Recession-Proof Your Portfolio

This column was originally published on RealMoney on Aug. 30 at 2:32 p.m. EDT. It's being republished as a bonus for TheStreet.com readers.

The debate about whether the stock market is going to buckle under the weight of an "imminent" recession seems to have intensified recently.

A reasonable reaction to take with your portfolio might be to sell everything and wait it out. Of course, the worst-case consequence of waiting it out with nothing but cash is that you are wrong and the market skyrockets without you.

I thought it worthwhile to explore a few things that might do well regardless of the U.S. economic cycle, beyond the standard recommendations of health care and staples stocks, although both those areas have merit. In searching out some ideas, I am looking for yield, low volatility, and a low correlation to the U.S. stock market. ...