Ask Doc A few weeks ago, my senior analyst Matt Weinschenk and I went to Chicago for the 63rd Annual Financial Analysts Seminar.
The view from Michigan Avenue.
For three days, we sat in on talks ranging from behavioral finance to how to analyze financial statements.
Two of our favorite talks were from Wall Street legends Ed Yardeni and Jim O'Shaughnessy.
Ed has been a respected Wall Street figure for decades. Back in my Goldman Sachs days, we'd run to the fax machine when word was out that Ed had sent his latest "magic marker" with hand-drawn graphs and statistics. He walked through the reasoning for his S&P 500 Index price target of 3,000.
Jim runs O'Shaughnessy Asset Management and is the author of the New York Times bestseller, What Works on Wall Street. Jim shared his step-by-step quantitative method for finding "veiled value" stocks.
Of course, my favorite part of the trip was lunch.
For lunch each day, we went to the famous Billy Goat Tavern under Michigan Avenue. Most of our readers are old enough to remember that classic Saturday Night Live skit inspired by the Billy Goat Tavern.
But even the best cheeseburgers on the planet couldn't completely distract me from some of the insights shared during the conference.
I can't discuss exactly what we learned, but we'll be sharing topics and ideas from the conference over the coming months.
What topics do you want to see us cover? Send you suggestions to [email protected].
Q: Would you send me a link to the Health & Wealth issue dealing with vitamin D supplements. As I recall, Doc Eifrig is against them but I can't remember why. – K.B.
A: This is one of the most controversial topics we discuss. But it's important so I'm always happy to answer questions.
While I think taking regular, large doses of vitamin D is dangerous, some people may benefit from occasional, small doses – especially if you live in low-sunlight areas during the winter.
However, some people are taking far too much vitamin D in supplement form without concrete evidence that it helps. We know some of the risks of having too much vitamin D include kidney failure.
We covered the dangers of fat-soluble vitamins (including vitamin D) here and delved deeper into the dangers of vitamin D supplements here.
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Q: You said one of the symptoms of Parkinson's is 'uncontrollable movements during sleep.' How does one know they have these if they're sleeping? Do you mean noticing these movements when in bed before you fall asleep? Or does someone else have to see them? – R.K.
A: This is a great question. About 75% of folks with Parkinson's disease also have a sleep disorder. The root cause is a bit hard to pinpoint, but basically Parkinson's changes some of the signaling pathways that also affect our sleep cycles. You might experience insomnia, daytime drowsiness, restless legs syndrome, vivid dreams, and even sleep apnea.
You can also develop REM sleep behavioral disorder. During REM sleep, when you dream, your body becomes paralyzed. But in some people with illnesses like Parkinson's or dementia with Lewy bodies, your body won't switch to paralysis. In other words, your body muscles "act out" your dreams.
If you sleep alone, you might not notice this movement. Unfortunately, many folks don't realize it until they sustain an injury in their sleep (like waking up with a bruise). You can try things like sleep trackers. My assistant tried out a few and really liked the SleepScore Max Sleep Improvement Monitor (you can find a link for it here). Some models of FitBit devices also measure your sleep. An alternative idea is to set up a nanny cam to record your sleeping habits.
Sleep is so important for a healthy life. It keeps our minds working properly and allows our bodies to recharge. If you experience any of these sleep problems, it could mean Parkinson's... but it could also indicate other illnesses. That's why if you suspect a problem, we suggest finding a clinic for a sleep study. You can use resources here and here to find one near you.
Q: I sometimes like to look back on a previous issue of Dr. Eifrig's Health & Wealth Bulletin. Is there a way to do that? – M.G.
A: You can find an archive of Health & Wealth Bulletin issues on our website. If you're looking for a specific subject, search using our search bar. If it's a topic we haven't written about, send us a suggestion at [email protected].
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? Protect your downside with this 'service for all seasons.'
- Something different: Survival of the laziest.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
August 24, 2018