Issue #2004
- WEALTHY: Get the jump on trading trends with this simple tool (Rick Pendergraft)
- HEALTHY: Why your fear of cholesterol could be killing you (Anthony Colpo)
- WISE: Totie Fields on dieting
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- 2 months to a "blue belt" in copywriting (Michael Masterson)
- Making the skies a little friendlier (Lori Appling)
- It’s Fun to Know… about cellphones for pets
- Add "eschew" to your vocabulary
‘I Used to Be Ashamed of What My Wife Was Doing for a Living…’
How I Helped a Spanish-Speaking Immigrant Start a Profitable Business with Less than $100 (If she can do it, surely you can do it too!)
- Patrick Coffey
An Indicator That Speaks Volumes
By Rick Pendergraft
If you stay on top of market trends, you can ditch stocks that are ready to drop and pick up those that are ready to soar. You can determine the strength of a trend by using one of the simplest indicators out there: volume. Volume is simply the number of shares traded during a given time period (hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly).
When learning about technical analysis, volume is one of the first indicators investors discover. Yet when they become familiar with more complicated technical analysis indicators, many forget about it. But just because volume is easy to read doesn’t mean it isn’t important.
When, for example, a stock starts moving higher – and the move is accompanied by high volume – that indicates the stock is in a strong uptrend. And if it starts moving lower – accompanied by high volume – that indicates the stock is in a strong downtrend.
Spikes in volume are often signs of unanimous thinking. If a volume spike occurs at the top of an uptrend, it often means a bullish consensus has been reached, leaving few buyers on the sidelines and room for a downward move. On the downside, a volume spike marks a capitulation point where investors have thrown in the towel. In that case, selling pressure could reach a point where there are few sellers left, leaving room for an upside move in the stock.
Almost all financial websites that have stock quotes also have a volume scan function. As you analyze a stock, watch the volume to see if it confirms your opinion of what lies ahead for the stock. You can also scan for stocks that are experiencing volume spikes – on the upside or the downside – potentially finding those that are on the verge of a reversal.
[Ed. Note: Find out how Rick Pendergraft can help you make money - no matter what the market's doing - as the editor of ETR's new investment service, the ETF Options Trader.]
"I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is fourteen days."
Totie Fields
The Diet Myth That Could Be Ruining Your Health
By Anthony Colpo
In 1989, at the age of 21 and after a few years of inactivity, I made a visit to the doctor. I learned that I had a cholesterol level of 213, which (according to the doctor) placed me at "moderate risk" for heart disease. I left that day with a handful of literature that, among other things, advocated the restriction of saturated fat.
To me, good health had always been about physical fitness – how much weight I could lift or how easily I could climb a steep hill on my bike. So I began training again. But I also paid a lot more attention to what I ate, and I began to study everything I could get my hands on about nutrition.
Everything I read reiterated the same message: "Fat is BAD. Complex carbohydrates are GOOD!" The message appeared to be unanimous, and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
When my father, an active, well-built man who appeared to be very fit for his age, experienced a heart attack in 1990, my resolve to eat what I believed to be a heart-healthy diet was further strengthened.
I resolved to eat only the leanest meats and low-fat fish. And because my intense training required a high caloric intake, I began consuming copious amounts of carbohydrates: rye bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole-meal pasta, rolled oats, buckwheat, and millet.
I began partaking of the delights of butter-less toast, egg whites, salad without oil, and water-packed tuna. If I were served meat that had – shock, horror, gasp! – visible fat, I would surgically trim it away before taking a bite. I wouldn’t even think of buying any new food item until I had scrupulously examined the nutrition label for fat content.
When I calculated the average amount of fat that I was taking in, I was proud to find that it was less than 10 percent of my daily caloric intake. I wore my low-fat habits like a badge of honor.
But reality began to bite several years later. Despite my "healthy" diet, strenuous training regimen, and strict avoidance of cigarettes, alcohol, and recreational drugs, my blood pressure had risen from 110/65 (a reading characteristic of highly conditioned athletes) to an elevated 130/90. It was increasingly hard to maintain the lean, "ripped," vascular look I had always prided myself on. Instead, my physique was getting smooth and bloated.
My digestive system became more sluggish and my stomach often felt heavy and distended after meals. I frequently felt tired after eating. I began to rack up a rather impressive list of irreversible food sensitivities. I had never been much of a coffee drinker, but I was now trying to fight increasing fatigue by sipping a strong black or two before workouts. My fasting blood glucose level was below the normal range, indicative of reactive hypoglycemia.
In short, I felt terrible and my health was suffering.
Despite monumental effort and discipline, my supposedly wholesome low-fat diet had raised my blood pressure, sapped my energy, and left me with a screwed-up blood sugar metabolism. Ironically, these changes increased my risk of the very thing I was trying to avoid: heart disease.
This disheartening revelation was the catalyst for an extended period of self-experimentation, during which I anxiously tried a number of highly touted popular diets. It was only after settling into a high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrate plan – the exact opposite of that recommended by most health authorities – that I was able to reverse the negative changes bought about by years of high-carbohydrate eating. My blood pressure and glycemic control finally returned to normal, while my digestive function, mental focus, energy levels, and overall sense of well being improved dramatically.
This experience caused me to question everything I had ever learned about nutrition. I wanted to know why the revered low-fat paradigm had failed me, while a diet in which the bulk of calories were obtained from supposedly "dangerous" animal fats made me feel better than I had in a long, long time.
Rather than simply take for granted the existence of data showing saturated fat to be harmful – as does so much of the public, medical, and research communities – I insisted on viewing this data for myself. My burning desire for the facts drove me into an intensive search of the medical literature.
What I discovered astounded me.
The low-fat, anti-cholesterol paradigm was a complete sham right from the outset. It began in the early 1900s when Russian researchers noted that feeding rabbits cholesterol caused a build-up of fatty deposits in their arteries. However – unlike humans – rabbits are herbivores. They are not metabolically equipped to eat animal products. (Plant foods do not contain cholesterol.)
In the mid 1950s, health authorities were at a complete loss to explain the rising prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD). Inspired by the utterly irrelevant findings of the Russian rabbit experiments, scientists began examining possible links between fat, cholesterol, and CHD in humans.
One of those individuals, Ancel Keys, plotted CHD death rates from a mere six countries on a graph, and was able to show an almost perfect correlation between fat consumption and CHD mortality.
But what Keys didn’t share with his readers was the fact that he handpicked his data – even though relevant statistics were available for 22 countries. Other researchers demonstrated that when data from larger numbers of countries were included, the alleged association between fat and CHD vanished into thin air. Keys, however, was on the nutrition advisory committee of the powerful American Heart Association, and his erroneous theories were officially incorporated into AHA dietary guidelines in 1961.
The cholesterol theory of heart disease has been largely built upon "epidemiological" research, which examines disease trends among certain populations. Such population-based research can be useful in identifying leads for further research – but, due to many confounding factors, should never be used as conclusive proof of anything.
For example, one of the arguments commonly used in support of the lipid hypothesis is that countries with high levels of saturated fat consumption have the highest levels of heart disease. Sure they do. But they also have high levels of psychosocial stress, the highest consumption of sugar, refined carbohydrates, polyunsaturated vegetable oils, and trans-fats, and the lowest levels of physical activity. All these factors have been implicated in the development of CHD.
To conclusively prove that saturated fat causes CHD, we need to conduct randomized, clinical trials comparing low-saturated-fat diets with saturated-fat-rich diets, in which all other possible confounding variables are controlled.
Indeed, over the last six decades, numerous controlled studies have tested the effect of saturated fat restriction on cardiovascular and overall mortality. But supporters of the lipid hypothesis rarely mention them, instead focusing on the epidemiological data. That is because none of those controlled clinical trials have ever demonstrated a beneficial effect of saturated fat restriction or cholesterol lowering.
In fact, a number of these studies directly refute the cholesterol theory.
Ironically, statin drugs – the only cholesterol-lowering interventions that have demonstrated any ability to save lives – do not work by reducing cholesterol. A mountain of evidence shows that these drugs work via anti-clotting, anti-inflammatory, artery-dilating, and antioxidant mechanisms. Thankfully, taking toxic cholesterol drugs is not the only way to achieve those effects.
Despite almost half a century of intense research, the indisputable fact is that heart disease is still the industrialized world’s number one killer – occurring with the same frequency as it did 50 years ago.
And the great tragedy is that the dietary and lifestyle factors that do increase CHD risk remain neglected or even completely ignored. Modern medicine has become far more adept at saving the lives of those who already have heart disease – but it has achieved little in the way of preventing the disease from occurring in the first place.
This situation will not change until health authorities drop their cholesterol obsession. But don’t hold your breath. The upper echelons of modern medicine are dominated by politics and money, and cholesterol paranoia is way too profitable for those who wield the most influence. The welfare of ordinary folks like you and me ranks far behind that of the powerful vested interests who lobby and fund health policy makers.
That’s why it is up to you to learn about the things that really matter when it comes to heart disease. These include reducing stress; avoiding elevated blood sugar; ensuring the adequate intake of omega-3 fats and avoiding excessive omega-6 fat intake; shunning heavily processed, nutrient-depleted foods; eating a diet that emphasizes fresh, nutrient-rich meats and vegetables; maintaining optimal antioxidant status through the use of proper diet and supplementation; avoiding high bodily iron stores; exercising regularly; and eschewing both passive and active cigarette smoking.
[Ed. Note: In The Great Cholesterol Con: Why Everything You've Been Told About Cholesterol, Diet, and Heart Disease Is Wrong!, Anthony Colpo destroys every defense of the cholesterol theory of heart disease. This book could save your life!]
A Conservative Strategy for Generating Aggressive Returns
The most successful hedge funds and institutions often beat the market by allocating a large percentage of capital to long-term investments… while using a smaller amount of capital to make timely, leveraged bets on rising and falling market sectors.
And with the evolution of ETFs it is easier than you might think for YOU to do the same thing. Click here to learn how you can regularly see returns of 30%… 50%… 100%… allowing you to multiply your wealth, while actually reducing your overall risk in the market.
P.S. We have extended the sale for our most popular trading product through Monday April 2nd, at 9 AM EST. Don’t miss out on the chance to save over 50%!
Dear Michael Masterson: "I’ve got six months, and I’m willing to go balls to the wall."
"Almost two months ago, I blew out my knee during Jiu Jitsu practice. I’m getting surgery tomorrow, and the doctor says I have to sit on my butt for 6 months. No surfing. No wrestling. Lots of free time.
"I bought AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. The second monthly installment is in the mail.
"Mike, I’m not the patient type. I’ve been reading ETR for years and own plenty of material on copywriting. I’ve got six months, and I’m willing to go balls to the wall. Where do I start? Other than purchasing your program, what else can I do to start getting work now?"
- Rob Gramer
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Dear Rob,
I’m very sympathetic to your situation, because I too practice Jiu Jitsu (and also blew out my knee). I certainly hope you won’t be on your back for six months. I had an ACL replacement (grafted corpse tissue) and was walking, with help, in a few weeks. It did take me almost a year to get back to wrestling, though.
You are smart to do something useful with your down time. (I used mine to catch up on books I wanted to read.)You’ve started to work on the AWAI copywriting program. Good. But before you can sell your copywriting skills, you have to have some. So you have to devote 100 percent of your spare time now to becoming the fastest-learning AWAI member they’ve ever encountered.
You don’t need to achieve a black-belt level of competence in copywriting to begin selling yourself, but you need to be at least a blue belt. That will take you about 500 hours using the AWAI program (or about 1,000 hours if you were to try to teach yourself). The faster you can get those 500 hours in, the sooner you can begin making money. And when you get a little further in the copywriting program, you’ll find that everything you need to know about selling yourself is included in it.
By the way, my latest, great copywriting protege is a fellow JJ player. We both started training at the same time – about seven years ago. After about four years of training, he got his brown belt. He achieved a higher level than I did because he trained more intelligently. He had a great teacher and paid attention to that teacher. (We should all do the same when we are lucky enough to have mentors.)
About two years ago, he decided he wanted to become a copywriter. I agreed to help him – reluctantly, because he had zero experience and no writing skills whatsoever. But he wanted to do it and he was a JJ buddy. So I hooked him up with the AWAI program and some advanced copywriters and marketers, and I worked with him personally. It was slow going at first, but he persisted and has really come around.
Today, he is a very good copywriter – a solid "brown belt" on his way to "black-belt" status – and will be capable of earning a six-figure salary for the rest of his life. If he can do it, you can too!
- Michael Masterson
[Ed. Note: Have a question for Michael Masterson? Write to him at AskMichael@ETRfeedback.com.]
And learn how you can be part of an exclusive group of 25 to 50 ambitious businesspeople that Michael will be leading through an elite 5-day program that can help you dramatically increase the profitability of your business here.]
Travel Tip: How to Deal With Annoying Fellow Passengers
By Lori Appling
When you’re on an airplane – even when flying first class – you’re in pretty close quarters. And dealing with space-sharing issues with your fellow passengers can be a trying experience.
I’m a fairly small person. So if I’m on an airplane and the person in front of me encroaches on my space by reclining their seat, I usually don’t mind. And if the person sitting in the aisle seat falls asleep before I get to use the bathroom, I can sometimes crawl around them. My fiance, though, is not so lucky. And he especially hates it when someone tries to carry on a conversation with him when he’s trying to read.
Etiquette expert Ann Marie Sabath has some polite and effective ways to handle such situations:
- If a gentle cough or squirm doesn’t wake the sleeper, ask a flight attendant to wake him to get his beverage request (or to shut the blind).
- If legroom is tight, proactively ask the person in front of you to warn you before they recline their seat so you have time to rearrange your legs.
- And if one-word answers don’t deter a talker, try shutting your eyes for a quick snooze before you pick up your book again.
(Source: Conde Nast)
[Ed. Note: Lori Appling is the Director of AWAI's Travel Division, which publishes programs and holds workshops that help people get paid to travel. To find out how you can turn your travels into an income-producing venture, join their next Ultimate Photography Workshop in Charleston, SC.]
It’s Fun to Know: Cellphones for Pets
You have a cellphone… your kids have cellphones… but what about Spot? The PetCell, developed by PetsMobility, is a bone-shaped cellphone attached to a dog collar that allows you to talk with your pet over a two-way speaker. PetCell also allows you to track him via GPS (handy if he wanders off). PetCells work over standard cellular networks and have their own phone numbers.
(Source: Wired)
The IRS Only Wants One Thing – Everything You Own…
So wouldn’t you like to tell your boss – and all the others…
‘Get Your Stinkin’ Hand Out Of My Wallet!’
If you’re serious about getting out from under the 9 to 5 daily grind, I’d like to introduce you to a man who’s been helping people…
He’ll tell you exactly what to do… so you can tell all of them to shove it! Find out more…
- Patrick Coffey
Word to the Wise: Eschew
To "eschew" (es-CHOO) – from the French for "to flee from" – is to avoid.
Example (as used by Anthony Colpo today): "It is up to you to learn about the things that really matter when it comes to heart disease. These include… eschewing both passive and active cigarette smoking."
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Michael Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2007
Similar Articles:
- Avoid the Big-Time Corporate Heart Attack – You probably know that Enron CEO Ken Lay’s life was cut short by a heart attack. His doctors knew he…
- 2 Eggs or a Pop Tart? – An egg has approximately 200 mg of cholesterol, and frying or scrambling it can up the cholesterol t…
- Soy It Isn’t So – I’ve written several times recently about the unhealthy aspects of soy. Not only does it mimic the h…
- The Diet That Cardiologists Are Being Urged to Recommend – What would you do if you were a researcher and you realized that a diet that had been accepted for y…
- Evolution, Not Revolution – Consumers aren’t looking for brand-new products. They are looking for clever new adaptations of prod…
- Almonds Can Help Reduce Inflammation and Cholesterol – Two recently published studies suggest that a healthy diet that includes almonds can reduce two of t…
- One Damn Good Reason to Avoid Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs – I’ve been called a lot of things. Science Nerd… Professor… and Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Nazi ar…