text:
Arginine, contrary to popular notion, is an essential amino acid, and a …

… and thus arginine may be the
most important nutrient you can take
By Will Block

In Ken Russell’s volatile movie Mahler, about the Late-Romantic Austrian composer, the opening scene portrays Gustav Mahler’s composing hut at the end of a pier reaching out onto a lake. Except for the soothing chatter of birds, there is a pervading veil of silence. Suddenly, the hut erupts into an explosive ball of fire accompanied by the orchestral strains of the “Apocalypse” chord [a call to every body and every soul to love earth and life] from Mahler’s incomplete Tenth Symphony. Fire, water, earth, and air. From the genius of the composer—whose works have been described as hymns to nature—we are reminded that all of nature is renewed by fire [Igne Natura Renovatur Integra (INRI)] and that the energies of the creative mind have the power to disrupt what is static or degenerative (for the first part of the film, see Induced pleuropotent stem cells may be likened to a sudden and massive explosion of creative energy. They will change everything, and put the options of self-renewal into everyone’s hands.

luripotency (from the Latin plurimus, meaning a great many, and potens, meaning possessing power) is a term used in conjunction with certain type of stem cells. Specifically, it denotes the nature of stem cells that are induced from non-pluripotent cells—typically adult somatic cells—by the “forced” expression of specific genes. Such induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are able to differentiate into virtually any type of other cells … an awesome feat when you think about it. Virtually, something can become anything. Thus, iPSCs are similar to natural pluripotent stem cells (nPSCs), such as embryonic or umbilical stem cells. But alas, these have been placed off limits for the most part by the battle between proponents—who foresee its immense scientific promise—and opponents—who proclaim that it devalues human life in its most basic form because of the sources from which they are harvested.

The Triumph of Regenerative Medicine

Nevertheless, the formidability of iPSCs to facilitate many of the same functions and properties as nPSCs has been a triumph for the applied science that will radically change the world of health in our near lifetimes, probably well within the current decade of the 21st century. Regenerative medicine is the name given to this emerging technology.

Imagine growing new tissues and organs such as liver, cartilage, and neural tissues on scaffolding, with your own genetic material, and perhaps even bio-printing it at home (see “The Self-Manufacturing Revolution” in the August, 2011 issue). Imagine building new teeth, new eyes, or even a new heart, not the age of your old organ, but the age of your 25-year-old youthful self. This is the brave new world toward which we are rapidly moving (see graphic on page 7).

As in Mice, So in Humans

Recent research has established that the expression of just four transcription factors employed outside of a mammal’s body can reprogram its somatic cells to pluripotent states, creating iPSCs.1 In other exogenous (external-to-the-body) studies, scientists have demonstrated that iPSCs can be generated with fewer transcription factors, facilitated by expression of reprogramming factors and synthetic small molecules.2

The formidability of induced
pluripotent stem cells
to achieve the
same functions and properties as
natural pluripotent stem cells has
been a triumph for the applied
science that will radically change the
world of health in our near lifetimes.

Recently, researchers report identification of a new small molecule, a protein arginine methyltransferase inhibitor, which enabled one of the four transcription factors, Oct4,* to induce the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts in combination with the use of a transforming growth factor inhibitor.3

* Oct4 (octamer-binding transcription factor 4) is a protein that belongs to a family of transcription factors containing well-conserved homeodomains. These protein domains are encoded by a homeobox, a DNA sequence found within genes, which encodes for body parts.

Oct4 expression, if not closely regulated, leads to a process whereby less specialized cells become more specialized. Homeobox (Hox) genes came into existence about 544 million years ago, during the Cambrian Explosion. Their insertion into DNA gave rise to the basic structure and orientation of all organisms, from that point onward until now.

The Oct4-induced iPSCs were shown to be similar to mouse embryonic stem cells, with respect to typical pluripotency criteria. Of greater importance, they were shown to give rise to liveborn mice demonstrating superlative reprogramming induced by this condition. This study suggests that regulation of protein arginine methylation might be involved in the reprogramming process and accordingly that the amino acid arginine plays a role in the induction of pluripotent states.

Power Internalized

But then, arginine possesses a great many powers, independent of the iPSCs that it may help create. Arginine has been found to strongly assist the release of growth hormone, which dramatically lessens with age. It has also been found to increase the production of nitric oxide (NO), the production of which is catalyzed from arginine from the release of an enzyme by acetylcholine called nitric oxide synthase, or NOS, of which there are four different versions. One version is endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which is found in our blood vessels and crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health. Significant deficiencies in eNOS activity are characteristic of cardiovascular disease.

Another version of NOS is neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which is found in neurons throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems, where NO performs a wide array of important functions. Then there is mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS), which is found in our cells’ mitochondria, the tiny organelles that generate almost all of our energy. Finally, there is inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which is found in cells of the immune system, where NO is generated to combat infections.

A Major Anti-Aging Breakthrough

In a paper published in Science in 2003, researchers discovered that NO from eNOS induces mitochondrial biogenesis, the creation of new mitochondria in our cells,4 a major finding given the energy role of mitochondria. Two years later, the same researchers found a link between that and the mechanism of caloric restriction, which extends the lifespans of many different kinds of organisms, from yeasts to mammals.5 The Free Radical Theory of Aging postulated by Denham Harman, M.D., Ph.D., in 1956 was not just concerned with age-related diseases but also in the aging process itself. Harman, now 96 years old, eventually pointed out that the primary hotbed of free radical activity is the mitochondria,6 because that’s where the oxidative reactions of cellular energy metabolism occur. So if arginine, through production of NO, can increase the number and quality of mitochondria, this constitutes a major anti-aging breakthrough.

And as we shall see in the following sections, arginine may be thought of as a pluripotent nutrient, with many arms of activities and benefits.

Arginine Helps Control Flow-Mediated Dilation

Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a widely used tool to investigate endothelial function. It is a measure of how an artery relaxes following a sheer stress stimulus that produced a nitric-oxide dependent response. However, FMD assessment may cause mechanical damage to the arterial endothelium.

In a new study, researchers investigated the effect of FMD assessment on endothelial function.7 After enrollment of 20 healthy subjects (26 ± 6 years; 12 males, 8 females), FMD was assessed by measuring brachial artery (the major blood vessel in the upper area) dilation in response to hyperemia after 5 min of forearm cuff inflation. Subjects were studied on 2 subsequent days. On day 1 they underwent two consecutive FMD measures, with the second test (FMD2) performed 15 min after the first test (FMD1). On day 2, the subjects were randomized to receive either placebo (saline) or intravenous L-arginine (10 g in 20 min).

Regulation of protein arginine
methylation might be involved in the
reprogramming process and,
accordingly, the amino acid arginine
may play a role in the induction of
pluripotent states.

At the end of the infusion, patients underwent two consecutive FMD measures following the same protocol as on day 1. On day 1, FMD2 was lower than FMD1 in both groups. However, on day 2, a significant reduction of FMD was observed during FMD2 compared to FMD1 in the placebo group, but not in the arginine group. FMD assessment induced a significant impairment of endothelial function. The researchers thought that an increase of endogenous NO synthesis inhibitors was responsible for the phenomenon that was reversed by L-arginine administration.

Arginine Enhances Exercise Tolerance and Lowers Systolic Blood Pressure

A recent report has found that dietary nitrate supplementation increases plasma nitrite concentration, a biomarker of nitric oxide (NO) availability, and that this improves exercise efficiency and exercise tolerance in healthy humans. Based on this, researchers at the School of Sport and Health Sciences, St. Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter in Exeter, United Kingdom, hypothesized that dietary supplementation with L-arginine, the substrate for NO synthase (NOS), would elicit similar responses.8

In a double-blind, crossover study, nine healthy men (aged 19–38 years) consumed a beverage containing 6 g of L-arginine or a placebo beverage and completed a series of moderate- and severe-intensity exercise bouts one hour after ingestion of the arginine. Plasma NO2 (nitrate) concentration was significantly greater in the arginine than the placebo group (108% greater) and systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced (from about 131 to 123 mmHg). A systolic of 120 mmHg is considered healthy.

The steady-state O2 uptake (VO2) during moderate-intensity exercise was reduced by 7% in the arginine group. VO2 is a measurement of the maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, and peak oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity. During severe-intensity exercise, the VO2 slow-component amplitude was reduced in both the arginine and placebo groups, while the time to exhaustion was extended 707 and 562 seconds in arginine and placebo, respectively, following consumption of arginine.

In conclusion, arginine supplementation reduced the O2 cost of moderate-intensity exercise and blunted the VO2 slow component. Arginine also extended the time to exhaustion during severe-intensity exercise. In other words, arginine supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure and improved exercise efficiency and exercise tolerance in healthy humans.

Arginine Battles Cardiovascular Aging

Judging from the enormous number of scientific studies done with arginine, there are many morbidities for which arginine is needed. Yet the Mayo Clinic says that most people get enough arginine, and do not need to take supplements.* They are not alone in this opinion. Yet despite this common belief, especially within the medical community, the Mayo Clinic also states that “symptoms of arginine deficiency include poor wound healing, hair loss, skin rash, constipation, and fatty liver …” and that, although “[a]rginine is considered a semi-essential amino acid … supplementation with additional amounts is sometimes needed.” That might include “people with protein malnutrition, excessive ammonia production, excessive lysine intake, burns, infections, peritoneal dialysis, rapid growth, urea synthesis disorders, or sepsis [who] may not have enough arginine.” Hmph!

*Mayo Clinic. Arginine., Updated Oct. 1, 2011. Accessed Jan. 23, 2012.

Arginine, through production of NO,
can increase the number and quality
of mitochondria, and this constitutes
a major anti-aging breakthrough.

But judging from the enormous number of scientific studies done with arginine, there are many other morbidities for which arginine is needed, including the all-encompassing category of aging, an inescapable condition of “normal” life as we know it. A recent review makes this abundantly clear with regard to cardiovascular senescence.9 More about this down further in this article.

The Amount of Arginine in the Typical American Diet

From an analysis of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a public-use nutrition survey of the non-institutionalized U.S. population, it was found that the mean arginine intake for the U.S. adult population is 4.4 g/day, with 25% of the population consuming less than 2.6 g/day.10 Arginine consumption varied according to demographic and cardiovascular risk factors in the population. This means that the analysis gives credence to the idea that low-arginine availability may be a factor in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. At the very least, for 25% of the population, 2.6 g/day is not enough for many other needs. Nor is 4.4 g/day likely to be enough. Indeed, the amount that reasonably can be obtained from food may not be sufficient.

See “The Triumph of Regenerate Medicine” subhead on page 4
Reprinted by permission from David Simonds

Grave Damage When Deficient

Arginine is frequently billed as a conditionally-essential amino acid in our diets. This does not make a lot of sense. When there is a deficiency, various inflammatory and oxidative processes result, especially in the vascular endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels in our bodies. The consequences of these processes cause grave damage to the endothelium, degrading many of its properties that are crucial for proper function, the result of which may result in the development of atherosclerosis.

In the course of vascular system events, the normal functions of the endothelium are highly dependent on sufficient production of NO. Production is accomplished through the activation of an enzyme, eNOS, made and released by vascular endothelial cells, which acts on arginine to produce NO.

When excessive oxidative vascular injury occurs, caused for example by the stresses of obesity or hypertension, reactive and destructive oxygen species form, a plenitude of which can lead to the inhibition of eNOS, thereby decreasing NO production. If, at the same time, there is too little arginine present, eNOS forms a highly reactive oxide causing further vascular endothelial injury and inflammation.

NO Is the Champion of the Crusade Against Atherosclerosis

In such an arginine-deprived environment, atherosclerosis proceeds apace and the battle is lost to cardiovascular disease. NO is the champion of the crusade against this disease; it is the glorious knight in a good fight. What’s truly important to recognize is that NO can only be produced in the body from arginine, and that it is a principal agent of blood vessel relaxation (vasodilation). Without enough NO, clogged arteries (aka atherosclerosis), chest pain, coronary artery disease, heart failure, intermittent claudication/peripheral vascular disease (resulting in muscle pain), swelling of blood vessel that causes headaches (vascular headaches), and erectile dysfunction prevail. On other fronts, arginine also triggers the body to make protein and has been studied for wound healing, bodybuilding, enhancement of sperm production (spermatogenesis), and prevention of wasting in people with critical illnesses.

The mean arginine intake for the U.S.
adult population is 4.4 g/day, with
25% of the population consuming
less than 2.6 g/day.

How Much is Enough?

In a recent study, researchers enrolled 54 subjects (30 men, 24 women), otherwise healthy outpatients, who were divided based on blood pressure (BP) measurements into either a healthy control group (19 subjects) or a hypertensive treatment group (35 patients).11 The latter were freshly diagnosed with mild hypertension, but had received no drugs or supplements prior to classification as hypertensive. Then the subjects were randomized to either 2 or 4 g of supplemental arginine three times daily (for a total of either 6 or 12 g/day) or placebo.

Hypertension has long been thought to be one of the highest cardiovascular risk factors, because it represents a significant disturbance in the balance of vasomotor influences. It can cause disruptions that affect functional vasoconstriction, which can result in vessel closure and block microcirculation. Hypertension can also engender structural alterations that may affect the vascular endothelium so that there is decreased bioavailability of NO. Once called endothelium-derived relaxing factor, NO is responsible for establishing and maintaining resting vascular tone, regulating blood flow to meet the metabolic demands of tissue, and adapting vessel diameter to inflow volume. This has been upheld by long-term follow-up studies in the offspring of hypertensive patients. These have achieved a deeper understanding of the prognostic and genetic importance of reduced NO bioavailability in hypertension.

NO can only be produced
in the body from arginine.

The Arginine Paradox

When NO is generated in the endothelium, L-arginine is converted to L-citrulline via eNOS. However, without an adequate and continuous supply of arginine, substrates, and several cofactors (which include folate* and probably citrulline and the antioxidants vitamin C and E), the formation of NO would not occur. Even though the intracellular concentrations of arginine normally exceed the level required for the maximal enzyme kinetics of NOS by a long shot, supplementation with arginine improves endothelial function, slows atherosclerotic plaque formation, and alters autonomic function. These changes are all consistent with enhanced NO biosynthesis. This seeming paradox may be explained by the tendency of NOS to compartmentalize along with the relative, rather than absolute, deficiency of arginine. When arginine is taken as a supplement, it displaces the competitive inhibitor, improves intracellular transport of this amino acid, and restores NO production to physiological levels. But it will work better if it is served up with cofactors.

* See “Tetrahydrobiopterin: Ubiquitous Metabolite that Regulates the Superoxide Release by Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase” in the June 2003 issue of Life Enhancement.

NO Discovery Stimulated Arginine Interest

The study of arginine supplementation increased dramatically after the arginine/nitric oxide pathway was discovered. Among the findings of many of these studies was the beneficial effect of arginine on NO production and for reducing systemic BP. A review of these studies found that the results were not uniform and rather inconclusive, with dosages of arginine safely administered at even 30 g in single i.v. infusions. Studies of BP utilized oral doses of arginine ranging from 5–20 g daily, with most of them within the 6–9 g range. These data determined the choice of arginine administration regimens in the aforementioned BP study.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of arginine on BP, both for the purpose of hypertensive patient qualification and arginine therapy assessment. In large trials, lowering of BP by 2–3 mmHg by antihypertensive drugs is considered significant and leads to favorable outcomes, including the recognition that reducing even mild hypertension can lower the high risk of cardiovascular events, even when compounded by the presence of other risk factors.

Hypertension was diagnosed with mean awake BP values ≥135 mmHg systolic or 85 mmHg diastolic or average night-time values of ≥120 mmHg systolic or 70 mmHg diastolic or 24-hour BP values ≥125 mmHg systolic or 80 mmHg diastolic. Physical and laboratory examinations, which included blood and urine tests, were normal.

There were no adverse reactions in the subgroups receiving arginine, which was well tolerated—all subjects completed the study. The groups of patients receiving arginine for four weeks displayed BP reductions, with statistically significant reductions in the 24-hour and daytime BP parameters of the hypertensive patients, who received 4 g of arginine three times a day (12 g/day). Arginine lowered both systolic and diastolic BP, with a stronger hypotensive effect observed during the day. According to the researchers, the reductions by arginine were comparable to those achieved by antihypertensive drugs, with a mean daytime drop of 6 mmHg systolic and 5 mmHg diastolic. These reductions have been associated with substantial reductions in cardiovascular disease mortality, risk of stroke, and risk of myocardial infarction.

Arginine Fights Cardiovascular Aging

A comprehensive review of supplemental arginine was recently published by researchers at the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston.12 In their overview, the researchers report that as age advances, arteries lose their ability to effectively dilate owing to endothelial dysfunction. The result of this senescence is the increased age-associated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is anticipated that mortality from CVD will worsen owing to the effects of aging. With more than 35 million Americans now 65 years of age or older, the sordid fact is that the majority of these individuals have some form of CVD.

Arginine has been studied for
wound healing, bodybuilding,
enhancement of sperm production
(spermatogenesis), and prevention of
wasting in people with
critical illnesses.

Thus, the researchers analyzed papers showing that arginine plays a number of valuable roles in a variety of physiological processes, including nitrogen detoxification, immunocompetence, growth hormone (GH) secretion, and insulin secretion.

The review was focused principally on the ability of arginine to protect vascular endothelial function as a novel nutritional strategy to possibly stave off the progression of vascular dysfunction with aging and cardiovascular disease. Emphasis was placed on arginine’s propensity to alter the vascular inflammatory and systemic hormonal milieu, which in turn may have a profound effect on vascular endothelial function.

The reductions by arginine were
comparable to those achieved by
antihypertensive drugs.

Aging Advances Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction

In the absence of other risk factors, aging is an independent atherogenic inducer, increasing morbidity and mortality from CVD, myocardial infarction, and stroke. As aging advances, vascular dysfunction becomes pervasive and peripheral vasodilatory capacity is lessened due to the deterioration of endothelial dysfunction. Importantly, the vascular endothelium is responsible for numerous autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine functions. These include vascular tone regulation and inflammation, cell growth, platelet function, and thrombosis. NO, the potent vasoactive hormone released by endothelial cells, plays a key role in maintaining the vascular wall in a tranquil state in response to sheer stress via its ability to dampen inflammation, and reduce cellular proliferation, among other capabilities.

One of the factors exacerbating endothelial dysfunction with aging is reduced NO production and bioavailability. The diminishment of NO contributes to a shifting of the vascular wall toward a defense posture—with the increased expression of chemokines, cytokines, and adhesion molecules—leading to leukocyte recruitment and platelet aggregation. Thus the atherosclerotic process is initiated or furthered. Endothelial dysfunction is a precursor to atherogenesis and, because of its correlation with aging, it is a primary phenotypic expression for normal human aging. Moreover, this aspect of vascular senescence may be the principal causative agent for the increased CVD risk associated with aging.

Other age-related declines associated with endothelial dysfunction include memory loss, reduced activity competence for daily living, and an onslaught of the numerous diseases of aging. These include erectile dysfunction, renal dysfunction, hypertension, and stroke. The deterioration of endothelial dysfunction is predictive of future cardiovascular events, and constant impairment of endothelial function virtually assures adverse outcomes. Also, improving endothelial function reverses cardiovascular decline.

As described above, NO production requires substrates and cofactors. When produced and released, NO diffuses into vascular smooth muscle cells causing relaxation. As well, NO affects potassium channels, calcium levels, and the muscle protein myosin, a motor molecule. All together, these changes serve to regulate regional blood flow through flow-mediated dilation. Other substrate and cofactors required for this reaction include oxygen, NADPH, flavin, heme, and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). Folate is now thought to improve vascular function by mimicking BH4 activity.13 Aging aggravates any dysfunctionality caused by missteps in substrate and cofactor modulation. The resulting complicity reduces NO bioavailability, lessens vasodilation, and alters regional circulation and tissue perfusion. Reduced substrate activity may also be detrimental, limiting and reducing both NO formation and vasodilation.

Arginine Especially Valuable with Age

Surgery or trauma causes growth and repair to accelerate, and under these catabolic conditions arginine becomes conditionally essential, especially with age (if you want to combat the “conditions”). This is also true when, with aging, numerous organ systems deteriorate, such as with sarcopenia (i.e., lean tissue loss). Indeed, aging and CVD are synonymous with inflammation, a condition which normally leads to recovery and restoration of tissue integrity, but may not, when the inflammatory process persists.

Even in the absence of clear risk factors or clinical disease, inflammation and oxidative stress can ultimately result in pathogenesis. Consequently, aging alone can be thought of as a catabolic/inflammatory state. It is for this reason that the use of arginine as a nutritional strategy to protect the vasculature from the negative effects of aging and disease should be considered essential, and not just conditionally essential.

Emphasis was placed on arginine’s
propensity to alter the vascular
inflammatory and systemic hormonal
milieu, which in turn may have a
profound effect on vascular
endothelial function.

Arginine Enhances Vascular Function

As already stated, arginine can help with angina, atherosclerosis, heart failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), erectile dysfunction, and intermittent claudication/peripheral vascular disease. All of these are related to its effects on vascular endothelial function.

In one study conducted in men with CAD, a dose of 7 g taken 3 times per day (21 g/day) for 3 days increased plasma levels of arginine, while improving endothelium-dependent dilation.14 Another study with hypercholesterolemic young adults, using the same dose over a 4 week period found that plasma arginine levels doubled, while endothelial-dependent dilation increased nearly 3½ fold.15

Also, in a prospective, double-blind, randomized crossover trial, 16 g of arginine for 14 days or placebo in 12 healthy old participants (age 73.8 ± 2.7 years) found that arginine improved endothelial-dependent vasodilation (5.7% ± 1.2%), whereas placebo had no effect.16 Serum levels of arginine increased significantly, but placebo had no effect. In several studies with older patients with stable CAD, arginine supplementation has also been shown to improve flow-mediated dilation.17–19

Not All Arginine Studies Agree

Also, other studies have shown that older patients with CAD and concomitant renal dysfunction may not benefit from arginine supplementation and similarly, that acute intravenous infusion of arginine has no effect on endothelial-dependent vasodilation in healthy older individuals. As well, the effects of 9 g of arginine per day for 1 month on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in healthy postmenopausal women increased plasma arginine, but without any change in flow-mediated dilation. Others have shown that lower amounts of arginine have no effect on plasma levels of arginine, forearm blood flow, or endothelial-dependent vasodilation in healthy men.

GH secretion declines with aging and
this is associated with
declines in muscle mass and
bone mineral density as well as
increases in adiposity.

From the results of a recently concluded meta-analysis, it would appear that arginine’s positive effects, at least at low levels, are dependent on initial endothelial health.20 Supplementation does not seem to affect endothelial-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in healthy individuals when vascular endothelial function has not already deteriorated, owing possibly to an existing sufficiency of NO activity. [But this may not be entirely true (see prior section, “Arginine Helps Control Flow-Mediated Dilation”)].This would explain the failure of low levels of arginine supplementation to increase FMD in such subjects. But in those with more endothelial dysfunction, arginine would appear to be very useful indeed.

Not for All Aging Populations?

Even though studies have shown that short-term arginine therapy improves endothelial function in older patients with peripheral artery disease, arginine may not work for all aging populations.21 In this cohort, there has even been a study showing detrimental effects on endothelial function. Using 3 g/day of arginine for six months, the result was reduced NO availability, FMD, and other measures.22 Two possible causes for these outcomes are that additional arginine may lessen the sensitivity of smooth muscle cells to NO release due to arginine tolerance and that there may be a counter-regulatory nitrate tolerance for prolonged exposure. There are other causes, but none are clear. The possibility always remains that without adequate cofactors, the bioavailability of which also diminishes with age, arginine’s benefits are thwarted.

Offsetting the above-mentioned is a study of long-term arginine administration showing a favorable effect on coronary endothelial function in those with coronary endothelial dysfunction and nonobstructive CAD.23 However, a highly publicized study published in JAMA found that arginine supplementation was associated with higher postinfarction mortality, but these results were probably due to inadequate analysis along with high statin use (see “L-Arginine Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Why the Negative Results? Could It Have Been Prevented?” in the March 2006 issue). From that article, “[Durk & Sandy] do not recommend that those who have recently had heart attacks take L-arginine (even with the addition of vitamin C, folic acid, and CoQ10) until there is more knowledge about the reasons for this study’s results.” The formidable Adrian Barbul, M.D., has chimed in on this to cast added doubt.24

Arginine has shown promise as a vascular prophylaxis against endothelial dysfunction induced by acute stressors. Acute cigarette smoking and consumption of a high-fat meal significantly reduce endothelial function. Thus, arginine taken prior to smoking or with a high-fat meal prevents the deleterious effect of these perturbations on endothelial function according to at least four studies.

Arginine as an Anti-Inflammatory Agent and Immune Function Enhancer

While inflammation/oxidative stress has been identified as the principal factor for endothelial dysfunction, there are other factors including inadequate arginine/BH4 ratio (probably addressed by using folate, as explained above). Another is the abundance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated with aging, which can uncouple NOS from arginine oxidation, resulting in superoxide production and the formation of peroxynitrite instead of NO. Superoxide may cause added BH4 oxidation and eNOS uncoupling. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and E may also be of benefit.

An often missed benefit of arginine is immune function enhancement. In fact, higher plasma concentrations may increase the activity of natural killer cells among other immune agents such as T-cells. Arginine is also noted to exercise an immune-preserving effect under conditions of protein malnutrition. Although arginine’s possible direct effects on inflammation and oxidative stress have barely been examined, animal studies show that arginine prevents upregulation of NADPH oxidase, a known generator of ROS within aging vasculature.

In patients with chronic kidney and CVD, arginine reduces several important markers of inflammation and oxidative stress ADMA (the endogenous inhibitor of NO), along with inflammatory enzymes, and homocysteine (a ROS stimulator that causes vascular damage and atherosclerosis). Arginine also reduces endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor and important modulator of endothelial dysfunction with advancing age.

Arginine as a Multifaceted Nutrient

It is known that arginine stimulates the release of growth hormone (GH), along with insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and prolactin. While many amino acids stimulate insulin secretion, arginine is the most potent, and although insulin resistance is connected to endothelial dysfunction, insulin can improve endothelial-dependent vasodilation independently of NO activity. GH secretion declines with aging and this is associated with declines in muscle mass and bone mineral density as well as increases in adiposity. Decreases in GH release has also been linked to deterioration of various cardiovascular and immunological functions.

It is good to know that arginine is a powerful stimulator of GH. Numerous studies have demonstrated that patients with GH deficiency have reduced endothelial dysfunction, and augmenting GH in these patients restores endothelial function. Also, acute infusion of GH increases endothelial-dependent vasodilation. GH contributes to arginine-induced, NO-mediated vasodilation and animal models demonstrate that a deficiency induces pro-oxidative states.

GH can significantly reduce cellular mitochondria ROS generation by upregulating the expression of endogenous antoioxidants. GH has many other benefits, increasing the expression of eNOS mRNA, reducing ADMA, and increasing endothelial progenitor cells. Consequently, because arginine increases GH release, it is likely to improve endothelial function by (1) directly activating eNOS; (2) upregulating eNOS protein expression; and (3) preserving NO bioavailability via its antioxidant properties.

Arginine is far more essential than
you may have previously thought,
and is a must for
every supplement program.

A Powerhouse of a Defense Against Aging

If you are young and if you have preserved vascular endothelial function, arginine may have little effect on endothelial-dependent vasodilation. But if you are older, taking arginine will strengthen your cardiovascular system. Certainly, in select aging patient populations with overt endothelial dysfunction and reduced arginine stores, arginine by itself may very well improve vascular function via its ability to augment NO. So much the better if arginine is properly cofactored.

And don’t forget that independently, arginine may also improve endothelial function via its ancillary effects, along with anti-inflammatory/antioxidant benefits for endothelial cells. Not to mention arginine’s effects on hormonal modulation including GH release, mitochondrial benefits, and its possible use for iPSCs. Arginine is far more essential than you may have previously thought, and is a must for every supplement program.

  1. Park IH, Zhao R, West JA et al. Reprogramming of human somatic cells to pluripotency with defined factors. Nature 2008;451:141–6.
  2. Li Y, Zhang Q, Yin X et al. Generation of iPSCs from mouse fibroblasts with a single gene, Oct4, and small molecules. Cell Res 2011;21:196–204.
  3. Yuan X, Wan H, Zhao X, Zhu S, Zhou Q, Ding S. Brief report: combined chemical treatment enables Oct4-induced reprogramming from mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Stem Cells 2011 Mar;29(3):549-53. doi: 10.1002/stem.594.
  4. Nisoli E, Clementi E, Paolucci C, Cozzi V, Tonello C, Sciorati C, Bracale R, Valerio A, Francolini M, Moncada S, Carruba MO. Mitochondrial biogenesis in mammals: the role of endogenous nitric oxide. Science 2003 Feb 7;299(5608):896-9.
  5. Nisoli E, Tonello C, Cardile A, Cozzi V, Bracale R, Tedesco L, Falcone S, Valerio A, Cantoni O, Clementi E, Moncada S, Carruba MO. Calorie restriction promotes mitochondrial biogenesis by inducing the expression of eNOS. Science 2005 Oct 14;310(5746):314-7.
  6. Harman, D. A biologic clock: the mitochondria? J Am Geriatr Soc 1972 Apr;20(4):145-7.
  7. Nerla R, Di Monaco A, Sestito A, Lamendola P, Di Stasio E, Romitelli F, Lanza GA, Crea F. Transient endothelial dysfunction following flow-mediated dilation assessment. Heart Vessels 2011 Sep;26(5):524-9.
  8. Bailey SJ, Winyard PG, Vanhatalo A, Blackwell JR, DiMenna FJ, Wilkerson DP, Jones AM. Acute L-arginine supplementation reduces the O2 cost of moderate-intensity exercise and enhances high-intensity exercise tolerance. J Appl Physiol 2010 Nov;109(5):1394-403.
  9. Heffernan KS, Fahs CA, Ranadive SM, Patvardhan EA. Arginine as a nutritional prophylaxis against vascular endothelial dysfunction with aging. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther 2010 Mar;15(1):17-23.
  10. King DE, Mainous AG 3rd, Geesey ME. Variation in arginine intake follow demographics and lifestyle factors that may impact cardiovascular disease risk. Nutr Res 2008 Jan;28(1):21-4.
  11. Ast J, Jablecka A, Bogdanski P, Smolarek I, Krauss H, Chmara E. Evaluation of the antihypertensive effect of arginine supplementation in patients with mild hypertension assessed with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Med Sci Monit 2010 Apr 28;16(5):CR266-71.
  12. Heffernan KS, Fahs CA, Ranadive SM, Patvardhan EA. Arginine as a nutritional prophylaxis against vascular endothelial dysfunction with aging. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther 2010 Mar;15(1):17-23.
  13. Moens AL, Vrints CJ, Claeys MJ, Timmermans JP, Champion HC, Kass DA. Mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for folic acid in cardiovascular disease. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2008 May;294(5):H1971-7.
  14. Adams MR, McCredie R, Jessup W, Robinson J, Sullivan D, Celermajer DS. Oral L-arginine improves endothelium-dependent dilatation and reduces monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in young men with coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis 1997; 129(2):261-9.
  15. Clarkson P, AdamsMR, Powe AJ, et al. Oral L-arginine improves endothelium-dependent dilation in hypercholesterolemic young adults. J Clin Invest 1996;97(8):1989-94.
  16. Bode-Boger SM, Muke J, Surdacki A, Brabant G, Boger RH, Frolich JC. Oral L-arginine improves endothelial function in healthy individuals older than 70 years. Vasc Med 2003; 8(2):77-81.
  17. Maxwell AJ, Zapien MP, Pearce GL, MacCallum G, Stone PH. Randomized trial of a medical food for the dietary management of chronic, stable angina. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;39(1):37-45.
  18. Yin WH, Chen JW, Tsai C, Chiang MC, Young MS, Lin SJ. L-arginine improves endothelial function and reduces LDL oxidation in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Clin Nutr 2005;24(6):988-97.
  19. Sozykin AV, Noeva EA, Balakhonova TV, Pogorelova OA, Men’shikov M. Effect of L-arginine on platelet aggregation, endothelial function and exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina pectoris [in Russian]. Ter Arkh 2000;72(8):24-7.
  20. Bai Y, Sun L, Yang T, Sun K, Chen J, Hui R. Increase in fasting vascular endothelial function after short-term oral L-arginine is effective when baseline flow-mediated dilation is low: a metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89(1):77-84.
  21. Boger RH, Bode-Boger SM, Thiele W, Creutzig A, Alexander K, Frolich JC. Restoring vascular nitric oxide formation by L-arginine improves the symptoms of intermittent claudication in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 1998;32(5):1336-44.
  22. Wilson AM, Harada R, Nair N, Balasubramanian N, Cooke JP. L-arginine supplementation in peripheral arterial disease: no benefit and possible harm. Circulation 2007;116(2):188-95.
  23. Lerman A, Burnett JC Jr, Higano ST, McKinley LJ, Holmes DR Jr. Long-term L-arginine supplementation improves small-vessel coronary endothelial function in humans. Circulation 1998;97(21):2123-8.
  24. Abumrad NN, Barbul A. Arginine Therapy for Acute Myocardial Infarction. JAMA 2006 May10:2138-9.

Will Block is the publisher and editorial director of Life Enhancement magazine.

Featured Product

  • Learn more about Arginine benefits and implementation strategies.

FREE Subscription

  • You're just getting started! We have published thousands of scientific health articles. Stay updated and maintain your health.

    It's free to your e-mail inbox and you can unsubscribe at any time.
    Loading Indicator


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Type: response

text:
Sign up for our newsletter

Fields marked with a * are required

Which Causes Which? Resource Shifts or Delays?

If you’ve been reading this blog for the past few months, you know I’ve ben pulling a number of findings from the PLM Study that we conducted in January. The most interesting of those findings have had nothing to do with technology, but have provided insight into the organizational performance of engineering.

In this post, we’re going to dive into that topic again, looking at the correlation between shifting resources and delays in the launch of new products.

No Comments | Leave Your Comment

Posted in Engineering Management | Tags: , ,

Move to MBD: Can We See Results?

Last week, Chad talked on the blog about findings from The Model Based Enterprise Study. It found that, while 57% of the 575 respondent companies released 3D annotated models for at least some projects, only 2% exclusively used 3D MBD. We thought we’d take a look at some of those companies from the 2% to

People / Concept Drawing

Engineering’s Struggle to Justify Technology

Been keeping track of us on social media over the past few days? If you have, I wonder if you’ve noticed the trend. You see, we’ve been posting a few new findings on the top challenges for different technologies from past research studies, including The Simulation Driven Design Study, The Model-Based Enterprise Study and The PLM Study.

An annotated 3D model

MBD: Commitment is Low, Value is High

In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about Model Based Definitions, the idea of using 3D models embedded with annotations alongside or instead of 2D drawings. Much of the discussion has been spurred by contractual mandates in the aerospace and defense industry on suppliers to deliver such digital intellectual property alongside physical parts.

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2015-22
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for May 2015
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
I know, I know! Yes I am still here and nothing is wrong, except the girls are getting older and time man, it’s just escaping me! Someday we are going to try one of those schedule things and I’m going to put blogging back on it. Until then, it will be sporadic.

learning january-4learning january-36learning january-35learning january-34learning january-33learning january-32learning january-31learning january-29

learning january-30

learning january-27learning january-26learning january-25learning january-24learning january-23learning january-22learning january-21learning january-20learning january-19learning january-17learning january-16learning january-14learning january-12learning january-11learning january-10

learning january-15

learning january-9learning january-7learning january-6

Learning in January. Oh how I love looking back on the month. I feel like we do so little “school” since we’ve slipped into full on un-schooling mode. I would like some kind of schedule, for my sanity more than anything. But I love that learning happens all the time.

We did a lot of sensory play, baking soda was big over here (did you know you can buy huge bags at costco?). The girls love it when I put a pan of it out and then give them colored vinegar and droppers, the fizz! I also figured out from Asia’s book (150 Screen Free Activities – affiliate link, so good, I highly recommend it!) that baking soda and water makes a simple dough. One that Bennet just loved. And of course water play for a two year old can’t be beat. We also got tons of that silicone sand from Jo-Ann’s on black Friday and gave it to Bennet for Christmas. They both loved having this out for a few months.

An extension of sensory play was our shaving cream marbling. It turned out wonderful! I really loved the results of this project; plus the girls kept playing with the colored shaving cream so it was a double win.

Spelling and writing was huge over here. We had a major break through one Sunday. We were all downstairs, I was sewing and had my felt design board out and Tuesday was saying, “B-O-O bad Bj!” for fun. Only it wasn’t so nice and finally we’re like, hey, you’re spelling boo! I had the felt letters handy and showed her. She started sounding out and spelling a ton! I showed her how rhyming words work, just change one letter. She thought it was amazing. We got back out the movable alphabet (a wooden alphabet that is using in Montessori education) and she has been crazy for spelling ever sense. When she first started she could spell a lot but not read it. It’s so interesting how the mind works. She would write out a bunch of words and then ask, “what did I write?” That phase was pretty short though.

Tuesday was also interested in time so I got out some various things I’ve collected and set them out for her.

Speaking of things I’ve collected. Oh man, I can’t stop with the books and the coloring books and the manipulatives and the school stuff… I love it all! So much so that our basement was looking crazy! Pair that with the fact that my mom moved out of her house of 21 years (where I still had much more than I realized stored!) and I needed to get it under control. I did for the most part, but we’re still figuring out what is going to work best for us space wise. I love the basement for it’s size but the girls like to be in the light and around the main living area. We’re thinking of taking over Bj’s office and walling in the lightest corner of the basement for him (lucky it’s tall and has sunny windows). I did decide for now to move one shelf up, and make the dining room wall more eclectic with projects, maps and posters. Can’t hid that we’re homeschoolers now! Ha!

Tuesday also turned six! I added a covered wagon figure to our little Waldorf type ritual (which I described here). She remembered and loved the tradition of walking around the table as if it were the sun. She took us on a spy walk that had me choking from trying not to laugh at my little girl with a fake mustache diving on the ground as cars were coming. She made cakes for her Tootsie, oh how she loves that doll. Magnatiles all the time. Listening to stories on the CD player in the living room. Inventing games. Dance lessons, gymnastics lessons, and now violin lessons. Forest school. My dreamer and creator. I just love her.

Bennet. I just love when I can find activities that hit her right where she is at. This month I found a puzzle that was just challenging enough. I love her face when she completes it, such pride in her “work”. She hears Tuesday asking how to spell things and asks me as well. Then scribbles marks on a paper as if writing. She’s got a great pencil grip, all the early work in that area paid off again. She got to start dance, finally. She is so happy to have her own dance class, but so wee I had to make the required red leotard. She had no interest in modeling it, as you can see. She really loves when we do things all together, like the painting night we had. I just love to talk to my little snuggle bug, she’s always surprising me by what she notices and I just love that!

More to come!

  • Jessica - That spy walk sounds hilarious!! Also, I kind of want to play in that shaving cream myself, haha!April 13, 2015 – 1:55 pmReplyCancel

  • Julia - I love how you are un-schooling the girls. You make learning so fun for them! I love Tuesday’s birthday cupcakes… so cute!April 13, 2015 – 4:01 pmReplyCancel

  • Mary Lou - So glad to see your post. Everything looks like such fun. The girls are really growing up!April 13, 2015 – 9:15 pmReplyCancel

  • Jeanine - Oh wow…. I have never seen your blog before… This is just fantastic. What a blessed life you share with your family! Truly beautiful! Thank you for sharing in pictures! (& your words).. Absolutely amazing. I am off to take another look around :DApril 24, 2015 – 8:35 amReplyCancel

We are going to the end of the Oregon Trail center soon with our homeschool group and I need make Tuesday another Prairie girl dress. The last dress I made for Tuesday has gotten lots of wear, she has it in rotation with her regular clothes, so it’s not just dress up to her. It went with us to Hawaii, she’s worn it in the snow, in the sun, in the rain… everywhere! I wanted to look up the details about it and realized I never blogged about it. Since this is where I keep all details about my crafty pursuits I want to record it.

dress with shawl-1

I made her a bonnet first, then the dress, apron, pantaloons and another bonnet that coordinated a little better. I used an old Holly Hobbie pattern for everything but the pantaloons which I stitched from another pattern. I really like the tucks in the hems on the pantaloons. I already let one out to make them longer. I self drafted the short sleeves, the pattern came with long sleeves and she didn’t want them. She’s wearing my simple yet effective shawl (Ravelry link), which was my first shawl and I didn’t make it big enough. I also wore dresses like this that my mom made me and loved them. I’m so happy that Tuesday loves her so much. She hasn’t requested a larger dress, but she’s been wearing this one for a year. The pantaloons especially are small, and when she has the apron buttoned on it’s quite tight. Still it never looked overly big. This was a size four, and I think I’m just going to go up one size, though maybe add more length. We bought her these boots (affiliate link) that she also wore with her Santa costume. They really work well with this outfit to  round out the whole Laura look she is going through (bonus they look hipster cool and she wears them with EVERYTHING). We’ve read through the whole Little House series and are now onto her daughter, Rose. Starting with The House on Rocky Ridge.

  • Julia - So cute! She looks adorable!January 26, 2015 – 12:03 pmReplyCancel

  • Mary Lou - Amber, this is a wonderful blog! Tuesday, I loved little house on the prairie too and I love your outfits! You guys have so much fun! I wish I had grandkids to try some of this stuff with. Mary LouFebruary 11, 2015 – 3:28 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristina Mattson - LOVE LOVE LHOTP! Do you have a pattern to share or to refer me to for those adorable bonnets? thanksFebruary 15, 2015 – 8:08 pmReplyCancel

  • Amber - Kristina, I used an old holly hobbie pattern for most everything, #5996, and made a few modifications. But the bonnet I didn’t change.
    AmberFebruary 18, 2015 – 4:44 pmReplyCancel

  • jessica - I really love Tuesday’s dress! The colors are especially wonderful.February 28, 2015 – 8:00 amReplyCancel

  • Estela - that is soooo adorable! I think my daughter would love to wear!March 2, 2015 – 8:38 amReplyCancel

  • Mary Lou - Missing your posts Amber. Hope everything is alright⁉⁉⁉April 12, 2015 – 10:14 amReplyCancel

It’s been a while since I’ve recapped our learning, so I thought I’d do a post to finish off our learning in 2014. There was lots going on with the holidays, but my favorite things during this time were all the game nights! After counting and organizing our games I decided we needed to play them more, and we did!

learning end of 2014-21learning end of 2014-20learning end of 2014-19learning end of 2014-18learning end of 2014-17learning end of 2014-16learning end of 2014-15learning end of 2014-14learning end of 2014-13learning end of 2014-12learning end of 2014-11learning end of 2014-10learning end of 2014-9learning end of 2014-8learning end of 2014-7learning end of 2014-6learning end of 2014-5learning end of 2014-4learning end of 2014-3learning end of 2014-2learning end of 2014-1

(for some reason these photos are in reverse order, but I’m going with it!)

Lots of indoor activities, but they still wanted to play outside if at all possible (even if 32 degrees!). They’ve made friends with the neighbors, older kids who they love to run around with. So fun, I love our neighborhood. No problem with “socialization” at our homeschool:)

Tuesday (5.5 here) has talked us into having her rest time downstairs (as opposed to playing or reading in her room). This gives her lots of time to set up things safely out of the reach of her 2.5 year old sister! She also LOVES to listen to audiobooks on our CD player (a high school graduate present I never imagined would last this long!). We get them from the library. She loves Clementine books, as well as any of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, Farmer Boy is a particular favorite. She can listen to them over and over. Usually doing a little something else at the same time (patterns, knitting, drawing, etc.).

In the Farmer Boy book Almanzo talks about putting popcorn in milk, equal sized glasses, and how the popcorn will fit in the glass of milk without overflowing. Can we try this mama? Yes!

I love saying yes. Can we paint our faces? Yes! Can we paint your face? Yes!

Lots of sensory play. We love Asia’s book 150 Screen Free Activities (affiliate link). And now buy baking soda in 13.5 lb bags at Costco! Also a garlic press + play dough, try it! By the way Tuesday made the “corset” in the picture of her playing with baking soda and colored vinegar. She is so so so proud of that thing!

A giant cardboard house thanks to a new light fixture at grandma’s. We had this set up in the living room but had to move it for the tree. When we brought it downstairs I let them go nuts painting it.

We hit up lots of independant game shops on Black Friday and randomly grabbed My First Carcassonne (affiliate link). If you want a game that is awesome to play as adults but even young kids can pick up on, this is it. We love it.

Tuesday made “Christmas” cleaner. Here is a link to our cleaner. So easy, and she loved giving it an extra minty smell for the holidays.

Writing, writing, writing! I made a little book for Tuesday. Small slips of paper hole punched and bound by a binder clip. I write words she’d like to spell out on them, so she can go back. It currently has all of our friend’s and family’s names, “happy” “birthday” and many others.  I can’t remember where I saw this, but I didn’t come up with the idea. It works great and she references it a lot. Speaking of writing… found an old Mad Libs. Oh the hilarity!

Perhaps the most exciting thing for an unschooling mom like me to see is the moment an idea solidifies for my child! This happened in December with math equations (or word sentences or whatever people call them now). She had been adding things up for a while, but never wrote out the equations. I found this little old slate, which had been mine. Since Tuesday is so into “prairie girl” things she, of course, loved it. She wrote ” 5 + 5 10″ so I showed her what an equal sign was. Boom! She’s all about equations now, so fun.

Extra curriculars: Tuesday and Bennet are in gymnastics now, homeschool bounce at the trampoline place for both of them, and our local children’s museum has a “homeschool hangout” class once a month that Tuesday loves. She’s all, “Ok, see you later mom!” and I pick her up three hours later with her bubbling with what they’ve learned. Wild that she’s so self confident and outgoing. I just love her!

I really want to show you how I’ve changed things around for the new year, but for now I’ll leave it at learning from mid-November through December 2014!

  • Amanda - Glad to hear about all the good learning taking place! Tuesday has good taste! I loved the Little House books as a kid too and would beg my parents to do pioneer days, haha.January 19, 2015 – 5:11 pmReplyCancel

    • Amber - Amanda, I did too. Like LOVED. I totally wore a prairie girl dress to school most days… complete with pantaloons and an apron! :)
      AmberJanuary 19, 2015 – 8:44 pmReplyCancel

  • Julia - You are the coolest homeschool mom I know!! I love how the girls are learning. You make learning really fun for them!January 19, 2015 – 5:32 pmReplyCancel

    • Amber - Julia, it all seems to go well when I throw all the rules and goals out the window, LOL. Funny how that is!
      AmberJanuary 19, 2015 – 8:45 pmReplyCancel

Though I didn’t blog a ton (oops took all of December off!) we had a wonderful year.

January was forest school, birthday fun, friends, and cozy time at home.

February was full of snow! More than we usually see, which made it so special. Tuesday still has a little in the freezer. The end of the month saw us in Hawaii.

The first of March we were still soaking up the sunshine, and we came home feeling the need to be outside, warm or not! Tuesday finally took an interest in her balance bike, the addition of a cardboard baby doll seat sure helped. We started 100 days of happiness and ended the month with our 7th wedding anniversary.

April was full of lots of everyday goodness, including a return to some warm (unseasonably so!) weather. We even had our first dinner outside of the year. Forest School continued on, but in tee shirts instead of full rain gear. Started planning and scheming the garden, even buying olive trees. Plants started blooming. Tuesday and I took a homeschool train trip to Seattle and back… in one day. And then left for California; a quick trip to visit my dad. It got so hot by the end of the month apparently we all needed tank tops and naps with out blankies!

In May I tried to hire someone to work in our yard, but it turns out I’m only satisfied with me being the one to do all the work (and oh do I love it!). So I let perfection in the yard go and dug in. Dinners on the front porch were back on. Chatting with neighbors as we lounged and ate, nothing better. The muddy river looked quite different once the sun came out at Forest School. Tuesday enjoyed herself at a sheep to shawl show, we were about halfway through Laura Ingalls Wilder series by now and in full on “prairie girl” mode! By the end of the month we were covered in dirt by early afternoon nearly everyday.

June wrapped up Forest School, dance and girl scouts for the year, along with most obligations of any kind and it was full on summertime bliss. I pared my clothes, accessories and shoes down to a total of 33 items for the summer and LOVED IT. I easily stuck to this and feel so much more in love with myself with much less! Started composting, and reading more about permaculture.

July was rag curls, playing in the creek in undies, first sparklers on the forth of July. Camping in the backyard, bouncing in the bounce house. Impromptu trips to the coast to cool down. Eating lots from our own yard. The bounce house. Beading in the cool basement. Bennet turning two! The canning madness started. Water fountains were splashed in. We had a grape arbor built.

In August I got a pressure canner so I could do something with all those beans. We participated in Salem Harvest picks, and I said yes to zucchini from everyone. There was a drive in movie, and of course more canning. Ceara and I had a crazy week that involved watching Bruno Mars, then flying to California to see a taping of So You Think You Can Dance (barely!). I took Tuesday to her first Girl Scout camp. We said goodbye to my mom’s old place, where she lived for 21 years and hello to having her and Bill in the neighborhood for good! I turned 34 and went to the State Fair, of course.

September was no spend month, our favorite. We cleaned and organized and of course I canned some more (somebody stop me!). We camped by a creek on my grandpa’s property with the whole family. I picked way too many onions, canned way too much grape juice (all in one crazy marathon day!). I flung doors wide open and smiled at still warm breezes coming through. Bennet got a bob and Bj cooked everything possible in his new Big Green Egg. We saved seeds and made pizza, and played in the sink.

In October we were still getting lots of yumminess from our garden. Even eating melons at the beginning of the month! Then Bj, Bennet and I went to beautiful upstate New York for a wedding of a dear friend.  Bennet slept through the night, which we celebrated at the carousel (sadly this didn’t last). There were harvest festivals to go to. A girls craftcation weekend which was exactly what I needed. Meanwhile Tuesday was getting so proficient on her bike she managed to get up some big hills at the park. I made the girls’ costumes for halloween.

November saw us turning to the inside, playing lots of games, writing lots of notes. Tuesday started playing more with neighborhood kids, and often bunches of them will be in someone’s driveway playing. I love the sound of it. I finished a quilt for my friends, my favorite to date. I started knitting again. The living room was taken over by a large cardboard house. We spent Thanksgiving at my in-laws in the Tri-Cities. Probably our last… They put an offer on a house in our neighborhood and it was accepted!

Finally December, in which I ignored the blog completely. We made Christmas scented cleaner. We played lots and lots of games. I started sewing a lot again, mostly my quilts. I counted at least 20 UFOs, for shame! Lots of sensory play (baking soda dough, water play, etc.). Tuesday listened to so many audiobooks, many on repeat. I knit a lot of washcloths. Carmen came for a girls weekend in Portland with me. I hosted another crew girl Christmas. We went for a lovely Christmas walk and came up with new traditions for our family. And we played games, and read books, and played more games.

Along the way we did lots of learning at home, had fun with Daisy Girl Scouts, Bj rocked his job (and traveled a freaking ton!), and I managed to be crafty more often than not. Tuesday wore her prairie girl outfits constantly. And her baby “Tootsie” was with her more often than not. And if all that seems pretty wonderful, it was! I didn’t put a single negative thing in this post. There were hard days and many more hard nights (still no sleep for the weary around here!). But I love looking back on all the positive things that happened! I’m feeling so great about 2015 too. One of my dearest friends is getting married, and I’m sure that will be a huge part of it. So exciting. Tuesday and Bennet are growing and learning by leaps and bounds. I feel like I’ve hit a bit of a stride with homeschooling, or at least most of the panic has subsided.

I’ve realized when you go to look for wonderful things in your life surely you will find them. And this picture heavy post proves that. I don’t like to call it luck. But damn, I have it good.

  • Julia - Such a fabulous year, Amber! I loved seeing all the fun photos of you and your family. Here is to a fabulous 2015!!! And (fingers crossed) we make it out to visit you guys this spring/summer!! It’s seriously going to happen this year!!January 13, 2015 – 7:44 amReplyCancel

  • mary m - Focusing on the positive makes such a difference–I loved seeing many of your positives from last year :)

    I hope 2015 is the best year yet for you guys.January 13, 2015 – 8:03 amReplyCancel

  • Heather - love this post!!! ❤January 13, 2015 – 7:49 pmReplyCancel

I don’t know about anyone else, but the beginning of this year (hello 2015!) has made me want to organize! I have loved this tutorial by my friend from quilt guild, and asked her if I could update it a bit to show off my mom’s lovely cord. I made a bunch of these bags a few years ago, so I thought it was time for a fresh set.

drawstring bag tutorial-3

Here is a diagram for cutting on dot matrix paper, because I’m so fancy like that. One of the 12.5 x 20.5 inch pieces can be pieced, if you want to use up scraps, or orphan quilt blocks. Megan’s tutorial has more information on making custom sizes, I just chose this one size for ease of the tutorial.

drawstring bag tutorial-4

And this is the finished bag size. It can be reversible if you choose to hand stitch the opening closed (see below).

drawstring bag tutorial-5

After you cut the pieces take the long skinny strip and use wonder tape to tack down about a quarter inch of the edge. It’s basically a sticker so it’s super easy to use.

drawstring bag tutorial-6

After this fold and iron wrong sides together.

drawstring bag tutorial-7

Lay the inside fabric right side up, then center the strip you just iron with raw edges facing the top, and finish the sandwich with the exterior fabric on top, right side down. If you have a directional fabric you need the pattern to face up. I tried to pick a very obvious pattern for the tutorial so you can see what I mean. Pin all along the top and stitch with a quarter inch seam – too wide of a seam and you won’t have room to thread the cord through.

drawstring bag tutorial-8

After you stitch that seam your bag will look like this opened up. You can see here I’ve pressed the seam down, so the little casing we’ve now made for the cord stands up.

drawstring bag tutorial-9

Next fold the bag like so and pin all around the edge. Again you are going to sew with a quarter inch seam allowance, leaving the small gap you see between the scissors and pen open to turn the bag right side out.

After sewing clip corners, to get rid of extra fabric and push out. Then flip the bag through the opening.

drawstring bag tutorial-10

You’ll need to sew closed the opening. I decided not to worry about the bag being reversible, so I just did a straight stitch over the opening. Then I tucked the inner lining down into the bag and threaded cord through the casing.

drawstring bag tutorial-1

Ribbon Jar has so many awesome cords. I loooooove the neons.

drawstring bag tutorial-2

There are a couple types you can use. Either the toggle, which has two openings or stops, which has one. Both are a tight squeeze, which is really what you want anyway. Use a paper piercer, large needle, awl, or tip of very sharp scissors to get the ends through (and be careful!). I like to tie the two sides together so you can hang the bag.

drawstring bag tutorial-13

Super fast, awesome project! And like I referenced in my last post about these, they make great reusable gift bags.

drawstring bag tutorial-12

Here is a pieced version of the same bag.

Supplies needed for easy drawstring bag:

Fabric cut list:

(2) 12.5″ x 20.5″ pieces of fabric (piecing optional)

(1) 18.5″ x 1.5″ piece of fabric for casing

Cording: I used about 26″. It’s sold by the yard, so if you buy a couple yards of a color, you’ll get three bags worth (that would give you 24″ per bag).

Cord Stop: You can get them here at the Ribbon Jar

Wonder Tape: Also at the Ribbon Jar

***********Since the Ribbon Jar has all the awesome supplies you need (minus the fabric, which if you’re anything like me you have a stash of!) they have given readers a coupon for 15% off all cord, just use CORD15 when you check out (good until Sunday, January 11th).

My mom also gave me a pack of cord to give away! I’m going to throw in a big bag of scraps so you can do a scrappy version if you like. Just leave a comment by Sunday and I’ll announce a winner Monday.

Giveaway closed. Winner is Julia! Thanks for playing!

Happy sewing!

  • Draw String Bag Tutorial and Giveaway! | Ribbon Jar - […] on over to Amber’s at Life in Color Photo! She has a terrific tutorial on making Draw String […]January 5, 2015 – 2:54 pmReplyCancel

  • Julie - Great Tutorial Amber! I can’t wait to get some drawstring bags of my own sewn up!January 5, 2015 – 7:42 pmReplyCancel

  • Ann - I’d love new colors of the 3mm cord! Thanks for hosting the giveaway and sharing your tutorial.January 5, 2015 – 8:10 pmReplyCancel

  • Julie - I am new to sewing, but I bet I could handle this project. Thanks for including such great photos! Its really helpful for us beginners.January 6, 2015 – 11:16 amReplyCancel

  • sarah did it! - What a fun tutorial. Thanks for sharing and a chance to win!January 6, 2015 – 11:34 amReplyCancel

  • Cheryl - Wow! The perfect drawstring bag! Thx for sharing.January 6, 2015 – 1:59 pmReplyCancel

  • Julia - I am also new to sewing, but I think this is a project I could handle. It’s adorable!!January 6, 2015 – 2:14 pmReplyCancel

  • Honey - I think sewing these out of muslin or solid flannel to use as shoe bags for traveling would be wonderful. Thank you for the clear and simple tutorial.January 6, 2015 – 8:54 pmReplyCancel

  • carmen - Dude the black and white fabric is awesome! And so is the cord! I also love neon. I mean LOVE IT! thanks for this tutorial– I am also on an organizing craze. Happy New Year! I need to go on ribbon jar soon and stock up on some of that cord, and also some striped fat ribbon….making more banners again :)January 7, 2015 – 3:33 pmReplyCancel

  • s.w. - What a great tutorial! Gives me hope that I can perhaps do the same.January 9, 2015 – 11:42 amReplyCancel

  • Jenna - Fun tutorial and a great way to use up scraps! As always you’re so nice to share your know-how with us!January 10, 2015 – 6:36 amReplyCancel


text:
14 Search Engine Optimization Tips

Get More Traffic To Your Website With SEO

  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Before we begin, it’s important for you to understand how search engines work. Otherwise these search engine optimization (SEO) tips won’t make much sense to you. So what exactly is a search engine anyway? A search engine is a computer program that indexes and searches a set of documents for specified keywords and then returns a list of the documents where those keywords were found. Now that’s a mouthful! Google is one example of a highly complex search engine built by hundreds of really smart people that has indexed billions of documents. While human beings built the Google search engine, no human being is involved when you conduct a search using Google.

What are keywords? Keywords are individual search terms or phrases associated with a given document. The document could be a web page, PDF file, Microsoft Word or Excel document, image, or any other file type. People use keywords to find your website. You want to know which keywords your prospective customers are using so you can attract them to your site.

Now, on to the SEO tips!
1) Install a Web Analytics Package for Tracking
Looking at web analytics is like looking at an X-ray of your website. You are able to see the number of visitors to your site, which sites are sending you traffic, which pages are most popular, what keywords people are using to find your site, how long people are staying on your site, which search engines are sending you the most traffic, and more. You can either purchase a web analytics package or install one that is free. Google offers a free one called Google Analytics.

Installation is usually pretty straight forward. Typically, you'll add a small piece of html code to every page of your website. If you don't know how to do it, you should be able to ask your webmaster.

Whenever you try a new marketing strategy, benchmark your traffic before you begin. Then after you implement the marketing, you'll have some real data to compare before and after to determine if the strategy was successful or not.
2) Research Your Competition
This is a great way to help you brainstorm and get keyword ideas. Pretend you are your own customer. Go to and type in the keyword phrases you would use to find the products or services you sell. Click on some of the websites that show up. Try another phrase, and another and another.

When you are on a competitor’s website, right click with your mouse. Then choose View Source. This will show you the actual website code. Look near the top and look for keywords in the TITLE tag, META DESCRIPTION and META KEYWORDS tags. Take note of which sites appear for your different queries. The idea is to discover which keywords will not just bring you traffic, but also targeted, motivated buyers who want what you have to sell.

Other sites that can help you get a sense of your competition is and (although I like better myself).
3) Use Keyword Tools
Try these keyword tools to get an idea of keyword popularity. Keep in mind that the keyword counts are not exact. Use them only as a guide to get a rough idea of how much traffic one keyword gets relative to another. Three keyword tools to try are Word Tracker (paid), Keyword Discovery (paid) and the Google Keyword Tool (free). You will typically find that the longer the keyword phrase the lower the traffic. However, if these keyword phrases bring you you the most business then use those. Remember, the key here is not just traffic, but targeted traffic.

4) Find Keywords That Get Leads and Make Sales
Find out which keywords are most profitable for you by running a small Google Adwords campaign. To do this, install the Adwords conversion tracking code on your site, and be sure to ask your prospective call-in customers what keywords they typed in to find you. Once you know your most profitable keywords, use them in all the ways below.
5) Keyword-Rich Title Tags
Write a different keyword-rich title tag for each page of your website. Make sure your title tag reflects the content of the page and uses keywords. Do not use the same title for every page! Your title tag should look something like this:

6) Keyword-Rich Meta Tags
Write keyword-rich meta description tags. Make sure to write an original description for each and every page of your site. Don’t copy the same one over and over. The code should look something like this:

7) Keyword-Rich Header Tags
Use your keywords in header tags. Make sure you have a headline with an H1 tag at the top every page, and use your keywords in the headline. The code looks like this:

8) Keyword-Rich Web Content
Use your keywords in the text you write on each page of your website. This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many website owners fail to do this. Example: “We specialize in affordable custom cabinets for homes across the United States.” Do not use duplicate content on your web pages either.
9) Using Images Sparingly
Avoid using images where you can use text instead. The search engines can’t identify images very well. Yes, there are image tags called ALT tags which can help to get images recognized, but to my knowledge, text always works better. If possible, make sure your site navigation is text, not images. Instead of using graphic headlines for each page, use a text headline. If you must use images, make sure they are small in file size.

Fonts can often be a frustration during the design process. Your graphic designer might use a beautiful but obscure font in the initial design, but then you find out that this font is not browser friendly. Your Internet browser can only display a limited number fonts like Arial, Times Roman, Verdana, Trebuchet, and others. Choose a web-friendly font that is readable and is the best fit for the look and feel of your website.

There is often a trade off between having your website look exactly how you want it using fancy fonts and images versus sacrificing a bit of design for better usability on the search engines. The question is this: Which would you rather have - a gorgeous website with no traffic or an attractive website that is getting lots of traffic?
10) Quality, Inbound Links
Get relevant inbound links to the pages of your site from other reputable websites. Use your keywords in the “anchor text” for the inbound link. Each link has two parts. The hyperlink is the URL to the page you want the site to link to. The anchor text is the visible text on the page that people see. Your anchor text should include your keywords. The code will look something like this:

Contact other relevant websites and ask either to exchange links or offer to pay for a link from their site to yours. The basic philosophy here is that links are like little votes for your website. The more links you have from high-traffic, trustworthy websites, the better. These links carry more weight than those from an  obscure website with very little traffic.
11) Make Internal Links
Link to your most important pages from within your own website. It’s similar to getting links (votes) from outside websites except you are doing it yourself. You probably have one or two web pages in addition to your home page that could use more traffic. Place additional links to those pages from your home page and on other pages so that they stand out to the search engines. Put hyperlinks to those web pages in the content of other web pages.

12) Create Link Bait
Create “link bait” web pages. If your business lends itself to this approach, this can be a great way to get a ton of traffic to your site.
The basic idea is that you craft a well-written article about a topic within your industry. It might be an educational article on “how to avoid the pitfalls” or “the top 10 tips” or a “how to choose” article. Once the article is done, submit it to one of the larger social networks like Digg or StumbleUpon. Make sure the community to which you submit your article is interested in your topic!

If your article gets enough positive reviews, it will get pushed to the top of the list, and lots of people will see the article teaser and click over to your web page. You might even consider creating an entire educational resources area on your site with dozens of articles. Press releases are a form of “link bait” since you are enticing reporters and editors to visit your site. Use a service like PR Newswire or PR Web to get the word out.
13) Blogging Basics
Set aside time for blogs. A blog is short for "web log" and is a frequently updated journal or diary where other people can make comments. Some companies which offer blog services are and If you have the resources to maintain a blog and it’s appropriate to your business, creating a blog as part of your website can bring quality traffic. Just make sure you have the time and energy to post frequently. Consider posting on other relevant blogs too, and make sure your posts are well written and informative! Don’t post a comment just to get a link.
14) Build Sitemaps
Create a sitemap. Build a simple web page that has links to all pages of your website. This purpose for this page is to give the search engines a quick access point to “spider” or find and index all your web pages.

You can also create an XML version of your sitemap to submit to Google and Yahoo! There isn’t enough room here to discuss XML, but you can find XML sitemap tools on the web.Well, there you have it. These 14 tips are by no means an exhaustive treatise on search engine optimization, but they should help you get started in the right direction. For further help, see the webmaster’s guidelines at Google, sign up for an SEO class or seminar, or contact a search engine optimization specialist in your area.

Are You Balancing Work And Family?
For many women, career and family is a balancing act. Imagine this: You decide to stay an extra hour late at work, but one hour turns into three, and then you hit traffic. Your husband has been waiting with the kids, and now he has missed his night out with the bowling league. When you get in, dinner is cold and so is the attitude as you argue about who didn't do their chores and homework. Are you balancing work and family or have things gotten out of control?
Rate This Article
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
(Votes: 21) (Avg: 4.86)
NOTE: All comments for this article are moderated. Your comment will be published pending approval.


text:
Is There Really Proof of Reincarnation?

Your Questions About Reincarnation Answered

  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

You may have grown up listening to stories about your great aunt who swears she was a Nordic fisherman in a past life or cursed an ex-boyfriend to come back as a dung beetle. Whether or not you believe in reincarnation, chances are you’ve heard of it. Did you know that reincarnation is a tenet of many of the world’s largest and oldest religions? There are thousands of documented cases of reincarnation – that is, people who can recall events from a past life or lives. Reincarnation is a fascinating take on the notion of life after death. If you’ve ever been curious to learn more about this ancient belief, here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about reincarnation.

What is reincarnation?
Reincarnation is a cycle of rebirth after death. According to the theory of reincarnation, a person’s soul is immortal; once an earthly body dies, the soul moves on to another body and continues the cycle until it reaches a state of ultimate freedom in which it needs no earthly vessel. There are two main schools of thought concerning reincarnation: the Hindu philosophy and the Buddhist philosophy.

Hinduism is one of the oldest and largest religions that believe in reincarnation. Hindus believe that reincarnation is a result of man’s desire for earthly pleasures. A person’s soul is reborn because he or she misses life on earth and wants to experience it again. However, after many rebirths, that person begins to realize that earthly pleasures cannot give the soul complete satisfaction, and he or she begins to seek a higher form of enlightenment. Once a person is able to realize his or her “true” divine nature (through much spiritual practice), he or she will cease to desire worldly pleasures and the cycle of reincarnation will be broken.
Buddhism also teaches about reincarnation. Buddha taught that reincarnation depends on a person’s karma – a spiritual account of all the good and bad deeds a person has done in his or her many lives. If a man’s life ends and he has accumulated too much bad karma, he is cursed to be reborn again and try to repay his karmic debt by doing good deeds. Once he has restored his karmic balance and achieved enlightenment through fulfilling his karmic debt, the cycle of rebirth ends.

Who believes in reincarnation?
Most Native American tribes still believe in reincarnation; as do Inuit tribes, many African tribes and other minor religions such as Druze and Scientology. There are also religious sects of Judaism (Kabbalah), Christianity (New Age sects) and Islam (Sufiism) that believe in reincarnation as well.

A 2001 Galluppoll surveyed Americans about their beliefs in paranormal occurrences, such as reincarnation. The survey results showed that 54 percent of Americans did not believe in reincarnation, 25 percent did believe in reincarnation and 21 percent either weren’t sure or had no opinion.

How do people remember their past lives?
People can be affected by memories from a past life in several different ways. The first is known as resonance. A person might feel inexplicably drawn to something specific or to a certain place.  He or she might have an intense interest in a certain historical event. For example, an avid Civil War enthusiast might have started this hobby because he or she felt a powerful emotional connection to that time period.
Sometimes memories of a past life come to people in dreams. The dreams can be a vivid reenacting of specific events in a past life or the dreams can be hazy and vague, recalling only a physical setting or emotions. In addition, people sometimes develop irrational fears based on the way they died in a past life. For example, a child who is petrified of water from an early age may have drowned in a past life.

Certain people can recall specific memories of a past life when they are awake. For some people, memories appear spontaneously on their own. This occurrence is known as “spontaneous recall.” During spontaneous recall, memory floats to the surface of a person’s mind like a daydream, but the experience is often more emotional and intense.

A person can also be induced into remembering his or her past lives – an act known as “triggered recall.” In some cases, this occurs when an object, smell, noise or particular word or phrase triggers a repressed memory (similar to dèjà vu). Triggered recall also can be induced by hypnosis or deep meditation.

Is there any proof of reincarnation?
There is no hard, scientific evidence proving that reincarnation exists as an actual phenomenon. However, there are many documented cases of people who claim to be able to remember parts of their past lives. Historic figures, such as Henry Ford and General George S. Patton, claimed to remember a past life. Some of the most famous documented cases of reincarnation come from Hollywood actor Glenn Ford and Welsh housewife Jane Evans.
Under hypnosis, Glenn Ford was able to recall five past lives – one as a French cavalryman who served under Louis XIV. Although Ford claimed he knew only a few basic French phrases, while under hypnosis he was able to speak fluent French while describing his life as the cavalryman. His sessions were recorded and sent to the University of California, Los Angelesfor analysis. It turned out that, not only was he speaking perfect French, but he was also using a 17th century Parisian dialect!

The second astonishing case involves Welsh housewife named Jane Evans. Evans recalled seven different past lives under hypnosis, one of which was a Jewish woman living in York, England during the 10th century. Evans described how she and other Jews were forced to wear badges to identify themselves. She said that she hid with her children in the crypt of a local church, but an angry mob found and killed her along with the other Jews.

Initially, Evans’ story was reviewed by an esteemed professor at York University who was an expert in Jewish history. He said that many of her descriptions of daily life were impressively accurate. However, he found two main holes in her story: First, the Church did not require Jews in Christian countries to wear badges of identification until the 13th century. The second discrepancy was that the church that Evans described was undoubtedly St. Mary’s Castlegate, but that church did not have a crypt.
After further investigation, however, it was discovered that many towns in England forced Jews to wear identification long before the 13th century decree from the Church. In addition, when St. Mary’s Castlegate underwent renovations some months later, a construction crew discovered a sealed room below the floor that seemed to be some sort of crypt.

Dr. Ian Stevenson has devoted much of his life to studying evidence of reincarnation. His two books (Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation and Reincarnation and Biology) describe his scientific research into this phenomenon. Dr. Stevenson has studied more than 3,000 cases involving young children who are able to spontaneously describe information about their past lives as soon as they are able to speak.

Most of the children Dr. Stevenson interviews are between the ages of 2 and 4 when they can recall past events. These children are able to speak with clarity and emotion about their lives and, in many cases, the events that lead to their death. Some can even pass identity tests set by the deceased’s family members. In most cases, however, once they grow past the age of 4, their memories gradually begin to disappear.

How can I learn if I have any past lives?
If you believe you might have a past life or lives, one of the best ways to find out is to visit a hypnotherapist who specializes in past life regression. Just be aware that some people are easier to hypnotize than others, and it may take many costly sessions before you reach any kind of breakthrough.

You can also try self-induced hypnosis through intense meditation. However, it may take years before you are able to reach the deep trance-like state that makes regression possible.

For a bit of fun (and immediate results), you can go to to find out what kind of animal you will be in your next life by answering a few simple questions.

Spiritual karma, reincarnation and the quest for enlightenment are more than just the principles of a few ancient religions. They are ideas that help enforce the fundamental laws of society. Do good deeds and get rewarded; do bad deeds and suffer the consequences in your next life. What makes these mystical theories so fascinating is the many documented cases of reincarnation described by people all over the world and from all walks of life. Does reincarnation really occur? We may never know the answer. Like so many aspects of faith, this is something you must decide for yourself.

How Superstitious Are You?
Do you take great care with mirror glass? Would you never even dream of walking under a ladder? Well, aside from seeming eccentric in your avoidance of some pretty harmless things, you're also probably very superstitious. Though some people take certain age old beliefs as seriously as they do the law, there are varying degrees of superstition. Take this quiz to find out where you fall on the superstitious scale. And if it makes you feel better, you can rub your good luck charm before we begin.
Rate This Article
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
(Votes: 293) (Avg: 3.56)
NOTE: All comments for this article are moderated. Your comment will be published pending approval.


text:
Is Your Boyfriend Cheating On You?

10 Ways To Catch A Cheating Boyfriend

  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

A cheating boyfriend can spell disaster for a relationship. But sometimes it’s hard to know if he really is “stepping out” or if you are just being overly jealous. To find out if your guy is cheating, read the following list of common symptoms.

Then get prepared to take the right steps to manage the situation. A cheating boyfriend does not necessarily spell the end of a relationship, but it is a serious problem that must be addressed before it gets worse.

1. Does your boyfriend spend a lot of unexplained time away from you?

Everyone should enjoy time away from a relationship with friends, family or personal interests. If your boyfriend makes vague excuses for not coming to see you, and you don’t really know where he is or what he’s doing, he may be seeing another girl on the side.

Try to clandestinely ask what he does with his free time.

2. Does he maintain secretive communications with other people?

Does your guy secretly text, email or call other people but quickly disengage before you can see who it is? Is he deliberately vague about who he’s talking to? Everyone has the right to a certain amount of privacy even when they are in an exclusive dating relationship, but frequent secrecy could be a bad sign.
Unless he uses a different mode of communication, a cheating boyfriend will be uneasy with you seeing his cell phone when it rings and definitely doesn’t want you in the room when he’s checking his email.

3. Does he flirt with other girls?

If your boyfriend talks a lot to other females, or spends considerable time flirting with them, he may be interested in others besides you.

When he goes out with friends, does he keep their activities quiet or is he open about what they are doing? Does he have gal friends who have crushes on him? These are possible signs that he is keeping his options open.

4. Has he cheated in the past?

Once a liar, always a liar the saying goes. That may not be necessarily true, but it’s worth keeping in mind if your significant other has a history of cheating, lying or deception.

Make sure he regains your trust after a cheating episode, and be suspicious if his behavior reverts to the pre-trust stage.

5. Do you find evidence of cheating?

Other girls’ phone numbers or email addresses are cause for concern, as is an earring found in his car or unexplained personal effects left in his apartment.
Ask for plausible explanations when you come across things of this nature to rule out the possibility of a cheating boyfriend. If his explanations don’t add up—for example, if he says his friend’s girlfriend left stuff at his place—be prepared to extend your investigation to look for other clues.

6. Does he seem to be losing interest in the relationship?

If the two of you no longer spend much quality time together, this may be an indicator that he is not as involved with you emotionally as before.

Fewer dates, shorter time periods, evidence of boredom, and interest in other things are possible clues he is cheating already or may do so in the future.

7. Are you wondering: Is my boyfriend cheating?

Often, intuition can tell you something is wrong before tangible clues appear. A changed attitude, loss of interest, or a wandering eye can reveal your boyfriend’s intention to cheat.

If you feel like he may be spending time with another girl, start looking for signs or consider confronting him about it. If you are abnormally jealous, this is one way to deal with it openly. But if your boyfriend is cheating, it is important to find out as soon as possible.
8. Is your boyfriend cheating in other areas of his life?

A person who lies to his parents or close friends will probably lie to his girlfriend as well. If his character is questionable or shady elsewhere, there’s a chance he could be cheating on you.

Some guys don’t cheat on their girlfriends even when they cheat in school or on the job, but many do. So stay alert to other signs that could clue you in to potential toxic flaws.

Rather than asking him point blank, watch for tell-tale signs. If he lies about small things, he could be lying about major events. Be prepared to ask him up front if your suspicions get confirmed by observing his behavior in other areas of life.

9. What do others say about him?

While you need not listen to idle gossip, it is a good idea to pay attention to what a parent, teacher or supervisor says about your boyfriend. If they get a weird vibe or feel suspicious, it may be worth noting.

First impressions can be wrong but if enough people have the same reaction, it may be valuable information to process. If people are trying to warn you that your guy is seeing someone, check out their stories to see if they are true. Sit up and take notice is someone asks, “Is your boyfriend cheating?”
10. Can the relationship be saved?

Many girls refuse to put up with a boyfriend’s continual unfaithfulness, but others will hang in there as long as possible, hoping he will change. While anything is possible, of course, chances are a cheating boyfriend will not stop cheating anytime soon.

You may be able to issue an ultimatum, or more likely, discuss issues that are contributing to the infidelity. Eventually you will have to decide how to respond and whether to stay in the relationship or give up. Younger guys may find it more difficult to stop cheating than older men, but there is no guarantee.

Being unfaithful before marriage is not as serious as infidelity during marriage, but it still causes great pain in a long-term relationship and can quickly erode a budding romance.

It helps to maintain a realistic outlook when determining the likely course of a relationship. Often this can be done by evaluating the man’s character, history and future prospects.
If you cannot bring yourself to forgive an occurrence of infidelity, it is probably a good idea to give up and move on. Some people forgive easily, but for others it depends on the nature of the unfaithfulness, its duration and its outcome.

Repeated episodes, however, are hard to accept and generally lead to a conflict-ridden relationship or an eventual break up.

It may help to discuss boundaries as a relationship develops rather than waiting for an incident to occur. That way, everyone knows what is at stake and what to expect if either person gets involved with a third party. Hopefully, this will never happen to you.

No woman wants to find out that she has a cheating boyfriend, which can erode her trust in men and gnaw at her self-esteem. Taking note of the tips above can help you identify the problem of a cheating boyfriend and take appropriate steps to deal with it.
Will He Cheat? Rate The Risk

It's thought that about 60% of men cheat on their partners - and 70% of wives don't have a clue. Is your guy ever-true... or a sneaky cheat? Take our cheating quiz to find out.

Connect with Us
Get more healthy food for thought – check out our posts on Health Bistro and Lifescript TV videos on YouTube. Plus, join the fun and conversation on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

The information contained on (the "Site") is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for advice from your doctor or health-care professional. This information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Always seek the advice of a qualified health-care professional regarding any medical condition. Information and statements provided by the site about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Lifescript does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, third-party products, procedures, opinions, or other information mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by Lifescript is solely at your own risk.

Rate This Article
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
(Votes: 1485) (Avg: 3.36)
NOTE: All comments for this article are moderated. Your comment will be published pending approval.