As Dr. Al Sears writes in his book, The Doctor’s Heart Cure, endurance exercise actually makes the heart, lungs, and muscles smaller. They can perform longer with less energy — but what you gain in efficiency, you lose in reserve capacity. In your later years, it is this reserve capacity that protects against heart attacks.

To improve the health and strength of your heart, focus on short intervals of intense exercise punctuated by brief periods of recovery.

They went down so far, in fact, that funeral directors were protesting the strike!

Emergency care and other vital services were not disrupted during the strike. What decreased — drastically — were visits to outpatient centers.

That meant fewer prescriptions were written. And most elective surgeries were cancelled.

Maybe not a bad thing.

Dr. Joseph Mercola put it well when he wrote:

“There is no question that traditional approaches for acute traumas (heart attack, stroke, accidents, etc.) are valuable and should not be abandoned. However, overall, when drugs and surgery are used to address chronic illness, it is generally a prescription for disaster.”

Hospitals and doctors are invaluable for traumatic injuries. But when it comes to maintaining robust health and preventing illness, healthy living and personal responsibility is the key.

Like it or not, consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. And that makes retail earnings an important barometer for the economy. So what are retail earnings telling us… and how can you profit?

The biggest lesson we can take from retail earnings is that our economy is not only slowing (that is obvious), it is also changing. We are moving from an economy based on “what I want” to an economy based on “what I need.”

That is why retailers that sell necessities (like Wal-Mart) will continue to show strength, whereas retailers that focus on luxuries and rely on discretionary spending (think Coach, Tiffany, and Saks) will show weakness.

Two companies that exemplify the shift in consumer buying trends are deep-discount retailers Family Dollar (FDO) and Dollar Tree (DLTR). Market research firm Nielsen recently reported that high-income shoppers (from households making more than $100,000 a year) increased their spending at dollar stores by 18 percent in the second half of 2008 as compared to 2007. Not surprisingly, both of these companies are near their all-time highs, while the rest of the market founders.

And speaking of relative strength, one of my favorite retailers in this market is AutoZone (AZO). When the economy tumbles and money is tight, people are more inclined to fix their old car, rather than buy a new one. Need evidence? AZO is also within spitting distance of its all-time high. Few companies have shown this level of resilience, and in a down market that is what you should be looking for.

[Ed. Note: Jon Herring is an investment analyst with Investor's Daily Edge, ETR's sister publication. Get a free subscription to this valuable wealth-building resource right here.]

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“Diversify your investments. Buy quality companies and hold them until you retire. Whether it is stocks or real estate, the values always go up over time.”

That is… until they don’t.

The past two years have shown us how unwise (and unsafe) that advice really is. Diversification helps very little when everything is falling. And while real estate and the markets generally do rise over the long term, that is not much consolation if your retirement is five years away. Millions of people have paid for these misconceptions with huge losses in a short period of time.

Michael Covel, the author of Trend Following: Learn to Make Millions in Up or Down Markets, points out some major pitfalls of the “investing” mindset:

“Investors put their money, or capital, into a market, such as stocks or real estate, under the assumption that the value will always increase over time. Investors typically do not have a plan for when their investment value decreases. They usually hold on to their investment, hoping that the value will reverse itself and go back up. Investors typically succeed in bull markets and lose in bear markets.”

Most investors have no idea how to respond to or, better yet, how to capitalize on a falling market. Clinging to the idea that the markets “always rise over time,” they “hang on” and continue to lose.

If you have any money in the markets – even if it is just your 401(k) – you need to begin thinking of yourself as a trader. That doesn’t mean you have to buy and sell stocks every day, or even every month. But it does mean having a selling strategy for when the market goes against you. It should also mean having a strategy to make money when the markets rise… and when they fall.

There is no doubt that we are in the worst economy in decades. Corporate earnings are falling. Unemployment is rising. And while the stock market recently experienced its sharpest rise since 1933, the overall trend is still down.

But what is bad for the economy and terrible for the market does not have to wreak havoc on your investments. By employing the right strategies, you can multiply your wealth safely in just about any market. In fact, there are a number of strategies that have never been as safe or as profitable as they are today.

Here are two that you should consider right now:

1. Selling Covered Call Options

Selling (or “writing”) covered calls is one of the safest ways to generate extra income from the stocks in your portfolio. And due to the volatility in today’s market, option premiums are currently much higher than their historical averages. As a “seller” of options, that works in your favor. This is a strategy that could easily and safely generate 20 percent annual income for you.

Selling covered calls is probably the lowest-risk form of options trading. It involves selling someone the right to buy a stock that you own at some time in the future. For this privilege, the option buyer pays you cash up front, thus lowering your cost basis for the shares you’ve purchased.

Here’s how it works…

Let’s assume you own 100 shares of stock ABC. The stock is trading for $10 and the July call options on it – with a “strike” price of $11 – are selling for $1. So by selling one call option on your 100 shares of ABC (each call option represents 100 shares), you immediately receive $100 in your account. Therefore, your cost basis on this transaction is $900 ($1,000 – $100).

There are three possible outcomes to this trade:

• If ABC is trading for more than $11 before the option expiration date, the buyer would exercise his right to purchase the 100 shares of stock from you for $1,100. (He would then turn around and sell those shares, making a quick profit.) In this case, you would make 22 percent, based on your cost basis of $900.

• If ABC is trading for less than $11 but more than $9 at the expiration date, you would still own the shares – at a gain – and you would pocket the cash you received up front. You could then repeat the process to generate another round of income.

• If ABC is trading for less than $9 at expiration, you would be holding your shares at a loss. But the income you received up front by selling the call option would offset that loss. And, again, you could repeat the process to recoup more of the loss and generate additional income.

The key to this strategy is to use it with stocks that you would like to hold for the long term. They could be stocks you already own or stocks you buy specifically for the purpose of writing covered call options – stocks you believe to be very safe and cheap. And you should employ this strategy at a time when option premiums are large – as they are now. Ideally, you will be selling options that expire within three to five months.

By writing covered calls on high-quality dividend-paying stocks, you can get an extra bonus. Best-case scenario, you keep the option premiums, you keep the dividends, and you keep the stock too!

2. Selling Put Options

Selling puts is a strategy that can generate an annualized yield in the neighborhood of 30 percent to 50 percent. When executed properly, this strategy can be highly profitable and carry very low risk. That is especially true in the kind of market we have today, where fear is high and option prices are elevated.

This is a great way to buy stocks at a discount. Let’s say you would love to buy IBM at $81 a share, but it’s selling at $89 a share. In this case, you could sell the $81 put option. If the price falls below $81 before the option expiration date, you get your shares at the price you like. If the price stays above $81, you keep the premium and you can repeat the process.

You can also sell puts with the goal of generating income. In this case, you’d want the puts to expire worthless so you can capture the option premium. To accomplish this goal, you sell puts that are “out of the money” on stocks you believe to have very little downside risk… and which you would be willing to purchase at a much lower price.

Here is an example…

Let’s assume that stock XYZ is selling for $13. We’ll also assume the stock has already fallen by a significant amount (not too hard to find in today’s market) and you believe the rock bottom liquidation value of the company is $8.

With the stock trading at $13, the July $10 put option is well out of the money and selling for $1.50. You decide to sell those puts. When the trade closes, $150 will automatically show up in your account for every put contract you sold.

The only way you could lose money on this trade is if XYZ trades below $8.50 ($10 minus $1.50) on or before the option expiration date in July. That would be a 35 percent drop from the depressed level the stock is trading at when you sell the puts.

And in the unlikely event that you are obligated to purchase those shares below $8.50, you should still come out okay. After all, the liquidation value of the company is $8 a share, which makes the downside risk very small.

This strategy should be employed on stocks where you believe the downside risk is minimal. And you should only employ it on stocks that you would be glad to own at a price below where you sell the put.

You should also have a reasonable understanding of the true valuation of the company. For this reason, I would exclude most financial and insurance companies, as few people (including insiders) have any idea how much these companies are worth or what is on the books.

By selling put options, you could buy super-high-quality stocks as much as 50 percent cheaper than today’s historically low prices. Plus, you’ll get cold, hard cash deposited in your account instantly… adding to your annual income!

Where You Can Learn These Strategies… and a Lot More!

By no means are these the only strategies that can be highly profitable in today’s market. We are also seeing a once-in-a-generation opportunity in high-quality corporate bonds. Invest in the right ones and you can enjoy significant capital gains plus income… without taking stock market risk.

This is also an excellent market for shorting stocks. But you should not just go out and short any stock. The inevitable bear market rallies could put you in the poorhouse. The lowest risk opportunity is to short those stocks that are almost certainly going to zero – companies with an impaired business model and a massive debt load. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of them out there.

The good news is that putting these strategies into action can be a lot simpler than you may think. The better news: You don’t have to do it on your own…

Nine top investment experts have been asked by Investor’s Daily Edge and Mt. Vernon Research to share their number one strategies and top recommendations that are making a fortune in today’s market. It will take place in June, at the Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Miami.

To learn more about this conference and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities we’ll be discussing (including the two strategies I introduced you to today), click here.

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Considering the turmoil in the economy, I understand if your primary concerns are to protect your wealth, boost your earning power, and increase your financial independence. But if you want to achieve all of that (and certainly if you want to enjoy it), you must also focus on your health.

When your mental and physical health are in top form, your thinking improves… you have more creativity and energy… you are more confident… your relationships get stronger… and your success is an inspiration to those around you.

When your health is at its best, your skin maintains its youthful appearance. You have fewer aches and pains. Your immune system protects you from illness. And your body naturally sheds fat, leaving a leaner, fitter you staring back from the mirror.

So I urge you to make the strongest commitment to regaining or maintaining your health and fitness this year. The great news is that it is not complicated and it doesn’t require toil and sacrifice. In this article, I will share with you two very simple things you can do that will make a PROFOUND impact.

It doesn’t matter whether your goal is to lose weight… heal a condition… reduce pain and inflammation … improve your appearance… have more energy and stamina… live longer… break free of prescription drugs… or just feel well again… the following two steps will help you achieve it!

Step #1 – Eat a Low-Glycemic Diet

The first and most important step you should take is to strictly limit the amount of sugar and high-glycemic carbohydrates in your diet. Carbs that are high on the glycemic index are rapidly converted to glucose in your system. This raises your blood sugar levels and requires a rush of insulin to shuttle the glucose molecules into the muscles where they can be used as fuel.

Here’s why that is a bad thing: Perpetually elevated blood sugar and insulin levels lead to premature aging, wide swings in mood and energy, reduced immunity, and chronic inflammation. Not to mention a much higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and more.

Insulin is also the hormone that controls fat storage. If you want to convert your body to a perpetual fat-burning state, you must keep your insulin and blood sugar levels low. For many people, controlling insulin levels by eating a low-glycemic diet can produce nearly effortless weight loss.

High-glycemic foods that you should limit or avoid include starchy carbohydrates – potatoes, flour, rice, pasta, corn, cereal, bread and other grain products (even whole grains), and baked goods. If you can’t live without bread, tortillas, and cereal, look for Ezekiel 4:9 organic sprouted grain products made by Food for Life. They are all low-glycemic and taste great.

You should also strictly limit the amount of sugar in your diet. In one form or another, sugar is in most foods. And it is a primary culprit in our epidemics of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Read the labels and try to avoid anything with more than 10 grams per serving.

And don’t use artificial sweeteners. They can damage your health – and there are better alternatives. If you wish to sweeten foods and drinks or make your own desserts at home, use sweeteners like erythritol and stevia (or agave nectar, in moderation).

With these all-natural ingredients, you can make low-glycemic desserts that are perfectly healthy and taste even better than those made with sugar.

Step #2 – Balance Your Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratio

The second highly important step you must take to improve your health and longevity, lose weight, and slow down the aging process is to balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

Omega-3s and omega-6s are known as essential fatty acids. They are essential to every cell in your body, and they must be consumed in your diet. Your body cannot manufacture them. However, while omega-6 fats are essential in small amounts, they actually promote disease when consumed in unnaturally large amounts.

Based on our evolutionary history, the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the diet is 1:1. Our ancestors evolved over millions of years eating that way. However, our modern diet has skewed the ratio significantly.

A hundred years ago, the average American ate less than one pound of vegetable oil per year. Today, the average American eats more than 75 pounds of these polyunsaturated omega-6 fats each year. So, instead of the ideal 1:1 ratio, most people consume anywhere from 20 to 50 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids!

This is a prescription for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cataracts, infertility, skin wrinkles, and much more. The twofold solution is very simple:

• First, reduce – as much as possible – the omega-6 fatty acids in your diet.

Strictly limit vegetable and seed oils – corn oil, soy, canola, safflower, and sunflower oils. You should also avoid fried and processed foods. Potato chips, baked goods, salad dressings, margarine, shortening, etc. all contain vegetable oils and high levels of omega-6 fats.

Replace any vegetable oils you currently use with extra virgin olive oil, organic grass-fed butter, and organic unrefined coconut oil.

Conventionally raised meats are also much higher in omega-6 fatty acids than meat from animals raised on their natural diet. Cattle raised on corn, for example, have a much, much higher ratio of omega-6 fatty acids in their meat than cattle raised on a natural diet of grass. Grass-fed beef is generally very rich in beneficial omega-3s. Buy organic, naturally raised meats whenever possible. (U.S. Wellness Meats is a multi-family run business that takes great care of their customers.)

• Second, boost your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in very few foods, which is why most of the population is deficient. This is a shame, because omega-3s are one of the most beneficial nutrients in the human diet. Hundreds of published studies show that optimal omega-3 levels can greatly improve your overall health, optimize your weight, increase your energy, and help you retain mental function as you age. Omega-3s also reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression. And they can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, hyperactivity, diabetes, digestive disorders, and a host of other conditions.

While you can get omega-3s from flaxseeds and walnuts, these plant sources contain only the fatty acid ALA. The best omega-3 fats are those found in fish – DHA and EPA. Your brain is highly dependent on DHA. Low DHA levels have been linked to depression, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Wild Alaskan salmon (not farm-raised) is one of the best food sources of these fats. But your best bet is to take a fish oil (not cod liver oil) supplement. I recommend Carlson’s Lemon Flavored. I find it’s easier to take from the bottle, rather than swallowing capsules.

That’s it!

1. Eat a low glycemic diet, and

2. Balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

And you will have taken two of the most important steps toward a lean, fit body and a lifetime of health.

Of course, that’s not all there is to it. You should also break a sweat on a regular basis. You should eat a varied, natural diet of whole foods, and avoid chemicals and preservatives. Drink plenty of purified water every day. And allow your body to rest peacefully at night.

It doesn’t matter what your age or prior bad habits… or how overweight and unhealthy you might feel at the moment. You can experience a higher level of fitness and the profound sense of well-being that comes with it – and you can accomplish it this year!

Make 2009 the healthiest and most successful year of your life!

[Ed. Note: Following Health Editor Jon Herring's recommendations isn't difficult - and it can have a profound effect on your life. But don't worry. It doesn't mean eating boring, tasteless food. You can enjoy low-glycemic desserts that are delicious and healthy with the help of Jon's wife, Kelley. A nutrition expert herself, Kelley Herring has created Guilt-Free Desserts - a book full of easy-to-make, mouthwateringly delicious, 100% healthy recipes you can make at home. Order today, and you'll receive the e-book Healthy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres for free.

And for a source of motivation, fitness advice, weight-loss recommendations, and details about the latest health breakthroughs all year long, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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Only problem is that while sunscreen can protect you against sunburn, there is no evidence it will protect you from skin cancer. In fact, the evidence suggests the opposite – that sunscreens have partially caused an increase in skin cancer!

One of the most common ingredients in commercial sunscreens is a chemical known as PABA or padimate-O, which is known to produce genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. Even more incredibly, PABA becomes aggressively carcinogenic only when it is illuminated by UV light. In other words, exposure to sunlight is what causes this chemical to attack your DNA.

According to a study published in the journal Mutation Research :

"Any padimate-O in contact with the cells substantially increases indirect damage [to DNA]… We estimate that applying an SPF-15 sunscreen which contains padimate-O to human skin followed by exposure to only 5 minimum erythemal doses (MED) of sunlight could… increase [DNA] strand breaks in cells under the epidermis by at least 75-fold compared to exposure to 1 MED in the absence of sunscreen."

You should certainly think twice before slathering chemical sunscreens on your skin. Whenever possible, protect yourself from sunburn with clothing and shade. And when you do need to use sunscreen, use one with natural ingredients, with the physical barrier zinc oxide as its active ingredient.

[Ed. Note: Discover four more connections between sunscreen and skin cancer in Your Best Health Under the Sun, a book by Jon Herring and Dr. Al Sears. Plus, learn just how powerful the healing forces of sunlight are - and why this information is being kept from you. Get the details here.]

The Dangers of Sunscreen
The answer is yes. Almost all commercial sunscreens contain not just one but several chemicals, known as xenoestrogens, that mimic the hormone estrogen. Your Best Health Under the Sun, a book I wrote with Dr. Al Sears, highlights a Swiss study that found five of these chemicals in commonly used sunscreens:

• Octyl-dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA)
• Benzophenone-3 (Bp-3)
• Homosalate (HMS)
• Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
• 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)

In laboratory testing, each one of these chemicals behaves like estrogen. And when they are combined, they can have a synergistic effect. In other words, two "weak" xenoestrogens can produce a very strong response. 

Not only does this disrupt the hormonal system, but these chemicals are known to stimulate tumor growth and the spread of cancer. (Not to mention a decline in male sperm count, early puberty, and feminine characteristics in men.)

And don’t think you’re safe just because you don’t "ingest" these chemicals. Clinical studies show that they easily penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream.

Whenever possible, you should avoid using chemical sunscreen. Protect yourself from sunburn with clothing and shade. And when it is necessary to use sunscreen, look for a chemical-free product with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. (You can find several brands at health food stores.)

[Ed. Note: Now you know one danger of sunscreen. But does that mean you should skip the sun altogether? Absolutely not. Dr. Al Sears and Jon Herring reveal the amazing, life-saving benefits of sunshine in Your Best Health Under the Sun.]

“It seems like everything we use to sweeten food causes health problems. But what about the naturally sweet herb – stevia? Why aren’t more manufacturers using stevia instead of sugar, fructose, aspartame, or high fructose corn syrup? Could it be that stevia costs too much?”

It is not because stevia costs too much. Unfortunately, it involves politics.

Stevia cannot be patented, so it does not have the profit potential of artificial sweeteners. And because it’s much safer, it represents a threat to the multi-billion-dollar artificial sweetener industry. So, these companies have used their lobbying power to wage a campaign against it. And despite the fact that stevia has been used safely for centuries, it was BANNED by the FDA for years – and was even subjected to armed seizures of its manufacturing and storage facilities.

Stevia is no longer banned, but it can only be marketed as a “dietary supplement.” It cannot be sold as a “sweetener” or used as a “food additive.” That’s why you don’t see it in foods, tea, and soft drinks (as it is used in other countries).

Erythritol occurs naturally in some fruits and fermented foods. As a sweetener, it is made from corn via a natural fermentation process. And the properties of this great-tasting, natural sweetener are remarkable:

• Erythritol is 80 percent as sweet as sugar. However, unlike sugar, which is high in calories, erythritol is almost calorie free.
• It scores just over zero on the glycemic index. That means it is totally safe for diabetics and won’t affect your insulin levels.
• It is granulated, just like sugar, so it can be easily substituted for sugar in recipes.
• It is easy to digest – which means no gastrointestinal disturbance.

Quite simply, this is one of the best natural sweeteners to come along in quite some time, and you’ll likely be seeing it in more and more products. I use it all the time. I sprinkle it over berries or cereal, I mix it with cocoa and milk for a low-calorie chocolate drink, I use it to lightly sweeten smoothies, and I have used it in cake and frosting recipes too. The only way I don’t particularly like it is for sweetening tea or coffee. I prefer stevia for that.

You can find erythritol in many health food stores, and it is readily available online. Cargill has an organic version (Zerose) that is made from organic, non-genetically-modified corn.