Ask Doc After an Athenian jury sentenced him to death and his friends and followers in attendance began weeping, Socrates spoke...
"What is this strange outcry? ... I have been told that a man should die in peace. Be quiet, then, and have patience."
Socrates spent decades as a teacher – or, as he liked to describe himself, a "midwife to the soul." But it was his manner at his death and his final words that sparked an entire school of philosophy...
Inspired by the story of Socrates' death, Zeno of Citium created Stoicism as a way of life that argued to find happiness, you must accept the present moment and the uncontrollable forces of nature... focus your efforts on things you can control... and not be consumed by desires.
Some 500 years later, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius produced a wealth of Stoic writings:
Be like a rocky promontory against which the restless surf continually pounds; it stands fast while the churning sea is lulled to sleep at its feet. I hear you say, "How unlucky that this should happen to me." Not at all! Say instead, "How lucky that I am not broken by what has happened and am not afraid of what is about to happen.
You can't get through life without accepting the things you can't change during hard times.
Today, you need to be a "Market Stoic."
Because sometimes, whether it's in the next month or in a year or two, the market will turn on all of us. It'll stop marching upward with low volatility. And we'll need to sit back and take it... with calmness.
That's where Dr. Richard Smith comes in.
Richard is one of the smartest guys I know... and a true Market Stoic. He studied math at Berkeley and went on to receive a PhD in math and systems science – studying complex systems and mathematical uncertainty.
He's used that education to create a sophisticated program that takes the guesswork out of investing.
In fact, you might remember how we've told you many times not to time the market. It only leads to selling at the wrong time and either missing out on gains or taking huge losses. Acting too impulsively can destroy years of hard work.
What Richard has done is essentially build an "alarm clock" tool that gives you the ability to let your winners run, cuts your losers, and lets you know exactly when to sell with total confidence. It takes the emotion out of investing... allowing you to trade with peace of mind.
His system works so well that he's consulted for industry giants like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and New York State Electric and Gas, just to name a few.
This isn't hyperbole.
It's a way to sidestep huge drops in the markets before they happen. In fact, we use his system for alerts on our portfolios in my newsletters. They're that good...
Q: I reserved a spot then learned the next day that I have to go out of town on business and will be busy that night.
Will you be recording the event to play back at a later date? – J.Z.
A: We've had a lot of readers telling us they missed the webinar on Wednesday night. As I said earlier in the week, if you want to hear the investing story nobody else is telling – and receive all of the information you need to make an informed decision on what you should be doing in your portfolio right now – make sure to watch.
So, for anyone who missed it, you can watch a replay of the webinar here.
Q: Where can I find your articles on prostate health? – F.M.
A: We've written a lot about prostate health over the years. You can visit our website and type "prostate" into the search bar. Here are a few of our favorites...
Try This Easy Way to Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Does Your Pee Burn?
Three Ways to Supercharge Your Love Life
Q: How does coconut oil stack up against olive oil? – L.S.
A: Coconut oil has some saturated fat, and there's the question of if it's a good or bad saturated fat. Saturated fats increase inflammation. Part of the problem concerning saturated fats is that some types are worse than others. Newer research suggests that it depends on how long the carbon chain is (the longer chains are worse).
Coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat. These chains can more easily pass through our bodies. Plus, our livers help break them down easier, meaning you gain less weight than with long-chain fats. So you don't need to limit coconut oil just because of the saturated fat.
We've seen a few promising studies that suggest coconut oil reduces inflammation in cases of arthritis and bowel disease, but we're still cautious. We want to see more long-term human studies.
Olive oil has medium-chain fatty acids and proven benefits, including lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease. And olive oil contains monounsaturated fats that help keep insulin levels in check, making it good for diabetics.
As for cooking... stay away from coconut oil. As I mentioned last month, coconut oil has a much lower smoke point than olive oil.
Until I see more evidence to change my mind, I'm sticking with olive oil.
What topics do you want to see us cover next? Let us know... [email protected].
Editor's note: Our offices are closed for Presidents Day on Monday. Expect your next Health & Wealth Bulletin issue on Tuesday, February 19.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? Check out our full primer on the types of dietary fats.
- Something different: Amazon cancels its plans to build a new headquarters in New York.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
February 15, 2019