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The One Investment Everyone Should Own

I don't care if you're 25 and just starting out in your investment career, or if you've been retired for 10 years.

Everyone needs to own some gold.

And the reasons for that are simple... Gold has been used as a currency all throughout history. Unlike dollars, you can't print more gold. There's a limited supply. And even in the era of fiat currencies and rampant money-printing, central banks keep huge gold reserves. In fact, central banks are stockpiling more gold now than at any other time since 1967.

Gold is also the ultimate chaos hedge. When things get rocky in the economy or stock market, folks turn to gold as a safe haven. It has historically held its value across borders, cultures, and political systems... in peacetime and in war.

Earlier this year, I shared that I think gold may end up being the best-performing asset in 2023. And there are three reasons for that: It's cheap, hated, and in an uptrend.

Longtime readers might recognize this as my colleague Steve Sjuggerud's mantra... but it's a great formula for success. That's exactly what we're seeing in gold right now... The price of gold is essentially where it was three years ago despite everything we've seen since, like the pandemic, inflation, and heightened global conflict.

Many investors are frustrated that it hasn't been a more profitable hedge... so they're fleeing the asset in droves. In fact, exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") focused on gold saw nine consecutive months of outflows.

But gold does appear to be in the start of an uptrend. The precious metal was recently up more than 15% from its lows last fall. And I think this is just the beginning...

Last week, two of the best investors I know – Dan Ferris and Rick Rule – explained why a historic event in the markets could make or break your investments. And they've found the "perfect portfolio" to help you profit.

It not only has their favorite ways to profit from rising gold prices, but it also includes incredible investment opportunities in a host of other commodities that are also ready to soar.

I've known both of these guys for decades, and I can tell you without any hesitation that they put as much thought and analysis into their investment decisions as anyone else out there. Click here to get all the details.

Now, let's get into some of the things you've had on your minds this week. As always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to [email protected]. We read every e-mail.

Q: Olive oil? Check. Dark chocolate? Double check! Coffee? Love it, but it eats my guts. My father loved coffee but could not tolerate it either. He had what he called a "spastic colon." These days, it might be called irritable bowel syndrome, and I've got all the signs. For folks with such unfortunate GI tracts, it means frequent and infirm bowel movements. In fact, it leaves me tired and weak. So a few days ago, and with some resentment, I gave up my beloved coffee, antioxidants and all.

Any suggestions on how to get the benefit of coffee but without the GI troubles? – B.W.

A: The reason we love coffee is that it contains antioxidants. The main ones are hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols. Caffeine is also a type of antioxidant.

What the antioxidants do well is fight off inflammation. You trigger chronic inflammation from a poor diet, meaning lots of processed foods. It also comes from a sedentary lifestyle.

Inflammation not only damages our cells, but over time, it causes diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer's, and Type 2 diabetes.

Coffee also may protect DNA directly. Damaged DNA can start dividing without end, leading to tumors. The exact way it happens still isn't clear, but some research suggests coffee stimulates an enzyme that fights DNA-damaging toxins.

A 2005 study found that Americans get the vast majority of their antioxidants from coffee. But not everyone wants to – or can – drink coffee. In your case, you can just get your antioxidants from other food sources.

Here are some of the other foods that can help you get your dose of antioxidants...

  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Walnuts
  • Dark chocolate (which you're already eating!)
  • Cherries
  • Artichokes
  • Kale

That's just a small list.

So if you don't drink coffee, just add some antioxidant-packed foods to your diet.

There are also other ways to fight inflammation...

Over time, inflammation can also develop from prolonged stress (in the form of anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, negativity, or fear). A 2018 study linked negative emotion with the presence of inflammatory cytokines in the blood samples of 220 adults who were tested over a two-week period.

Make your daily stress-relieving practices a priority. I enjoy using yoga (and other forms of exercise), short periods of mindful meditation (like sitting in bed for an extra 12 to 15 minutes doing transcendental meditation), and music to help boost my mood and relieve stress.

And, of course, regular exercise helps reduce inflammation. It reduces stress and helps maintain a healthy weight. And you don't need much... A 2015 study showed that just 20 minutes of moderate exercise (like walking) is enough to fight inflammation.

What We're Reading...

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 10, 2023