No one likes to think about a market crash, but the best way to stay afloat through such a time is to think ahead, plan, and be prepared. After all, crashes do happen. So if you're invested for the long term, you're likely to encounter one or more. But here's the good news. History shows us the market always recovers and then gains. If you invest wisely, you may limit your losses during tough times and go on to benefit once the market starts rising again.

So, how should you prepare? You could hedge against a market crash by choosing stocks that probably won't plummet during the worst of times and are sure to thrive over time. Market leaders and companies with either strong brand strength or products people can't avoid buying are good candidates. And that's why investing in healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and beverage powerhouse Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) could be a great idea. Let's find out more.

You may recognize J&J thanks to well-known products like Band-Aid bandages and Aveeno lotions, but these products actually are no longer part of the business. The company spun off its consumer health unit into a separate entity this year. But don't worry. J&J made the move because this unit had been weighing on growth.

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Source Fool.com