The U.S. economy has had a long bout of progression, and investors in exchange traded funds (ETFs) may be ready to put their money into a defensive strategy. Although a recession hasn’t hit, some are pondering "when" and want to protect their assets. David Schrader for Seeking Alpha has a few ETFs for portfolio protection, assuming the economy continues a decline:

• Ultrashort S&P 500 ProShares (SDS): This ETF doesn’t short the economy, rather it bets on a decline of the stock prices of the companies that make up a large portion of it.

• Healthcare stocks and ETFs: High quality, high-potential health care stocks are those companies that have a good balance between a current product base and a strong product impact potential.

• Beware retail and consumer discretionary: The average American consumer may not be able to maintain strength between the blows of a depressed housing market and rising inflation. Remember that commodity prices are taking off from already elevated levels.

Tags: Commodity ETFs, Health Care