best to steer clear of these supplements during pregnancy. There are those herbal elements that cause your muscles to contract and even end up causing a premature birth. Others contain high doses of caffeine and weight reducing ingredients, which are not applicable to you. If the herbal supplements you’re looking at contain herbs like saw palmetto, senna and wormwood, take your doctor’s advice on taking these supplements or not.

Foods that are Good for Pregnancy

Avocados: The folic acid content of avocados are good for developing your baby’s nervous system and brain. They also contain Vitamins B6 and C and potassium that are good for developing your baby’s brain and tissue. They are perfect food for getting your daily dose of vitamins.

Beans: Eat a variety of beans such as pinto beans, black beans, lentils, kidney beans, soy beans to whatever you eat. Add them to your soups and salads, if you like, after all they provide you with the necessary fiber and protein, apart from folate, iron, zinc and calcium.

Berries: All kinds of berries are good for you since they contain Vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium.

Broccoli: This cruciferous veggie is rich in Vitamins A and C, plus it has calcium and folic acid. It is best eaten when tossed with pasta or stir-fried with chicken or seafood.

Carrots: Rich in Vitamin A that help with the development of your baby’s eyes, bones and teeth, eat them raw or add them to a salad or to cakes. They are also rich in Vitamins B6 and C and fiber, so they keep your digestive system moving well.

Cooked Eggs: High in protein, eggs contain all the amino acids your baby needs, besides also being rich in minerals and vitamins that help with the development of your baby’s brain.

Low-fat yogurt: Eating one cup of plain low-fat yogurt because it’s rich in calcium, protein and folic acid. Add fruits to it to make a thick smoothie, if you like. The active cultures contained in yogurt are good bacteria, so eating this kind of yogurt can keep you from having a bad stomach and yeast infections.

Nuts: Nuts have an abundance of Vitamin E and minerals. Eat them plain, or add them to your salads, meat, fish or pasta and enrich the taste of your food.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal, like whole grains, is also high in fiber, plus it has iron, minerals and B vitamins. Eat a bowl of oatmeal with milk and sugar and feel full for a few hours. Sprinkle some oats in your pancake mix, or to your cakes, muffins and cookies and enjoy the taste and nutrition.

Red pepper: Extremely abundant in Vitamins A and C, and B6, red peppers are natural sweeteners, so enjoy them in a dip or grill or roast them, or add them to your sandwiches and salads.

Salmon: Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which help develop your baby’s eyes and brain. It’s also a rich source of B Vitamins and protein. Since it’s low in mercury content, you can eat about 12 ounces of it every week. Eat it grilled, in a salad or broiled.

Spinach: Your baby’s blood cells will benefit a lot by your eating spinach, thanks to its rich content of Vitamin A, iron, folic acid and calcium.

Whole grains: Eating whole grain bread, pasta and cereals, and rice, pulses, vegetables and fruit are good for you as they are fiber-rich. During pregnancy, you have a higher risk for being constipated, so eating fruits and veggies will lower that risk. You also will reduce the risk of getting hemorrhoids, which are common as your pregnancy advances. Fiber can also keep you from being obese, so go for it.