AMINO ACIDS AND PROTEINS
There are over 10,000 proteins that are made up of different amino acids.

AMINO ACIDS are the "building Blocks" of the body. Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to combat invading bacteria & viruses; they are part of the enzyme & hormonal system; they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA); they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity.

When protein is broken down by digestion the result is 22 known amino acids. Eight are essential (cannot be manufactured by the body) the rest are non-essential (can be manufactured by the body with proper nutrition).

http://www.realtime.net/anr/aminoacd.html

Homocysteine
------------

Cardiovascular disease causes 44% of all deaths in the United States. Alzheimer's dementia affects 4 million Americans now, and is expected to increase sharply as the population ages. Both cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease have now been linked to the accumulation of a toxic amino acid called homocysteine. Vitamin supplement users have assumed they are being protected against homocysteine overload, but this article will expose that fallacy and recommend a scientific course of action to follow.

The medical establishment woke up to the dangers of homocysteine when the New England Journal of Medicine (April 9, 1998) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, Dec. 18, 1996) published articles suggesting that vitamin supplements be used to lower homocysteine levels. This same message was published by the Life Extension Foundation 18 years earlier (Anti-Aging News, Nov. 1981, 85-86).

Some cardiologists suggest that coronary artery disease patients take a multivitamin supplement to lower their homocysteine levels. Patients who follow this advice, but fail to have their blood tested for homocysteine, could be making a fatal mistake.

The Life Extension Foundation has uncovered a flaw in the theory that a person can blindly take vitamin supplements to adequately reduce homocysteine levels. While folic acid, vitamin B12, B6, and trimethylglycine (TMG) all lower homocysteine levels, it is impossible for any individual to know if he or she is taking the proper amount of nutrients without a homocysteine blood test.

The clear message from new scientific findings is that there is no safe "normal range" for homocysteine. While commercial laboratories state that normal homocysteine can range from 5 to 15 micromoles per liter of blood, epidemiological data reveal that homocysteine levels above 6.3 cause a steep, progressive risk of heart attack (the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, Nov. 15, 1995, 2825-30). One study found each 3-unit increase in homocysteine equals a 35% increase in myocardial-infarction (heart-attack) risk (American Journal of Epidemiology, 1996, 143[9]:845-59).


A Lethal Misconception

People taking vitamin supplements think they are being protected against the lethal effects of homocysteine when, in reality, even supplement users can have homocysteine levels far above the safe level of 6.3 to 7.0.

The Foundation has identified several cases in which people who were suffering from coronary artery disease had lethal levels of homocysteine despite taking the recommended dose (and higher) of vitamin supplements.

One case involved a 60-year-old man who previously had bypass surgery, but who was again suffering angina pain with significant restenosis (reclogging of the coronary arteries) verified by angiography. This man knew about the dangers of homocysteine and had been taking more than 15,000 mcg a day of folic acid, along with other homocysteine-lowering vitamins. Because of the angina pain and restenosis, the Foundation recommended a homocysteine blood test. The results came back showing that this man had a shockingly high homocysteine reading of 18 in his blood. (Homocysteine levels over 15 have been shown to be extremely dangerous.) The Foundation immediately suggested this man take 6 grams a day of TMG (trimethylglycine), and within one month, his homocysteine level dropped to 4. This case was a wake-up call that one or more homocysteine-lowering factors are not always the solution to keeping homocysteine levels in the safest range (below 7). It was also a confirmation of our position that people who want to lower homocysteine must take in account all of the factors involved.

Another case involved a healthy person who took everyday a 500-mg TMG supplement, 4000 mcg of folic acid, and high doses of many other vitamins. A homocysteine blood test revealed a reading of 11.3, which is far above the safe range of under 7. Six grams of TMG and 500 mg of vitamin B6 were added to his daily program, and the homocysteine level dropped to under 6 within 60 days.

In response to these individual cases, the Foundation analyzed all the homocysteine tests it had conducted on Foundation members and discovered that 62% of members tested have too much homocysteine in their blood. The following chart shows the breakdown of members and their coronary risk factors based on serum homocysteine readings:

RISK FOR CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE*
Serum Homocysteine
(micromoles per
liter of blood) Percentage
of members
in this range
Lowest risk 0 - 6.3 38%
Moderate risk 6.3 - 10 52%
Highest risk Over 10 10%
*Circulation, 1995, 92 2835-2930

The most recent survey (Cardiologia, 1999, Apr, 44[4]:341-45) shows that the average American's homocysteine level is 10, so the fact that 90% of Foundation members are below 10 is a testament to the effectiveness of dietary supplements in suppressing dangerously high homocysteine levels (Annals of Epidemiology, May 1997, 7[4]:285-93).

The problem is that certain members are not being protected against the damaging effects of homocysteine, and the only way of finding out is to have a blood test. When homocysteine is too high, the addition of extra amounts of vitamin B6 and/or TMG (trimethylglycine) has reduced levels to the safest range in every case we have worked with. The Foundation has found that the addition of extra folic acid produces only a moderate reduction in elevated homocysteine levels. Folic acid is a critical component of a homocysteine-lowering program, but there is a limit to how much homocysteine can be reduced by folate and vitamin B12. Cardiologists are increasingly recommending folic-acid supplements to their coronary artery disease patients, but the results from the Foundation's laboratory indicate that it takes more than folic acid to reduce serum homocysteine to a level where it ceases to be a risk factor for causing a heart attack.


MEchanisms of Homocysteine Detoxification

Elevated homocysteine can be reduced (or detoxified) in two ways. The most common pathway is via the remethylation process, where methyl groups are donated to homocysteine to transform it into methionine and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe).

A potent remethylation agent is TMG, which stands for trimethylglycine. The tri means there are three methyl groups on each glycine molecule that can be transferred to homocysteine to transform (remethylate) it into methionine and SAMe. The remethylation (or detoxification) of homocysteine requires the following minimum factors: (1) folic acid, (2) vitamin B12, (3) zinc, and (4) TMG.

Choline is another "methyl donor" that helps to lower elevated homocysteine levels, and this conversion doesn't require cofactors. However, choline only enhances remethylation in the liver and kidney, which is why it is so important to take adequate amounts of remethylating factors such as folic acid and vitamin B12 to protect the brain and the heart. The published literature emphasizes that folic acid and vitamin B12 are critical nutrients in the remethylation (detoxification) pathway of homocysteine.

The other pathway in which elevated homocysteine is reduced is via its conversion into cysteine and eventually glutathione via the trans-sulfuration pathway. This pathway is dependent on vitamin B6. The amount of vitamin B6 required to lower homocysteine has considerable individual variability. Methionine is the only amino acid that creates homocysteine. People who eat foods that are high in methionine (such as red meat and chicken) may need more vitamin B6. Elevated homocysteine can occur when there are insufficient vitamin cofactors (such as folate and vitamin B6) to detoxify the amount of methionine being ingested in the diet.

Elevated homocysteine can also be caused by a genetic defect that blocks the trans-sulfuration pathway by inducing a deficiency of the vitamin B6-dependent enzyme cystathionine-B-synthase. In this case, high doses of vitamin B6 are required to suppress excessive homocysteine accumulation. Since one would not want to take excessive doses of vitamin B6 (greater than 300 to 500 mg a day for a long time period), a homocysteine blood test can help determine whether you are taking enough vitamin B6 to keep homocysteine levels in a safe range. There are some people who lack an enzyme to convert vitamin B6 into its biologically active form, pyridoxal-5-phosphate. In this case, if low-cost vitamin B6 supplements do not sufficiently lower homocysteine levels, then a high-cost pyridoxal-5-phosphate supplement may be required.

For many people, the daily intake of 500 mg of TMG, 800 mcg of folic acid, 1000 mcg of vitamin B12, 250 mg of choline, 250 mg of inositol, 30 mg of zinc, and 100 mg of vitamin B6 will keep homocysteine levels in a safe range. But the only way to really know is to have your blood tested to make sure your homocysteine levels are under 7. If homocysteine levels are too high, then up to 6 grams of TMG may be needed along with higher amounts of other remethylation cofactors. Some people with cystathione-B synthase deficiencies will require 500 mg a day or more of vitamin B6 to reduce homocysteine to a safe level. For the prevention of cardiovascular disease, you would want your homocysteine blood level to be under 7. For the prevention of aging, some people have suggested that an even lower level is desirable, but more research needs to be done before any scientific conclusions can be reached.


ELevated Homocysteine Is a Sign of
Other Degenerative Diseases

Elevated homocysteine can be a sign of a methylation deficiency throughout the body. Methylation is fundamental to DNA repair. If DNA is not adequately repaired, mutations and strand breaks will result. This will lead to accelerated aging, as greater amounts of faulty proteins are synthesized from the damaged DNA. The liver depends on methylation to perform the numerous enzymatic reactions required to detoxify every drug and foreign substance that the body is exposed to. Methylation is also required for the growth of new cells. Without it, new cells cannot be made.

A study published in the journal Medical Hypothesis (1998, 51[3]:179-221) provides evidence that aging may be exclusively a result of cellular "demethylation," or, said differently, the aging process is caused by the depletion of enzymatic "remethylation" activity that is required to maintain and repair cellular DNA. This study suggests that aging may be reversible if aged cells could be programmed to remethylate rather than demethylate.

Homocysteine induces cellular damage by interfering with the methylation process. Methylation will be compromised if homocysteine is elevated, and elevated homocysteine is a warning sign that the methylation cycle is not functioning properly. Homocysteine may also damage cells directly by promoting oxidative stress.

There is a growing consensus that deficient methylation is the major cause of the degenerative diseases of aging. The consumption of methylation- enhancing nutrients like TMG, choline, folic acid, and vitamin B12 may be one of the most readily available and effective anti-aging therapies presently known. However, it is important to tailor the intake of methylation-enhancing nutrients to one's individual biochemistry. The best way of assessing your body's rate of methylation is to measure blood levels of homocysteine. Elevated serum homocysteine is the classic sign of a methylation deficiency (or demethylation) that is correctable with the proper intake of methylation enhancing nutrients such as TMG, folic acid, and vitamin B12.


HOmocysteine and Alzheimer's disease

Recent studies show that people with dementia of the Alzheimer's type have elevated levels of homocysteine in their blood. At an international scientific conference held in The Netherlands the week of April 27, 1998, a team of scientists unveiled findings showing a definitive link between elevated homocysteine and Alzheimer's disease. The scientists advocated that people have their blood tested for homocysteine in order to determine how much folic acid should be taken to drop homocysteine levels to the safe range.

While the scientists speculated that Alzheimer's disease could be avoided if people reduced their homocysteine levels, it has not yet been determined whether homocysteine itself contributes to Alzheimer's disease. A more likely explanation is that elevated homocysteine is an indication of the severe disruption in the methylation pathway that occurs in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. It has been reported that people with Alzheimer's disease have virtually no S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in their brains. SAMe is required for DNA methylation (maintenance and repair) of brain cells. Thus, while homocysteine itself may not cause Alzheimer's disease, it appears to represent an important measurable biomarker of a methylation deficit that could cause Alzheimer's and a host of other degenerative diseases.

Research reported at Tufts University in 1995 documented the same finding linking elevated homocysteine and Alzheimer's disease and recommended supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12. It should be noted that dementia can be caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12, folic acid, and other nutrients, so another reason for people with dementia of the Alzheimer's type have to elevated homocysteine levels could be that they are suffering from a common vitamin deficiency. Numerous studies conducted on the elderly show that deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin B12, and other nutrients are epidemic in elderly people who do not take vitamin supplements. Since both elevated homocysteine and vitamin deficiencies have been linked to dementia, the best approach to preventing and treating dementia (including Alz- heimer's dementia) would appear to be testing the blood for elevated homocysteine and taking methylation enhancing nutrients such as folic acid, TMG, and vitamin B12.

A review of the published literature provides compelling evidence that elevated homocysteine is common in people suffering from dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Since Alzheimer's disease cannot be positively diagnosed until after death, it is impossible to state whether all the people in a scientific study are really suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Dementia can be caused by multi-infarct cerebrovascular disease or even by simple vitamin deficiencies.

In a study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (April 1998, 235-239), Dr. McCaddon and his group were able to confirm that patients diagnosed with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type have significantly elevated levels of homocysteine compared to age-matched controls. An earlier study published in the Journal of Gerontology and Biological Sciences (March 1997, 76-9) also showed that homocysteine levels were significantly elevated in Alzheimer's disease patients compared to controls. This study found that folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiencies were present in both the Alzheimer's disease patients and the age-matched case controls.

The reason that homocysteine levels are so high in people suffering from dementia of the Alzheimer's type is not fully understood. Scientists speculate that severe aberrations in the methylation cycle might be involved in the disease process and that elevated homocysteine is a sign of the breakdown of the methylation cycle (European Neuropsychopharmacol. (June 1995, 107-14). Other researchers report that abnormal amino acid metabolism early in Alzheimer's causes elevated homocysteine levels. This may lead to neuronal damage that occurs as the disease progresses (Journal of Neural Transmission (1998, 105:[2-3]:287-94). Remember, the repair and maintenance of cellular DNA is dependent on healthy methylation processes. Methylation deficiencies result in severe damage to brain cells. Under-methylation can cause severe damage to brain cells. Methylation is required for the maintenance of the myelin sheath and the repair of DNA in the brain. Elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood indicate some degree of methylation deficiency that is correctable with an individualized supplement program.

The studies showing that homocysteine is a biomarker for the development of dementia of the Alzheimer's type mandates that those seeking to avoid senility should have their blood tested in order to ascertain their homocysteine levels. While it was apparent in the year 1969 that homocysteine was a major cause of vascular disease, the evidence that homocysteine represents a marker of brain cell degeneration is of very recent origin, and has been overlooked by many conventional neurologists.

Despite the evidence linking elevated homocysteine to methylation deficiencies that are involved in the Alzheimer's disease process, the Alzheimer's Disease Society has criticized the recommendation that people take folic acid supplements to lower their homocysteine levels. What follows is a direct quote from that organization, "No one knows whether taking (folic acid) supplements will help prevent the disease or whether it will affect the rate at which the disease progresses. The only way this will be discovered is by doing further studies on many, many more patients over a long period of time." The Life Extension Foundation finds perplexing the concept that anybody would warn against taking folic acid supplements at a time when the conventional medical establishment has acknowledged that taking folic acid lowers homocysteine and protects against heart attack, stroke, and colon cancer.


THe Critical Need for Homocysteine Blood Testing

Measuring blood levels of homocysteine is a new and potentially life-saving test that provides information about vitamin and methylation status, in addition to determining levels of toxic homocysteine. Those with a family history of heart disease, stroke, or Alzheimer's disease are at a particular risk for elevated homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine has also been linked to complications in diabetes, lupus, and other chronic diseases. While many people have assumed that because they are taking vitamin supplements, their homocysteine levels will be in a safe range, The Life Extension Foundation has discovered that this might not always be the case.

The only way of knowing for sure is to get tested. Homocysteine testing used to be expensive, but prices have come down as consumer interest has increased.


SUmmary

The newest scientific evidence indicates that there is no safe "normal range" for homocysteine. However, epidemiological data reveal that homocysteine levels above 6.3 cause a steep progressive risk of heart attack. Homocysteine levels should be medically tested to ensure that the proper combination and dosages of supplements are taken. Dosages should be adjusted based on individual needs. The following supplements have demonstrated effectiveness in lowering homocysteine levels either alone or in combination:

Folic acid, 800 to 5000 mcg a day.
Vitamin B12, 1000 to 3000 mcg a day.
Vitamin B6, 100 to 500 mg a day.
Zinc, 30 to 90 mg a day.
Choline, 250 to 3000 mg a day.
Trimethylglycine, 500 to 9000 mg a day.
SAMe, 200 to 800 mg a day.
Inositol, 250 to 1000 mg a day.

http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-122.shtml

THE BEST ANTI OXIDANTS
Best Anti Oxidant Foods

"The top 10 list of best anti-oxidant containing foods" By Dr. Lois Vanderhoof, Nutritionist

1. Avocados
These great little packages of green contain something called glutathione- this is one of the master anti-oxidants of the body.

2. Berries
Any kind of color! -they are loaded with vitamins and minerals as well as anti-oxidants to slow down the aging process.

3. Sweet potatoes
A nutritionist all-star! Loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, fiber and carotenoids. These anti-oxidants help fight the free radicals of aging.

4. Broccoli
Also loaded with Vitamin C and fiber, folic acid, carotenoids, too. This vegetable has possible anti-cancer potential.

5. Grapes
Especially the dark skinned grapes. Grapes have over twenty anti-oxidants in them. Raisins and red wine are also filled with anti-oxidants.

6. Citrus fruits
Lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits- all are loaded with Vitamin C, and this is your primary defense in the battle against Father Time.

7. Spinach
Have it in a salad, or braise it with garlic! Have specific carotenoids to help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.

8. Carrots or other orange fruits and vegetables
They contain the whole carotenoid family to supply our bodies with good protection against aging.

9. Cantaloupe
One quarter of this delicious melon supplies as much Vitamin A and C as most people need in an entire day.

10. Tomatoes
These contain Lycopene, which is an anti-oxidant that helps to fight against certain types of cancer.

Dr. Lois Vanderhoof is a certified clinical nutritionist in Plano, TX and can be reached at

www.appliednutritionconcepts.com.

Anything that goes wrong in the body is most likely caused by free radical damage to cells in the body.

Anti oxidants can protect and repair the cells and help the body repair itself. The source of anti oxidants is from organic foods or free range herbs and supplements.

Homeopathic preparations work extremely well for an essentially health minded population because of their innate power and low cost.

One natural drop of orange juice can be amplified millions of times with distilled water.

A combination of compounds can be made to work best on specific health conditions.

Anti Oxidant FAQ

What are Oxidants?
Oxidant chemicals, also called free radicals, are produced during normal aerobic cell respiration.

They also occur when phagocytes, the cells that fight infections, destroy cells infected with bacteria or viruses, with bursts of nitric oxide, superoxide, and hypochlorite; when fatty acids are digested; and when certain enzymes are activated to fight toxins.

These free radicals damage the DNA that makes up our genes, those parts of the cell that control its reproduction. Lesions in DNA give rise to mutations when the cell divides, and these mutations can lead to tumors. (Other causes of DNA lesions and cell mutations are radiation, sun exposure, occupational exposure to chemicals, and -- by far the worst of these -- tobacco smoke).

What role do oxidants play in the Ageing Process?
"Ageing appears to be in good part due to the oxidants produced as byproducts of normal metabolism," according to Bruce N. Ames, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California at Berkeley, and director of Berkeley's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center.

What are Anti-Oxidants? Where are they available?
Anti-Oxidants are those substances that act against oxidants to minimize the damage made by them. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables play a big role in minimizing cell damage by combining with and neutralizing free radicals. The most important antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene, all present in a well-balanced diet.

If Anti-Oxidants are taken in sufficient quantity, will they delay or stop the ageing process?
No, Anti-Oxidants will not delay ageing in healthy older people. But it does help to minimize the damage made by several diseases especially those associated with old age. Eg. Cancer, Neurological diseases, Complications of diabetes etc. But a lot of research is being done to find out the role of anti-oxidants in preventing the ageing process.

It is not sufficient to just take anti-oxidants. Physical exercise and a health lifestyle play a great role in dealing with ageing. Though exercise increases aerobic respiration and the production of free radicals, it reinforces the body's antioxidant defenses. It is also important to limit the consumption of red meat and saturated fat. It would also be ideal if we could prevent infectious diseases.

How does the body react against oxidants?
Our bodies have numerous ways of defending against damage caused by oxidation and repairing the lesions. These mechanisms are not perfect, however; some DNA inevitably remains damaged. As we get older, lesions accumulate until we might have a few million lesions per cell.

What is the best natural source of anti-oxidants available to us?
Fresh fruits, leafy green vegetables, carrots, citrus fruits, melons, oils from soybean and sunflower, germs of whole grains, nuts, papaya, mangoes and pumpkin are particularly good sources of antioxidant vitamins.

How much of fruits and vegetables should the elderly eat?
In India, under nutrition is a very major problem and it is the responsibility of the entire family to see that the elders eat at least two fruits and three vegetables a day. This will provide sufficient quantity of anti-oxidants that they need.

Vitamin E 100 - 3200 IU / day
Vitamin C 500 -1000 mgm / day
Carotenoids 10 - 50 mgm / day
Selenium 100 - 300 mgm / day
Zinc 15 - 25 mgm / day
Amount of anti-oxidant rich food
600 gms / day

Linus Pauling et.al. is the best source for how anti oxidants help cure the body.

Olympian Labs Anti-Oxidant Olympian Formula #1 is perhaps the most potent and most advanced anti oxidant formula available on the market today. This unique formula contains a combination of Cat's Claw, Ginkgo Biloba, CoQ10 and Grape Seed Extract. These ingredients have been formulated in synergistic ratios to optimize the assimilation.

Grape Seed Extract is one of the most powerful antioxidants and free radical scavengers known. It is roughly 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E with respect to its antioxidant properties.

Grape Seed Extract also enhances the effectiveness of the other antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Selenium, Vitamin E and Beta Carotene. Olympian Labs Grape Seed Extract, through a low temperature water extraction method, is completely water soluble and free of dangerous solvents and food coloring additives. Water solubility means bioavailability.

This means it is easily absorbed into the blood stream and may aid our bodies in resisting blood vessel and skin damage, reducing inflammation and counteracting other damage caused by the daily bombardment of free radicals on our cells.

Ginkgo Biloba is a tree that is living proof to longevity and vitality. The Ginkgo Biloba tree is naturally resistant to disease, insects and pollution and has a life span of 2-4 thousand years!

Though it yields an edible almond shaped, white seed, the medicinal powers are found in the leaves of this special tree. Recent research has identified many of its beneficial components and found that Ginkgo Biloba may improve the circulation of oxygen, act as a free radical scavenger and improve nerve cell functioning and nerve cell transmission. This translates to improvements in memory and mental efficiency, and treatments for age related disorders like Raynaud's (a blood vessel disorder) and Alzheimer's disease. Its anti-oxidant action may aid the body in preventing the onset of illness and disease.

Cat's Claw (Uncaria Tomentosa) is an herb that grows in the highlands of the Peruvian Amazon. The native Ashanica Indians have used this herb for many years to treat various illnesses associated with the immune and digestive systems.

In July of 1989, a U.S. patent was issued to a research scientist for isolating six oxindole alkaloids from the root of the Cat's Claw herb. This patent states that all but two of the alkaloids "are suitable for the unspecific stimulation of the immune system".

According to the patent, Isopteropodine is the most immunologically active of the alkaloids and it has shown to have a profound affect on phagocytosis, which is the ability of the white blood cells and macrophages to attack and digest harmful pathogens.

Like Grape Seed Extract, Cat's Claw contains several of the polyphenols in addition to triterpines and the plant steroids beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol. These compounds exert powerful anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties.

CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is a micronutrient essential to all human life. It is a naturally occurring nutrient that works as a co-factor in the body's electron transport system where all of the body's energy is derived. CoQ10 regulates the flow of oxygen moving in and out of the mitochondria, which are the cell's power plants. The body's cellular power plants can't function without CoQ10. Declines in CoQ10 levels occur with advancing age and appear to be correlated with deterioration of the immune system.

Supplementation with CoQ10 could help to boost energy levels, strengthen and protect the heart and blood vessels, enhance the immune system and protect against free radical damage. Olympian Labs Anti-Oxidant Formula #1 is a revolutionary product containing the best anti-oxidant, immune boosting, anti-aging and anti-illness ingredients. The benefits of these superb nutrients are now available in an all-in-one formula.

Anti-Oxidant Formula #1 should be included in your daily nutritional regime to counteract the daily bombardment of free radicals on our cells and enhance the way our immune system functions.

Providing these necessary nutrients may ultimately provide us with a long, healthy life that is free from illness and disease while counteracting the adverse effects of aging.

At the last PACC meeting, we revisited the Hunza people via the Internet and discovered that many of the people attribute their long lives of over 130 years to the healthy climate. Besides living high in the Pakistan mountains and living like we did hunderds of years ago, a lot of the water comes from the glacial streams.

Another study of the glacial water from Kilimanjaro lessening due to global warming has not proven how much of it is used by the people nearby. Yet they predict that the glaciers will not last past 2020.

APPLES>ANTI-OXIDANTS>HEALTH>HAPPY LIFE
Mood:  hungry
Eat an apple a day! It can also be a pie, juice, jam or wine. They all are good for you in various degrees.

They help repair all the cells of the body. They help stop heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's and the countless varieties of disease that we put names to.

The research in the news today gives us a better picture of the truth our wise ones knew thousands of years ago!

The research team from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has shown that beta amyloid proteins can be seen repaired with the Pittsburgh Compound.

http://newsbureau.upmc.com/WPIC/CompoundBStudy2004.htm

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 21, 2004 - Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in collaboration with researchers at Uppsala University, Sweden, have laid the groundwork for a new era in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research by completing the first human study of a compound that, through positron emission tomography (PET), enables them to peer into the brains of people with the memory-stealing illness and see the telltale plaque deposits they believe are at the root of the disease.

Alzheimer's is a debilitating brain disease that affects memory and cognitive function in approximately 4 million Americans today and, if unchecked, will strike as many as 14 million during the next 50 years. The distinguishing factor between AD and other dementias is the formation of a protein substance called beta-amyloid, or amyloid plaque, that is believed to contribute to the death of brain cells.

Results of the study were chosen for rapid publication online in the early view section of Annals of Neurology.

According to the researchers, creation of the compound, dubbed Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB), is a significant development that may provide long-sought answers to questions of how the disease begins and grows, as well as contribute to a better understanding of how effective new drug therapies are at preventing, delaying or treating AD.

"PIB has given us a new tool to view the amount of amyloid in the brains of living Alzheimer's disease patients," said William E. Klunk, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and co-inventor of PIB. "Using PIB, we will likely be able to follow the progression of the disease and speed the development of promising new therapies aimed at halting the build-up of amyloid in the brain."

Alzheimer's disease, like stroke, is a significant cause of dementia in people over the age of 65. But unlike stroke, which begins with a single event, there is no way for doctors to pinpoint when the brains of people with AD begin to change, and this lack of knowledge is a real detriment when it comes to creating and testing therapies to prevent the illness.

The plaque deposits form in areas of the brain where memory and cognitive functions are carried out, while leaving areas responsible for motor functions alone. This means a person with AD can be cognitively helpless while being physically robust.

Actual visual inspection of amyloid in the brain has been the only way to make a definitive diagnosis of AD, and previously could only be done at autopsy. With PIB, the distribution of amyloid in the brains of living patients obtained with PET imaging corresponded well to that seen by pathologists at autopsy, said Dr. Klunk.

"The study clearly demonstrates that we now have a tool to detect one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in the brains of living patients. Until now, this could only be shown at autopsy or by brain biopsy. This is a significant advance for Alzheimer research, and we look forward to the discovery of many possible uses for it, including aiding in the development of new Alzheimer therapies and possibly assisting in identifying those at high risk for the disease," said William Thies, Ph.D., vice president of Medical and Scientific Affairs for the Alzheimer's Association.

According to the researchers, future use of the compound in the diagnosis of AD is just one area likely to be influenced by the new PIB imaging technology.

"We're excited by the future prospects for Pittsburgh Compound B," said Chester A. Mathis, Ph.D., professor of radiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and co-inventor of PIB. "The ability to detect and quantify amyloid in the brain has the potential to impact several areas of Alzheimer's research, including the assessment of anti-amyloid treatments under development by many major pharmaceutical companies. PIB may allow us to study the very roots of AD by assessing the extent of amyloid deposition in people years before AD symptoms appear."

"For example," added Dr. Klunk, "we will be able to study families with a genetic makeup that leads to AD in half the family members at an early age, often in their 40's. Looking at these at-risk, presymptomatic subjects will show us if the plaques responsible for destroying the brain's ability to think and remember are present years before the first symptoms appear, or if they accumulate over a relatively short time period."

Knowing when the plaques begin to form is a key step in researching drugs that could have a real impact on the disease, said Dr. Klunk. "We will not only find out when plaques begin to form, we will be able to see directly if a medication is preventing or reversing plaque formation over the long term."

While the trial looked at a relatively small sample, 16 patients diagnosed with probable AD and nine control subjects, the results were highly significant. PET images showing PIB retention in the AD patients revealed PIB "stuck" to amyloid in areas of the brain known to contain these plaques, but not in areas of the brain where it is known that AD patients have low concentrations of plaques. PIB was not retained in the brains of eight of the nine control subjects, raising the possibility that the remaining control was starting to develop amyloid before any symptoms of dementia were apparent.

"These results are a very strong indicator of PIB's usefulness in providing quantitative information on amyloid deposits in the living brain," said Dr. Mathis.

In addition to Drs. Klunk and Mathis, the team included researchers from Uppsala University and PET Centre/Uppsala Imanet AB in Uppsala, Sweden; and the Karolinska Institute and Huddinge University, Stockholm, Sweden.

The study was supported by grants from the Alzheimer's Association, the National Institute on Aging, the Swedish Medical Research Council and the Stohnes Foundation. Brain tissue was provided through the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer Disease Research Center Brain Bank.

The anti-oxidants we get from fruits and vegitables help fight off disease in many ways. See this link for a very good description on what you can do to have a healthy life.

http://www.fi.edu/brain/health_topics.htm

Our Blessed Mother of Medjugorje
Each month on the 25th, Our Lady appears to the childern of Medjugorje to tell them how much God loves us and what we need to do to make this world a better place.

A Brief Overview of Events at Medjugorje

In the heart of Herzegovina, in the former Yugoslavia, there is a Croatian village of a thousand souls nestled between two hills, Krizevac and Podbrdo (the name "Medjugorje" means "between the mountains").The people, all hard-working country folk making their living from the soil, barely managed to survive by growing tobacco and grapes. Until recently they lived in a state of political repression under the eagle eye of the omnipresent Communist militia. The parish church was in the hands of the fiery Franciscan priest, Fr. Jozo Zovko.

On June 24, 1981, the Feast of St. John the Precursor, the village was thrown into turmoil by an extraordinary happening. A few teenagers were walking along the path by Podbrdo hill when they saw a shining silhouette of a lady holding a baby in her arms. The next day she returned and revealed her identity: "I am the Blessed Virgin Mary." The group of 6 visionaries was then formed definitively and consisted of Marija Pavlovic, Vicka Ivankovic, Mirjana Dragicevic, Ivanka Ivankovic, Ivan Dragicevic, and Jakov Colo.

Every day the Gospa (the Croatian word for Our Lady) reappeared, giving the children "messages" for themselves, for the parish, and for the world: messages of peace and the need for conversion and love in order to bring back to the Heart of God our poor humanity lost in darkness so far from the Lord! Since 1987 these messages have been given once a month. The Gospa also gives each visionary certain secrets which will be revealed through the intermediary of a priest chosen by the visionary, at a time the Gospa decides.

Father Jozo quickly came to believe in the apparitions for he saw Our Lady himself one day in the church. The Bishop of Mostar, Monsignor Zanic, at first believed too, but later was convinced that the whole thing had been cooked up by the Franciscans. A rift then developed which exists today.

In 1986 Monsignor Zanic provided Cardinal Ratzinger with a negative report on the apparitions, but the Cardinal removed Zanic from the case and gave the investigation over to a new Commission formed of Yugoslavian bishops with Monsignor Komarica (from Banja Luka) at its head. This Commission is open to further developments and has not concluded its investigations.

In April 1991 this Commission officially accepted Medjugorje as a place of prayer, and authorized it as a place of worship. Private pilgrimages are authorized there. On August 21, 1996, Doctor Navarro Valls, the spokesman for the Holy See, made explicit the position of Rome: "You cannot say people cannot go there until it has been proven false. This has not been said, so anyone can go if they want" (CNS Publication, August 21, 1996). "When Catholic faithful go anywhere, they are entitled to spiritual care, so the Church does not forbid priests to accompany lay-organized trips to Medjugorje in
Bosnia-Herzegovina," he added.

Since June 25, 1981, more than 20 million pilgrims have come to this little village to pray and experience conversion, making Medjugorje one of the most frequented sanctuaries in the entire world.

After September 11, 2001 the Blessed Mother spoke these words.

September 25, 2001

"Dear children!

Also today I call you to prayer, especially today when Satan wants war and hatred. I call you anew,
little children: pray and fast that God may give you peace.

Witness peace to every heart and be carriers of peace in this world without peace.

I am with you and intercede before God for each of you. And you do not be afraid because the one who prays is not afraid of evil and has no hatred in the heart. Thank you for having responded to my call."

OUR LADY`S MESSAGES FOR 2004

Message of January 25, 2004
Dear children! Also today I call you to pray. Pray, little children, in a special way for all those who have not come to know God's love. Pray that their hearts may open and draw closer to my heart and the Heart of my Son Jesus, so that we can transform them into people of peace and love. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Message of February 25, 2004
Dear children! Also today, as never up to now, I call you to open your hearts to my messages. Little children, be those who draw souls to God and not those who distance them. I am with you and love you all with a special love. This is a time of penance and conversion. From the bottom of my heart, I call you to be mine with all your heart and then you will see that your God is great, because He will give you an abundance of blessings and peace. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Message of March 25, 2004
Dear children! Also today, I call you to open yourselves to prayer. Especially now, in this time of grace, open your hearts, little children, and express your love to the Crucified. Only in this way, will you discover peace, and prayer will begin to flow from your heart into the world. Be an example, little children, and an incentive for the good. I am close to you and I love you all. Thank you for having responded to my call

Message of April 25, 2004
Dear children! Also today, I call you to live my messages even more strongly in humility and love so that the Holy Spirit may fill you with His grace and strength. Only in this way will you be witnesses of peace and forgiveness. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Message of May 25, 2004
Dear children! Also today, I urge you to consecrate yourselves to my Heart and to the Heart of my Son Jesus. Only in this way will you be mine more each day and you will inspire each other all the more to holiness. In this way joy will rule your hearts and you will be carriers of peace and love. Thank you for having responded to my In this way joy will rule your hearts and you will be carriers of peace and love. Thank you for having responded to my call.

http://www.medjugorje.org
http://xenon.stanford.edu/~marco/medjugorje/
http://www.childrenofmedjugorje.com

LIFE IS LEARNING
Life is all about learning how to learn the truth and finding extreme joy in it. There are many lessons in life that we can learn. Some would say that life is a training ground for the realities beyond this life. Many of the people who have had after death experiences tell about the levels beyond common reality.

Some of the alter states of consciousness that we can relate to are: paying attention, sleep, dreaming, hypnotic, ecstasy, and drug induced states of consciousness that can be referred to as the alpha, beta, delta, and theta levels of awareness.

Beta is our normal state of consciousness. Alpha is a more attentive state that is often produced by techniques like contemplation, meditation, prayer, yoga, tai chi, dance, song and many other creative activities.

Charles Tart mapped out many of these levels of consciousness and Barbara Brown attempted to show us how the "Body and Mind" work together and how to use these levels and aspects to do much more in life.

Howard Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences that categories eight types of intelligence: words, numbers, pictures, athletics, music, popularity, "selfish" (knowledge of self) and naturalistic. Others added over 120 aspects of intelligence. I recall that the aspects were contained within a 4*5*6 matrix of reasoning, remembering and will.

Here is a list of nine types of intelligence that scientists have made:
1. Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence -- well-developed verbal skills and sensitivity to the sounds, meanings and rhythms of words
2. Mathematical-Logical Intelligence -- ability to think conceptually and abstractly, and capacity to discern logical or numerical patterns
3. Musical Intelligence -- ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and timber
4. Visual-Spatial Intelligence -- capacity to think in images and pictures, to visualize accurately and abstractly
5. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence -- ability to control one's body movements and to handle objects skillfully
6. Interpersonal Intelligence -- capacity to detect and respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of others.
7. Intrapersonal Intelligence -- capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner feelings, values, beliefs and thinking processes
8. Naturalist Intelligence -- ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals and other objects in nature
9. Existential Intelligence -- sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here.

The process of learning how to learn better is the key to a well rounded education. The traditional education keys upon various areas of intelligence like: reading, writing, arithmetic, arts and science.

Cognitive scientists have discovered many types of genius. Savants, eccentrics, prodigies, visionaries, and despots, all reflect aspects of the seven types of genius. Genius at illusion, war and spy-craft, physical performances, and even comedy are part of some of their list.

Medical experts, researchers and the geniuses themselves all comment or demonstrate aspects of genius that are astonishing and unexpected. One theory suggests that creativity is genetic, and thus, geniuses are indeed born, not made.

Galton examined the extended families of prominent geniuses in the arts, letters, and sciences, and "demonstrated" that mental illness tended to occur in branches of their family.

The popular culture's notion that geniuses were crazy certainly received support from the excesses of many of the Romantic artists of the 19th century, who had their share of obsessive, manic, and ecstatic behaviors.

They point out that people frequently underestimated Stalin's intellectual powers. They say that he ran the Soviet Union for three decades without ever having a secretary, a speech writer or any confidant. During that time he wrote thirteen volumes of published works, and two unpublished, all in long-hand.

Self-directed learning is essential in nurturing your own innate genius and maximizing your potential. It utilizes at least four aspects of genius: the desire to learn, a love of the task at hand, acquisition of deep knowledge of a subject area and expansion of mental literacy.

In developing an understanding of the person we need to look at every aspect of the individual. In many cases we look at the good and the ordinary qualities that we try to transform into unique assets.

Our model includes maximizing our potentialities and remembering to always be virtuous. The holistic model of human formation includes the physical, mental and spiritual aspects that we integrate and balance to transform our total self.

Most of what we know is embodied into our personality. It is by paying attention to our unconscious motivations that we become better able to learn from the past.

Most of our intelligence is hidden in untapped wisdom. Yet everyone is able to learn how to improve themselves by making it a constant practice. The more we pay attention to our strengths, the better able we are to transform our development.

The techniques that we use with physical development can also be used with mental and spiritual formation. All together they make up the total improvement team.

Learn from the authorities in each area and develop your own program of life long learning that includes both conscious and embodied wisdom to discover all that you can become.

WORKERS and JOBS

There are as many workers as there are jobs. All we have to do is match them up. There are even those ideal jobs for those who are motivated and creative enough to make them.

When we look at ourselves each day, we begin to see things that need to change and improve. This is the principle of the ideal and the pursuit of happiness.

Holistics draws upon the "golden rule" and the teachings of our Lord about seeking goodness and trusting in God to give us all that we need. Yet religion is alive and calls us to action, for no one will see heaven just by waiting for it to come to him.

One of the difficulties in the world is poverty. Many leaders attempted to discover how to break the poverty cycle. FDR is credited with bringing the US out of the great depression by having the government create jobs.

If we look at the job market today we would see where there are places that need workers, and places where there are too many workers. Yet the greatest area for growth is individual initiative for creating new jobs where there were none.

Yet many new jobs need capital to purchase raw materials to produce goods, or a place to start a business or sell services. Our lending institutions seem to be seriously out of balance. There is very little incentive to save and a very great temptation to have greater credit or way too many bills to pay.

Last night Charlie Rose interviewed Mohamad Yunus about the peoples bank he created.

Here is a site that tells you about his bank project to end poverty in the world:

http://www.charlierose.com/index.shtm

http://www.gfusa.org/

http://www.miamsi.com/yunus.html

http://www.entovation.com/gkp/berlin.htm

Keep Your PC Running Fast

There are a number of things you need to do to keep your computer running fast and secure.

You need to run maintenance utilities to keep it internally running smooth and security programs to protect it from the outside invasion.

Some of the maintenance programs can be found with these paths: Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools: (1)Disk Cleanup, (2)ScanDisk, (3)Disk Defragmenter, and >System Information: (4)Internet Explorer Repair.

The Security Programs you should be running are:
ones to (5)Block Hackers and Viruses, a (6)Firewall to prevent invasion, and a (7) Spyware stopper to keep your PC free from monitoring programs.

You need to (8)Keep your operating system updated with the latest patches to help it run better and to protect it from outside attacks.

You also need to run a good (9)Windows Washer, System File Checker and Registry Cleaner.

Finally, you also need to (10)Keep yourself informed of all the latest information to make it all work well.

Use Google.com to find the latest Freeware versions for these utilities and remember to completely remove those products that do not work any more.

Here are some examples of programs that work well: Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove a multitude of adware files and modules from your computer.

Spybot also can clean program and Web-usage tracks from your system, which is especially useful if you share your computer with other users.

Modules chosen for removal can be sent directly to the included file shredder, ensuring complete elimination from your system.

For advanced users, it allows you to fix registry inconsistencies related to adware and to malicious program installations.

The handy online-update feature ensures that Spybot always has the most current and complete listings of adware, dialers, and other uninvited system residents.

Here are some examples of Shareware that I have tried: Registry Mechanic 2.1 - Registry Cleaner

Keep your Windows Registry clean and free of errors. Download Registry Mechanic to fix your registry and make your system faster and more stable.

In addition to Spybot - Search & Destroy, a few other free applications will keep your PC clean, mean, and ultra-sheen. The popular Ad-aware works well as a complement to Spybot, and these three additional fantastic, free tools offer invaluable detection and protection.

Hijack This
This simple detection software runs a fast scan of your system and lists all potential danger areas. To determine actual risk, you'll need to be a veteran PC user or post your scan results to one of the many help forums on the Web to determine if there could be trouble.

WinPatrol
Scotty the Watch Dog can be your PC's best friend, with a host of customizable controls for detecting malware on your system. WinPatrol's most valuable feature is its ability to alert you when a program tries to install itself--and to let you prevent it. It also lets you decide which programs automatically start up when you turn on your computer.

SpywareBlaster
The best medicine is prevention. For inoculating your computer against spyware infections, SpywareBlaster is a simple tool that's hard to beat. Start up the software, select the spyware and adware you want to block, and hit the Protect button. SpywareBlaster automatically updates its database to keep up with changing adware components.

Dreams - Do they have Meaning?

Every person on earth dreams every night - every mammal in fact. It follows then that something extremely important must be going on while we sleep and dream, yet in the industrialized world, the majority of people pay little attention to dreams, and sometimes shortchange themselves on sleep because it is perceived as lost time, or at best unproductive.

How astonishing that we generally ignore this third (and possibly far more) of ourselves. An appropriate analogy to the grandeur of this mass misunderstanding is the incredible inertia in the middle ages against the idea of earth being other than flat until repeated point-blank evidence like Galileo's observation of other planets and their moons and the journeys of Columbus' and other explorers across the ocean proved conclusively otherwise.

The challenge was that people's everyday experience contradicted the idea of a spherical earth because nobody had yet gained perspective from outside of the system. Airplanes and especially photographs from space were not yet available, so there was little first hand evidence of a new paradigm that was quite a great leap beyond the old. Fortunately, people eventually began to come around and the shift triggered an ensuing surge of exploration as the realization and acceptance finally dawned that our world really isn't flat after all.

Dreams, in the same way, encompass yet another entire dimension of experience, a world as yet unexplored by most, where a fascinating sphere of activity awaits investigation and possible harvest for greater fulfillment in waking life. The challenge is again the same -- common daily experience for the average person offers little proof of this other reality, let alone the possible value of this other dimension of experience, unless one can gain perspective from outside the 9 to 5 work day framework and scientific purely objective system.

Dream related mental skills such as dream recall or dream interpretation and information on subjects such as the meaning of nightmares or precognitive dreams isn't taught in our schools, and the majority of our parents knew or passed on little about the value of dreams as we grew up. So it's no big surprise that many adults remember few or no dreams, and even more rarely contemplate or set out to interpret the guidance and mine the jewels of creative inspiration hidden just below the surface of consciousness in dreams. Basically, nobody told us or showed us how dreams can be extremely practical.

The result of where this long-time trend of disregarding dreams has brought society is that the current misguided concepts about the value of dreams are not only crucial misunderstandings, but also represent and even bring about a lack of connection with the subconscious and our own deeper nature. This artificial rift may indirectly, or even rather directly be the source for many of our current personal, cultural and planetary social, political, and environmental challenges.

One solution towards rebalancing and integration on a personal and eventually a planetary level, is for each of us to realize and begin to investigate how our personal dreams, at very least, each night offer a direct means to explore inner reality and gain unique, undeniable experiences of deep personal value. Further, there is overwhelming evidence that they can be harvested to improve waking life, supporting Shakespeare's age-old claim by MacBeth that sleep and dreams are the "chief nourishers in life's feast". Dreams do indeed offer opportunities for fun, adventure, wish fulfillment, creativity, deep personal insight and healing -- and all this at no cost and with no line-ups!

see these links: http://www.dreams.ca
http://www.greatdreams.com

The Nervous System of the Mind
The Nervous System is linked to all the twelve systems of the body and is the closest system we have to the idea of the mind. The brain is the key organ of the mind; yet it works in close cooperation with the sensory and immune systems, for without sensory input and chemical translation the mind would be dumb.

The mind remembers everything the brain ever experienced. Every sight, sound, touch, smell and taste is remembered by the body.

There are over 100 billion brain cells and over 100 trillion cells in the body. Each brain cell is connected to 25 to 100 other brain cells, so it would not take too many to make up a brain word. There could be from 25^25^8 to 100^100^8 connections with just an eight cell layer. If we take the possible intelligence of all the neurons in any person, it would surpass all the intelligence in the universe. The connections of the brain would surpass the number of stars in the cosmos of over 200 billion galaxies each with over 200 billion stars +/- 50% (200^9*200^9)=~7*10^22 or about 7 sextrillion stars.

Although we learn less as we get older, our capacity for knowledge always increases. Our imaginations have dreamed of worlds that we have not yet experienced in physical reality, yet there are some that profess they have visited outer worlds and experienced what it would be like to live there. Many great leaders attempted to make the world into a utopia, yet all of them have failed. What can we learn form their mistakes?

It all starts with the individual and yet it is not solely the individuals' responsibility to make any relationship work. It takes two to have a friendship and many friendships to make a loving family. Without the knowledge of true love, everyone is lost. This is why theology is the mother of wisdom and a personal relationship with God is necessary.

Every religion leads us to God, yet every soul must seek God to get to know him better. We can seek him in school, on the job, in the world or in another's eyes; yet if we do not first go to the source of all knowledge, most of our life might be wasted.

Every person feels they know how successful they have been in life. Deep down inside, they know the truth. It is part of our divine design. Yet how can we learn from this wisdom, if we do not know how to use it?

There are many ways we can develop our mind. You are lucky if you have a computer to help you in this vital task. One way to begin is by using multiple search engines that rate, and summarizes its findings.

I remember finding a whole science of knowledge with very specific words for its courses. Yet becoming too academic would make us all philosophers who are very precise with their words.

Popular courses on self improvement have much to offer the student of life; yet all our knowledge has to be experienced for it to be affective. In other words, success makes success and only your unconscious mind knows if you are really truly great.

UTOPIA & UTOPIAN PHILOSOPHY

Summary of "The Ultimate Philosophy"

Every person has thought, at least once in their life, that it would be nice if there were no disease, no crime, no poverty, and/or for some other improvement in the Human condition. Since everyone has dreamed of a better world, it is fair to say that Humanity has a common dream. While no two humans are exactly the same, we are all of one race, the human race, and we all share the experience of life in an essentially identical carbon-based life-form structure. We all work for continuing survival while in this structure, and hope for a happy, safe, and good life for ourselves and for our loved ones. Therefore, everyone has a common desire for the best life attainable. "Utopia" is the word used to denote the best life attainable. Since each person has their own unique vision of Utopia, the only universally agreeable description of Utopia is, "the ability for each person to live in their own vision of paradise." Humanity should strive to obtain that ability.

Since humans consist of both a tangible physical state (body) and an intangible mental state (mind), the way to achieve Utopia is to find technologies and methods that fully satisfy both states of human existence. With the right new knowledge Humanity can solve any problem and achieve any desired result. History has shown that anytime humanity wants to learn how to do something, such as land a man on the moon, the answers can be found if money and resources are devoted to the cause. Therefore, we should be devoting more resources toward finding the knowledge that will allow each person to live as they desire.

Human DNA has been fully mapped and now it is just a matter of determining what each gene does so that we can manipulate the same to stop illness, increase intelligence, etc. Princeton University scientists have already genetically enhanced the intelligence of mice. Aged brains have been restored to youthful vigor in a gene therapy experiment with monkeys. Scientists have recently created a new life form in the laboratory by creating a new genetic pattern of a simple organism. Cloning capabilities are increasing. Computing capabilities are going ballistic, and artificial intelligence seems to be on the horizon. With robots, machines, computers, and other technologies beyond our current knowledge such as nanotechnology, we can have unlimited production capabilities. With genetic engineering, chemical manipulation, and future technologies we can enhance the mental state of existence. In sum, with the right new knowledge, humanity can have infinite provision for all tangible and intangible needs and wants for existence, and thereby have Utopia. If humanity recognized this reality, and devoted more resources toward knowledge, we could accelerate the pace at which we reach a better world.

The three basic ways of interacting with knowledge, are: 1) dissemination from accessing stored information, through teaching, or from other methods of communication; 2) use through actions based on awareness of knowledge; and 3) acquisition of new knowledge from research, through experience, or from other avenues of discovery. Humanity has achieved proficient methods for dissemination of knowledge, and simply needs to better utilize the same in order to facilitate the use of knowledge. The primary method for finding new knowledge is through research and development. Less than 2% of current global productivity is being devoted to research and development. Clearly Humanity could and should be investing more in its future.

Everyone makes a vote as to the type of world we have with their lifetime efforts, and the total of all human actions determines whether the world is like a heaven on earth or a living hell. Therefore, the pursuit of Utopia can be implemented through the consensus method. The consensus method simply involves putting a dream into words and spreading those words until a large enough consensus is created to cause positive action by society. Individually and collectively we must shine the light of knowledge on the darkness of ignorance, until we find our best. If we take such a path, at some point in the future, Humanity will have a heaven on earth, where everyone lives as they desire.

In sum, since everyone desires a good life, we should make the same a common goal, and devote some more resources toward finding the knowledge to make it a reality for all.

A simple plan to make a dream come true:
who = humans
what = best life
where = globally
why = self destiny
when = future
how = knowledge

http://users.erols.com/jonwill/