The Flower That Stoked a Trading Mania
An exotic Turkish flower sent Europe into a frenzy...
In the 16th century, a French botanist introduced the tulip to the continent. It quickly made its way from Austria to Germany, Holland, and England.
And it became the focus of one of the earliest-recorded financial manias.
As growers cultivated more and more color varieties, demand exploded, and almost everyone wanted the newest-colored bulb.
Many bulbs carried the names of their growers or famous people. Names like Viceroy and Semper Augustus as single bulbs were bought and sold at ever-increasing prices. The most valuable bulb was named Admiral van der Eyck.
Another prized variety was the black tulip. Rumor has it that the first person to own a black flowering tulip sought out other black bulbs, bought them, and smashed them. That way, he remained the sole seller of black buds from his one and only black tulip plant.
By the mid-1600s, tulips were traded in designated places all over Holland. And trading invited speculation, which stoked the mania...
At the height of the 17th-century boom, a single black bulb fetched 17 times the annual wages of a skilled laborer... more than $50,000 in today's dollars.
In 1636, florists sought to bring order to the market and reduce their risk. They started demanding money up front for protection against the possibility that buyers would renege on their deals nine months later when the bulbs were brought out of the cellars.
That meant if you owned bulbs, you could collect money up front in exchange for agreeing to sell bulbs in the future... Sound familiar?
These 17th-century florists had created options – one of my favorite modern moneymaking tools.
When the bubble burst in the spring of 1637, these options sellers had partially protected themselves by collecting money earlier. But the buyers lost everything.
Today, people think of this way of trading as risky...
The truth is, options are one of the most misunderstood and misused financial vehicles on Earth. The financial media, and even your broker, will tell you it's guaranteed to lead to financial ruin.
But that's just not true... if you understand how to trade them.
In a special presentation earlier this week, my colleague Greg Diamond showed one way regular folks can use options to profit. And his strategy works best in times of fear and volatility – like we're seeing today...
Greg called the 2020 COVID-19 crash, the 2022 tech crash, and the 2023 bank crisis – all in advance. And right now, he believes the market is on track for another major correction.
This might not be another tulip mania... But it's just as volatile. And Greg's options strategy can help you protect your wealth – while potentially doubling your money.
He shared all the details about this opportunity in his 2026 Market Crash Summit. If you missed it, don't worry...
You can watch a replay right here. Now, let's get to this week's Q&A... And as always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. My team and I read every e-mail.
Enamel Damage From Coffee and Tea
Q: Other than the obvious staining, should I worry about coffee or tea hurting my teeth? – L.H.
A: A lot of things can hurt your teeth. If you're very concerned, you could try to avoid certain coffees and teas that are the most damaging... or you could consume what you'd like and take some steps to keep your teeth safe.
The hazard to your teeth from these drinks is acidity, measured by pH level on a scale from 0 to 14. The lower the pH level, the higher the acidity.
Our saliva is neutral, in the 6 to 7 pH range. Anything more acidic than this can wear on the enamel of our teeth, usually beginning at around 5.5 pH.
Most coffees are somewhere between 4 and 8 pH. The darker the roast, the lower the acidity.
Tea can range from 2 to 10 pH. Fruity teas or teas with lemon added will naturally have a higher acidity, therefore a lower pH. Black teas are typically around 5 pH, herbal teas like mint and chamomile are between 6 and 7 pH, and green teas are between 7 and 10 pH.
If you suspect your coffee or tea is lower than 5.5 pH, have it with a side of water. Swishing some water after each sip can help get your mouth back to healthy pH levels.
Also, avoid the temptation to brush immediately after drinking. You might be worried about staining, but acidic beverages soften our enamel. That makes them vulnerable to damage from your toothbrush. To prevent damaging the weakened layer, always wait at least 30 minutes to brush your teeth after you've had coffee or tea.
Q: Doc has made some health recommendations over time – are those listed anywhere on the site for convenience? Two that I personally try to follow are eating some cinnamon as well as drinking a cup of green tea daily. I know he's suggested the Mediterranean diet. Are there other health suggestions that could be compiled into a list? – M.H.
A: Thanks for your readership and for being a Stansberry Alliance member, M.H.
Each year in Retirement Millionaire, we share our top 12 list of the things you should do to improve your health. Current subscribers and Alliance members can read our 2026 list here.
We've had quite a few requests similar to yours, so we're working on putting together all of our best health advice throughout the years. We'll keep readers updated when we finalize that.
In the meantime, if you're wondering whether we already covered a certain topic, you can search our website here. You can also send us suggestions to our feedback e-mail – feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? Options 101.
- Something different: Google Maps just got a massive makeover.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 13, 2026