Greetings!
As the year winds toward its close and the holidays draw us into a season of reflection, gratitude, and gathering, this week’s Advice for the Good Life arrives with one simple encouragement: slow down long enough to notice the good—then share it. In a world where noise is constant and worries compete for our attention, deliberately choosing gratitude becomes both a refuge and a strength. My hope is that this edition helps you pause, breathe, and remember that living well is both a discipline and a joy.
In our Wealth Advisory, we explore the many reasons investors can feel grateful this season—strong markets, stabilizing inflation, improving bond performance, and the steadying reminder that disciplined, long-term investing still works.
Next, Wellness Navigator, Christine Despres invites us into a deeply personal and empowering journey of brain health, genetics, and the life-giving habits that matter far more than DNA. Her story is wise, vulnerable, and actionable.
And in Etcetera, we step into the warmth of the kitchen with a family classic—Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Bill’s Favorite!—a comforting reminder that good food and shared tables make life richer.
Enjoy, share generously, and continue to thrive.
Wealth Advisory: Reasons for Investor Gratitude During the Holiday Season
The holiday season offers an opportune moment to reflect on both personal and financial achievements. Investors often concentrate on potential risks rather than acknowledging positive outcomes. With markets showing strong performance, taking stock of the past year provides valuable perspective as we face new challenges and opportunities ahead.
Historically, financial markets have provided solid returns, and the current year continues this trend. The S&P 500 has risen more than 15% including dividends year-to-date, while the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index shows bonds returning around 7%. For the first time in several years, international equities have surpassed U.S. stock performance. This widespread strength across asset classes has enhanced many diversified portfolios. What considerations should investors bear in mind as they look toward the upcoming year?
The bull market has reached its fourth year.
Investors have reason to appreciate the financial markets’ positive performance this year, even amid periodic volatility. The current bull market cycle, which started following the October 2022 market low, has now entered its fourth year.
Historical patterns indicate that bull markets typically extend significantly longer than bear markets, frequently lasting five to ten years or beyond. Most bull markets have generated cumulative gains well above what this current cycle has produced, despite numerous obstacles investors encountered during those periods. Although legitimate questions exist regarding valuations and market concentration, successful long-term investing requires weathering various market conditions.
The bond market’s positive performance deserves attention after several difficult years of rising interest rates and elevated inflation. With rates stabilizing and the Federal Reserve resuming an accommodative monetary stance, bond values have improved. This illustrates why maintaining exposure to both equities and fixed income remains crucial for portfolio balance and income production.
This resilience highlights a fundamental concept: attempting to time markets based on near-term developments proves not only challenging but potentially harmful when not integrated into a comprehensive financial strategy. This held true even during April when markets approached bear market territory following new tariff announcements. Markets rebounded swiftly and reached fresh all-time highs. Disciplined investors benefited, while those reacting to news may have foregone opportunities and could remain uninvested.
The Fed is reducing rates as inflation moderates.
Investors can also appreciate improved inflation conditions, despite slower progress than many anticipated. Annual price increases of approximately 3% continue presenting difficulties for households and policymakers. From an investment perspective, however, inflation has stabilized considerably, with diminished concerns about accelerating price growth compared to previous years.
This stability has enabled the Fed to lower interest rates after maintaining restrictive levels through most of the year. These cuts also aim to support the labor market, which has shown weakness since summer. Lower rates typically benefit equities and bonds by decreasing business and consumer borrowing costs while increasing the value of existing bonds carrying higher yields. Therefore, while inflation and interest rates remain significant market factors, concerns about perpetually rising inflation and rates appear to have subsided.
Proper asset allocation balances risk while seizing opportunities.
Investors should also value the significance of continuous risk management and appropriate asset allocation. The coming year will undoubtedly present fresh uncertainties, as every year does. These developments will naturally generate concerns about economic contractions, market downturns, and potential cycle endings. Instead of responding to each market event, long-term investors benefit from maintaining suitable portfolios capable of navigating various market and economic phases.
We can appreciate having diverse investment options available to balance risk and return. Risk management matters throughout an investor’s journey, particularly following a three-year market advance. The S&P 500 trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.6x, exceeding historical averages and gradually approaching its dot-com era peaks.
While valuations don’t necessarily forecast near-term market direction, meaning markets could continue performing well, they suggest future gains might prove more moderate, particularly compared to less expensive asset classes and sectors. Therefore, maintaining realistic expectations and holding various market segments with more attractive valuations proves important.
Uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence will continue. Given the technology’s transformative potential, its impact on equity prices remains difficult to forecast. This parallels the challenges of predicting how the internet revolution would develop starting in the mid-1990s. Political uncertainty will likely persist with ongoing tariff adjustments, geopolitical tensions, expanding national debt, and other factors. Recent experience demonstrates that overreacting to such events proves counterproductive and can compromise financial plans.
The bottom line? The holiday season provides an excellent opportunity for gratitude and portfolio review. Well-constructed portfolios balance various asset classes while aligning them with financial objectives. This approach remains essential for managing both challenges and opportunities in the months ahead.
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Your Wellness Navigator and Holistic Health Guide: Christine Despres, RN, NBC-HWC, CDP
Are Genes Your Destiny? Why Your Daily Habits Matter More Than Your DNA
Life gets full fast—between work, family, and the holidays, it can feel impossible to add “one more thing.” But caring for your brain shouldn’t feel like another chore. When brain-healthy habits become part of your lifestyle, everything gets easier: energy rises, stress lowers, focus sharpens, and sleep improves.
A few months ago, I decided to get clarity on my own health. I joined Dr. Mark Hyman’s Function Health Membership, which offers over 100 advanced lab tests without a Doctor appointment. I wanted real data to guide how I support my brain, hormones, and overall wellness.
With my family history and midlife brain fog, I chose to include the APOE genetic test—a marker tied to Alzheimer’s risk. My results came back as APOE 3/4, meaning I carry one copy of the “risk” gene.
For a moment, I froze. As a nurse and someone who has seen the impact of cognitive decline up close, it hit hard. But very quickly, fear turned into clarity. This result wasn’t a warning—it was a wake-up call with purpose. Instead of worrying, I chose empowerment.
Understanding APOE (In Simple Terms)
The APOE gene helps your brain repair cells and manage cholesterol. Here’s the short version:
- E2/E2 (1%) – protective
- E2/E3 (10%) – mildly protective
- E3/E4 (25–30%) – one APOE4 gene; increases Alzheimer’s risk 2–3×
- E4/E4 (2%) – two APOE4 genes; higher risk, but not destiny
About 25–30% of people have one APOE4 gene, just like me. Millions of us are walking around with this information without even knowing it. Genes load the gun but your environment pulls the trigger.
Having APOE4 doesn’t mean you will get Alzheimer’s—it means your brain may be more sensitive to inflammation, blood sugar swings, and stress. And that’s exactly where lifestyle becomes powerful.
Genes Are Not Destiny
Studies suggest that up to 60% of Alzheimer’s risk is shaped by lifestyle—not genetics. Diet, stress, sleep, movement, and metabolic health can change your trajectory at any age.
Think of genes as a flashlight. They show you where to focus—not where your story ends.
5 Ways I’m Supporting My Brain Now
These daily habits are already helping my focus, mood, and energy:
- Meditation (5–20 min daily ) to build resilience and support mental clarity
- EFT Tapping to calm the nervous system and lower cortisol
- Prioritizing sleep, aiming for 10 p.m bedtime and creating healthy sleep habits
- Key supplements like DHA, B vitamins, Vitamin D/K2, Magnesium L-threonate, CoQ10, NAD+ and Relevate -$20 off discount code (REFCDESPRES)
- MIND/Mediterranean Diet- preventing cognitive decline and reducing inflammation
Small choices build powerful long-term protection.You don’t need genetic testing to support your brain. Every walk, every home-cooked meal, every expression of gratitude, every early bedtime is an investment in your future self.
Walk this journey with me as I navigate my own genetic risk and prioritize brain health through science-backed lifestyle choices. With compassion and simple daily practices, I’ll guide you in falling in love with caring for your brain—and remind you that genes are not your destiny.
With gratitude,
Christine
Your Nurse. Your Guide. Your Wellness Navigator.
Why I Use Functional Health Testing
My Function Health panel gave me valuable insights into hormones, nutrients, cholesterol, cortisol, heavy metals, biological age and my APOE status—information that helped me personalize my brain-health plan. Then they help you focus on what’s optimal for your unique body.
If you’ve wondered about your own brain health—or have a family history of dementia—looking deeper can be life-changing. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like support .
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Two weeks ago, I drove my parents from Southeastern Idaho to Palm Desert with three goals in mind: 1. To get us there safely and on time; 2. To help them set things in place for the winter upon arrival; and, 3. To learn how to make my mother’s legendary spaghetti sauce. And I’m happy to inform you…I was a perfect three for three.
Without further ado, here’s her secret recipe…
Mom’s Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Serves 12. (I freeze portions to serve later.)
- ½ lb. bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
- 2½ lbs. Ground Beef
- OR 1.5 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. Jimmy Dean sausage
- OR 2 lb. ground beef, ½ lb. ground veal, & ½ lb. Jimmy Dean sausage
- ½–1 lb. Italian sweet sausages, remove casing
- 2 C chopped onion
- 1 C green or red pepper, finely chopped
- 6 cloves or more garlic, finely chopped
- 3 × 28 oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes, diced but not crushed (note: handwritten add-in: “+ few roasted diced tomatoes”)
- 3 × 6 oz. cans tomato paste
- ½ C dry red wine
- 5 tsp. dry oregano
- 5 tsp. dried basil (more if fresh)
- 1½ C water
- ½ C fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp. salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ small jar Basil pesto (optional)
- Fresh mushrooms (optional)
Directions
- Fry bacon until crisp. Chop bacon. Put aside. Save bacon fat.
- Put 2 tablespoons of bacon fat into a large skillet. Add chopped onion, garlic, green pepper, and mushrooms if using. Cook until soft.
- Remove to the side bowl.
- Add ground beef and Italian sausage/Jimmy Dean sausage meat to the pan. Break up with a spoon. Brown meat.
- Add more bacon fat or olive oil if needed.
- Return bacon mixture to skillet with the tomatoes, tomato paste, bacon, and all other ingredients.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for an hour or so.
- If making ahead, refrigerate until an hour before reheating it.
- Ten to fifteen minutes before serving, add a bit more red wine and sometimes more fresh basil and oregano.
- Serve with plenty of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- The success of the sauce depends on what’s underneath it.
- Spaghetti should be served al dente — a little chewy.
- Also works well over spaghetti squash.
- Allow 1 lb. of spaghetti for 12 people.
- Serve spaghetti and sauce piping hot!
Enjoy!
That’s all for today.
Until next week,
All my best,
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