Sluggish global growth, the U.S. trade war with China and a stock market that's up only about 2% over the past year have some investors thinking about playing defense. And few equities are better at adding ballast to a portfolio than the rock-solid dividend growth stocks in the Dividend Aristocrats – companies in the S&P; 500 that have raised their payouts every year for at least 25 consecutive years.Also, few areas of the market hold up as well in downturns as the health-care sector. Put them together – health-care stocks with multiple decades uninterrupted dividend growth – and investors have a recipe for income and lower risk in their equity portfolios.Six of the elite Dividend Aristocrats can be found in the health-care sector. These stocks, most of which are household names, have hiked their payouts for anywhere from 34 to 57 consecutive years. That's dividend growth an income investor can count on.For dividend growth and defense, take a closer look at these six health-care Dividend Aristocrats. SEE ALSO: 101 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for 2019 and Beyond

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