Ask Doc My phone has been ringing off the hook...
Friends want to know when the crash is coming. With the market constantly marching higher, folks are getting worried.
That's why in this week's video series, Retirement Millionaire Daily researcher Amanda Cuocci spoke with Stansberry NewsWire analyst Greg Diamond.
Greg discussed what's going on with interest rates, why we could be moving into a period of high volatility, and how the economy is doing. Watch the video right here.
Stansberry NewsWire is a service that gives you real-time market news and insight. It's run by three industry veterans – C. Scott Garliss, Greg Diamond, and John Gillin – who have a combined 50 years of experience in the markets. If you've ever wondered what's going on in the market or what the latest headlines really mean, NewsWire is for you.
You get daily, up-to-the-minute news, market research, and expert commentary... You also receive actionable recommendations on every money-making opportunity the NewsWire team points out. Click here to get these alerts on your phone or e-mail... and a way to try it completely free.
Q: I have a dumb question. You wrote last week about the great benefits of adding olive oil to your diet. You recommended suggestions for doing so. What about eating olives? I love olives. Is a handful of olives as good as olive oil on a salad? Are some olives better than others? – M.B.
A: Thanks for sending in your question. It's not dumb at all... We're actually surprised no one has asked this before.
Olives are rich in the antioxidants vitamin E and monounsaturated fat. Some people avoid eating olives because they're high in saturated fat. But as I've said before, the right kind of saturated fat is actually good for you.
They also reduce inflammation. In fact, olives have been used for thousands of years for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Now, it's important to point out that olives need to be cured before they're eaten. This process removes some of the antioxidants from olives. So olives are lower in antioxidants than olive oil. But they do contain fiber, which you don't get in olive oil. Olives also have a higher sodium content than olive oil, thanks to the brine needed to cure the olives.
Which olives are best depends on what nutrients are most important to you. Green and black olives come from the same trees... they're simply picked at different times. Black olives are higher in iron, but green olives contain nearly twice as much vitamin E. No matter what way you choose to consume olives – either whole olives or olive oil – you're getting incredible health benefits.
Q: If aloe water doesn't have any effect... what about using aloe on your skin? – M.K.
A: Thanks, M.K. That's a great distinction.
Although aloe vera water has little evidence of health benefits, there are plenty of great studies done on skin (topical) application.
You're probably familiar with aloe helping with burns – particularly sunburns. Aloe contains two substances that do all the work. Glycoproteins alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. Polysaccharides actually stimulate your skin to help it regrow.
These compounds also help with cuts and wounds. One study in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology found that adding aloe gel to wound dressings greatly reduced the time of healing.
So do what I do and use aloe on minor cuts or burns. And it's perfect after getting a little too much sun. You can find aloe gel easily at the store or try growing it at home. Simply break off a leaf and rub it on your skin to help with healing.
Q: What can you recommend for bone spurs and inflammation in joints? I have read online that absorbable calcium is helping people with bone spurs in their feet. It has seemed to have worked for my mother too! I have been taking another brand of absorbable calcium, with no help so far. – L.G.
A: There's a lot to unpack with this question, but we'll try to keep it short.
First, bone spurs are essentially scar tissue in our joints. Basic wear and tear along with age and excess weight put a lot of stress on our joints. As our bones break down from this stress, our bodies repair that bone and the extra growth creates these "spurs."
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the main cause of bone spurs. OA is extremely prevalent in folks 60 and older. It happens when protective cartilage wears out and the bones start to rub on each other. What's more, OA and bone spurs trigger not only pain, but inflammation as well.
There's no clear evidence that low calcium levels contribute to OA. Nor is there anything clearly showing that increased calcium intake helps. Calcium does help osteoporosis... But that's a separate disease with totally different bone-structure issues.
Several sources, including the University of Washington's Orthopaedics Department, cite vitamins A, C, D, and E as helping with OA and therefore preventing some bone spurs. They protect cartilage and fight inflammation as antioxidants. Getting enough of these in your diet and with plenty of sunshine will help keep your joints healthy.
Other recommended therapies for bone spurs include gentle exercises like yoga and tai chi. Physical therapy and maintaining a healthy weight also take some of the stress off your joints. Above all, make sure to get a proper diagnosis before starting any medications or exercise. Underlying issues like torn ligaments or tendonitis require different approaches.
What topics do you want to see in our new video series? Send your suggestions to [email protected].
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What We're Reading...
- Something different: How the solar eclipse will look if you're in the U.S.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Retirement Millionaire Daily Research Team
August 18, 2017
P.S. My colleague Steve Sjuggerud is launching an important project next Wednesday, August 23... with a guarantee that he's never made before. He's putting his entire "Melt Up" thesis on the line.
If you're starting to hear folks talk about penny stocks, bitcoin, or the crazy money they've made in tech companies – that means the mania is upon us. And if Steve's right, the biggest gains are still ahead.
He's calling it the "Melt Up Millionaire" Project – featuring 10 investments that he believes will produce weighted gains of 100% of more in the next 12 months or less.
That's right... Steve wants to help you double the money you put into this project. Click here to reserve your spot to hear the details live on air.