Category Archives: Building Wealth

Reversing Mitochondria Decline Due to Aging

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“Mitochondria are the “energy factory” of our body and produce 90% of the energy our body needs to function.” ~ Cleveland Clinic

Mitochondria are the “energy factory” of our body and are essential organelles that play a crucial role in energy production, cell signaling, and metabolism, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Several thousand mitochondria are in nearly every cell in the body. The trillions of cells that comprise our body tissues run on the energy created by mitochondria. Their job is to process oxygen and convert substances from the foods we eat into energy. Mitochondria produce 90% of the energy our body needs to function. And, healthy cells rely on healthy mitochondria. Their optimal function leads to incredible health benefits, and is particularly essential to heart, kidney, eye, brain and muscle function.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Mitochondrial cytopathies—disorders of the energy-producing organelles of the cells—are an increasingly recognized cause of human illness. They can be caused by inheritable genetic mutations, acquired somatic mutations, exposure to toxins (including some prescription medications), and the aging process itself.

Mitochondrial diseases are chronic (long-term), genetic, often inherited disorders that occur when mitochondria fail to produce enough energy for the body to function properly. (Inherited means the disorder was passed on from parents to children.) Mitochondrial diseases can be present at birth, but can also occur at any age.

Mitochondrial diseases can affect almost any part of the body, including the cells of the brain, nerves, muscles, kidneys, heart, liver, eyes, ears or pancreas.

Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs when the mitochondria don’t work as well as they should due to another disease or condition. Many conditions can lead to secondary mitochondrial dysfunction and affect other diseases, including:

  • Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Muscular dystrophy.
  • Lou Gehrig’s disease.
  • Diabetes.
  • Cancer.

Aging

Mitochondrial decline is a natural part of aging, and it can also contribute to various age-related diseases and conditions. Our mitochondria are constantly renewed to produce energy and fulfill the vast energy demands of muscle and other tissues. As we get older, mitochondrial renewal declines and dysfunctional mitochondria accumulate in the cells, resulting in significant issues. Age-associated mitochondrial decline leads to a progressive decline in our metabolism, our overall energy levels, our resiliency and our muscle function.

Scientists hypothesize that supplements and lifestyle changes can improve mitochondrial health by increasing the availability of proteins needed for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production (AMPK activation, PCG-1a, NAD+, SIRT1/3). Here are some ways to help reverse mitochondrial decline:

1) Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis, the process by which new mitochondria are formed. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day. Exercises, including both endurance exercises and resistance/strength training. These are done to increase aerobic fitness, muscle size and strength. Endurance exercises include walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling and others. Resistance/strength training include exercises such as sit-ups, arm curls, knee extensions, weight lifting and others.

2) Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet that is rich in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats can help support mitochondrial health. Avoid processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats.

3) Take supplements: Some supplements, such as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), niacinamide, Pyrroloquinoline quinone, or PQQ, nicotinamide riboside, and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), can help support mitochondrial function and slow down mitochondrial decline. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is the best known supplement used in treating mitochondrial cytopathies. Consult with a healthcare professional before taking any supplements.

CoQ10 is a nutrient produced naturally in your body. A powerful antioxidant, it protects your brain, heart and muscles. “CoQ10 is in virtually all cells in the body,” Dietitian Devon Peart, MHSc, BASc, RD, says. “It’s mostly concentrated in the mitochondria, or the ‘powerhouse’ of the cell. That means it’s involved in energy production and powers biochemical reactions.” In addition, CoQ10 has anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, aging is a factor in your CoQ10 levels. “Like many other things, it’s a natural function of age — your ability to make CoQ10 decreases as you get older,” Peart says, adding your ability to produce CoQ10 peaks in your 20s.

Niacinamide is a vitamin found in foods and supplements. It forms a major component ofvitamin B3. Niacinamide is the precursor to NAD+ and thus, supplementation is claimed to increase levels of this molecule and improve mitochondrial function. Niacinamide may improve mitochondrial quality of cells by causing dysfunctional mitochondria to fragment (autophagy).

4) Practice intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating. This practice has been shown to improve mitochondrial function and increase lifespan in animal studies. Restricting calories and fasting intermittently decreases energy levels in the body. To compensate, levels of NAD+ increase, which increases the ability of the mitochondria to produce ATP. This results in a subsequent rise in ATP levels due to improved mitochondrial function.

5) Manage stress: Chronic stress can contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, so it’s essential to manage stress through practices like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga.

6) Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can disrupt mitochondrial function and contribute to mitochondrial decline. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Remember that mitochondrial decline is a natural part of aging, and it cannot be entirely reversed. However, you can slow down the decline and improve mitochondrial function by making lifestyle changes that support overall health and well-being.

Consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet or exercise routine.

References:

  1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15612-mitochondrial-diseases
  2. https://foodtrients.com/anti-aging/three-step-strategy-to-reverse-mitochondrial-aging/
  3. https://www.timelinenutrition.com/science
  4. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-coq10/
  5. https://health.selfdecode.com/blog/natural-ways-to-improve-mitochondrial-function/

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Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones II, Tudor Group’s Founder and Chief Investment Officer, is one of the pioneers of the modern-day hedge fund industry.  He is known for his macro trades, particularly his bets on interest rates and currencies.

In 1980, he founded Tudor Investment Corporation, which now manages $13 billion in assets.

Between 1989 to 2014, he generated compounded annual returns of nearly 20% without a single down year.

Tudor considers himself one of the most conservative investors in the world.  He would describe himself as the “single most conservative investor on earth”, and he “absolutely hates losing money.” Once he commented that his grandfather told him at a very early age that “you are only worth what you can write a check for tomorrow.”

Thus, his investment philosophy is that he does not take a lot of risks, instead, he looks “for opportunities with tremendously skewed reward-risk opportunities.” Others describe his strategy as: ‘Don’t be a hero. Don’t have an ego. Always question yourself and your ability. Don’t ever feel that you are very good. The second you do, you are dead”

Source:  https://www.tudor.com/

 

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As the U.S. Government inches closer to its maximum borrowing limit, here’s a primer on what the debt ceiling is and what happens when it’s breached pushing the U.S. Government into technical default.

April 2023 – Financial Literacy Month

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April is Financial Literacy Month. It’s a month to raise awareness around financial literacy and wellness, and highlighting the importance of financial planning and of developing  healthy financial habits.

A new National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) survey found that lacking financial literacy — and not knowing how to manage personal finances — carried a high cost in 2022.

The NFEC survey showed that 38% of Americans said their lack of financial literacy cost them $500 or more, and a whopping 23% said it cost them more than $10,000 — a steep increase from the 10.7% who said the same in 2021.

As a result, the estimated average amount of money that financial illiteracy cost Americans was $1,819 in 2022 — the highest average since the first annual survey took place six years ago. This figure correlates with record-high inflation rates and other economic challenges, the NFEC noted.

In terms of common costly mistakes, overdraft fees were prominent: the median overdraft fee on a debit card is $34, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

According to the survey, which cites CFPB data, most debit card overdraft fees happen on transactions of $24 or less — and American consumers end up spending $17 billion a year on overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees.

References:

  1. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/financial-literacy-or-lack-thereof-can-make-the-difference-of-%2410000-or-more-a-year-on

Successful Investor’s Psychological Mindset

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“Doing well with money isn’t necessarily about what you know. It’s about how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people.” ~ Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money

Individuals must understand that there is a psychological mindset that the successful investor tends to have.

The successful investor will focus on probabilities, intrinsic values and safety of margin while letting decisions be ruled by rational, as opposed to emotional, thinking.

Investors’ emotions are their worst enemy.

The psychology of money is the study of our behavior with money. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett contends that the key to overcoming emotions is being able to retain your belief in the fundamentals of the business, and not get too concerned about the stock market price.

Investors should realize that there is a certain psychological mindset that they should have if they want to be successful, and try to implement that mindset. Dave Ramsey has said that building wealth is “20% head knowledge and 80% behavior.”

Value investing mindset

Value investing derives the intrinsic value of a common stock independent of its market price. By using a company’s factors such as its free cash flow, earnings, return on invested capital, and dividend payouts, the intrinsic value of a stock can be found and compared to its market value. If the intrinsic value is more than the current price, the investor should buy and hold until a mean reversion occurs.

Mean reversion is the theory that over time, the market price and intrinsic price will converge towards each other until the stock price reflects its true value. By buying an undervalued stock, the investor is, in effect, paying less for it and should sell when the price is trading at its intrinsic worth. This effect of price convergence is only bound to happen in an efficient market.

The fundamental principle of value investments lies in the ability of the markets to eventually correct to their intrinsic values. Common stocks are not going to remain inflated or bottomed-out forever despite the emotions and irrationality of investors in the market.

References:

  1. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bengraham.asp
  2. Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money. Harriman House, Great Britain, September 8, 2020.
  3. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0857197681/ref=as_li_tl_nodl?

Contrarian Investing

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“The way to make money is to buy when blood is running in the streets.” ~ John D. Rockefeller

Contrarian investing believes that the worse things seem in the market, the better the investing opportunities are for profit.

Contrarians, as the name implies, try to do the opposite of the crowd. They get excited when an otherwise good company has a sharp but undeserved drop in share price. They swim against the current and assume the market is usually wrong at both its extreme lows and highs. The more prices swing, the more misguided they believe the rest of the market to be. (For more on this, read “Finding Profit In Troubled Stocks.”)

Bad Times Make for Good Buys

Contrarian investors have historically made their best investments during times of market turmoil. In the crash of 1987, the Dow dropped 22% in one day in the U.S. In the 1973-’74 bear market, the market lost 45% in about 22 months. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, also resulted in a major market drop. Those are times when contrarians found their best investments.

The 1973-’74 bear market gave Warren Buffett the opportunity to purchase a stake in the Washington Post Co. at a deep discount (the company could have “sold the [Post’s] assets for not less than $400 million.” Meanwhile, the Post had an $80 million market cap), an investment that has subsequently increased by more than 100 times the purchase price–that’s before dividends are included.

Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton Growth Fund, was also a serious contrarian investor, buying into countries and companies when, according to his principle, they hit the “point of maximum pessimism.”

As an example of this strategy, Templeton bought shares of every public European company at the outset of World War II in 1939, including many that were in bankruptcy. He did this with borrowed money. After four years, he sold the shares for a very large profit.

But there are risks to contrarian investing. While successful contrarian investors put big money on the line, swam against the current of common opinion and came out on top, they also did some serious research to ensure the investing herd was indeed wrong.

So, when a stock takes a nosedive, this doesn’t prompt a contrarian investor to put in an immediate buy order, but to find out what has driven the stock down and whether the drop in price is justified.

While successful contrarian investors have their own strategy for valuing potential investments, they all have the one strategy in common–they let the market bring the deals to them, rather than chasing after them.

References:

  1. https://www.forbes.com/2009/02/23/contrarian-markets-boeing-personal-finance_investopedia.html

Faith

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“Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.” ~ Mary McLeod Bethune.

Faith is the substance or assurance of things we hope for, but have not yet received. Faith (confidence, belief, trust) is also our evidence of that which is not seen—the invisible spiritual things.

Faith comes before a prayer is answered or before an individual has received what he or she has requested from God. If we have received what we asked for, then faith is not needed.

An example of faith was demonstrated by educator Mary McLeod Bethune who was quoted as saying: “I considered cash money as the smallest part of my resources [for starting the school for Negro girls]. I had faith in a loving God, faith in myself, and a desire to serve.”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” ~ Hebrews 11:1,

Keys to Building Wealth

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The wise man saves for future days,
Delaying pleasure in frugal ways,
Building wealth with each coin saved,
A future secure, a life well paved.

Achieving financial freedom and building wealth require a combination of the right mindset, focus, self-discipline, patience, gratitude and knowledge. “The freedom to do what you want, when you want, with whom you want, for as long as yo want, is true freedom,” says Morgan Housel, in The Psychology Of Money.

The six keys to building wealth over the long term are mindset, focus, discipline, patience, knowledge and gratitude. A seventh key is health.

It’s effectively about your mindset. Wealth is achieved by habitually investing in yourself first and foremost. Winning at finance and at life is 80 to 90 percent habit/behavior and 10 to 20 percent knowledge/skill. Knowing what to do isn’t the problem; actually doing it is. Most of us know what to do, but we just don’t or won’t do it. If you can control the person in the mirror, you can be fit and wealthy.

Once you adopt the mindset of the individual you aspire to become, there are no limits to what you can achieve.

Once you realize that everything in this life is but a thought, mindset and resulting habits, you are guaranteed to alter your life’s trajectory. “Doing well with money has a little to do with how smart you are and a lot to do with how you behave,” explains Morgan Housel, in The Psychology of Money

Be disciplined enough to delay instant gratification while building wealth. “Rich is the current income. Wealth is income not spent. Wealth is hard because it requires self-control,” concludes Morgan Housel, in The Psychology of Money. The truth is that wealth is what you don’t see. Wealth is the nice cars not purchased. The diamonds not bought.

Careless spending and a conspicuous consumption lifestyle make you a slave to capitalism, while saving and investing in assets builds wealth. “Spending money to show people how much money you have is the fastest way to have less money,” writes Morgan Housel, in The Psychology of Money.

Building wealth requires a long-term perspective and a willingness to make sacrifices in the present for future benefits.

Final key point, getting healthier should be equally as important as building wealth. It is stated repeatedly and for a very good reason that “health is wealth”.

References:

  1. Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness, September 2020.
  2. https://www.sloww.co/psychology-of-money-book/