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My head feels like it’s been crushed in a vice - but I struggle on. I have to free myself from my slavery to the coffee bean. For over a year I woke, packed the coffeemaker with Colombia’s finest legal export, hit the button and drank the resulting 10 cups of black stuff over the next hour.

By lunch I’d usually follow up my morning dosage with one or two cans of Coke, nothing too serious. But by five, I’d be ready to resume heavy usage again - this time to boost physical endurance. As a keen cyclist, I’d developed the habit of stopping off for an espresso en route home.

Unfortunately, I’ve become hardened to it. That’s why I decided to decaf my body - and in doing so discover how coffee really can be used to make me mentally and physically fitter. I could tell the difference that caffeine had had on my body and system, before I started drinking coffee in the quantity that I do now I knew caffeine was in my body. Now I know I’ve reached a tolerance point. Caffeine just doesn’t affect me.

If you’ve developed a tolerance to caffeine you should try withdrawal until you become caffeine naive again, then come back to it for your sporting event, when it’s likely you’ll get a greater response per dose. That’s the plan. Right now I feel like a junkie - on this, my first day of withdrawal, I absolutely crave caffeine. So what is gripping me to the hot mug? Until about 20 years ago, scientists thought caffeine was a brain stimulator.

Then, in 1982, researchers discovered an evolutionary fluke: caffeine’s molecular structure is very similar to that of adenosine, an inhibitory brain substance found in many animals, including humans. Studies suggest adenosine could be the sleep-inducing chemical, When people need sleep, adenosine levels are high, which triggers the brain into wanting to shut down. The longer you’re awake, the more adenosine gradually accumulates in your brain.

The growing surfeit, in turn, binds to adenosine receptors, depressing nervous-system activity and making you groggy. In ways that are not yet understood, getting enough sleep clears the chemical from your system, allowing you to begin the next day fully restored, your sleep debt paid in full. Caffeine, however, blocks adenosine, binding to the receptors before the adenosine gets there.

Surely we caffeine fiends can’t keep doing this to ourselves day after day without having to pay some kind of penalty. Well, maybe not. A study recently concluded that caffeine consumption showed no influence on the rate of heart disease or stroke. In fact the complete opposite is now believed to be true, coffee is rich in anti-cancer agents - contributing more antioxidants than cranberries, apples or tomatoes.

Of all caffeine’s purported effects, the one most touted is its ability to provide a temporary mental edge. It does have a dramatic effect on alertness but as you move to more involved functions such as decision making it doesn’t really have such an impact
Still, studies have long shown that caffeine has sports-enhancing effects.

The main one seems to be improving endurance. In a 2002 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, scientists found that the time it took for cyclists to exercise to exhaustion was significantly longer in those receiving caffeine than those given a placebo. Crucially, this benefit was greatest in those who didn’t use caffeine regularly. Hence as a training cyclist any advantage I can gain to improve my training is welcomed.

It now appears that caffeine works on motivation within the brain itself. It seems to affect affects your perception of effort and makes you feel you’re not working as hard as you might otherwise feel. Sounds great to me. Most recent studies have shown that the equivalent of two cups of coffee was sufficient to provide a longer exercise duration to exhaustion - but any more had no additional benefit. So for me to be drinking fifteen cups plus per day was of no real benefit.

Exactly three weeks on since my last cup of coffee and my system is presumably caffeine-free. The headaches and urge to hibernate that plagued me during the first five days of abstinence have faded.

Sports Training

You may not always agree with my writings but I hope to inform.

Harwood E Woodpecker

Austin has been known for its individuality for decades. Though the chain stores and restaurants are slowly creeping their way in from the edges of Austin’s sprawl, still many independently owned shops blanket the heart of the city. Coffee shops in Austin truly capture the essence of what the city is known for- a friendly, laid back atmosphere, where one can feel a sense of community by joining their friends or making some new ones.

As Austin is a college town, coffee businesses thrive around the university, keeping students alert while cramming for upcoming exams. Though Quackenbushs held court on the Drag directly across from UT, they relocated with a slight reincarnation in the heart of Hyde Park with Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery. Hyde Park is home to a large student population who enjoy not only the delightful coffee, but Quack’s large lineup of desserts and baked goods, which can be found distributed to other shops without an in-house bakery.

Spider House also plays host to students from an old renovated house overlooking Hemphill park, just north of campus. Though the inside is very cozy, the large outside decks of the Spider House see a lot of action, especially in the evenings when live DJs and bands play nightly, and the cheap drinks and free movie screenings only add to their popularity.

Though Little City just closed its campus location, its downtown location is going strong. Located on Congress Avenue, Little City is the obvious coffee shop choice for those who prefer a little local flavor to that of Starbucks (which is located directly across the street). Little City serves up a wide variety of coffee drinks, and over 15 whole bean blends from around the world, and if the diner is lucky, certain nights they serve up low priced entre and wine combinations with some good people watching from inside the shop or a small sidewalk table.

South of Little City, in the middle of the Second Street District, lies Austin Java’s third store location on the first floor of City Hall. Austin Java beat out 25 other local establishments vying for the slot, with its wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options- definitely a standout in the coffee shop business, when food options can be limited to a muffin or prepackaged breakfast taco.

South Austin is the heart and soul of the coffee house community. Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse promotes togetherness and a place for community action and people watching, like their website says it was, in the prefranchise days. They offer an all vegetarian menu to accompany a cup of joe, and several nooks to gather or seclude, both inside and out, just off the banks of the creek.

As the coffee shop of the swanky San Jose Hotel on South Congress, Jo’s Coffee offers more than the coffee drinks and sweets available from the open air stand. The Rock N Reel happens every Thursday evening, with a themed pairing of music and movies, and Sundays bring the Sinners Brunch with live music and South Austin Speedballs, a three dollar longneck beer and coffee combo.

Further down South Congress lies Ruta Maya, possibly the king of the coffee houses. Housed in one of the repurposed World War I aviation buildings, Ruta Maya seems sprawling compared to other shops. The space is needed however, as Ruta Maya is upholding the old tradition of the coffee shop as the Penny University- a common area where, for the price of a cup of coffee, one could be educated by other customers with experienced backgrounds. Today, for the price of a cup of coffee (now more than a penny), Ruta Maya offers yoga, tai chi, environmental awareness classes, and a single parent resource network, allowing Austinites to come together, enjoy each others company, and keep the bonds of the community strong.

Escapeso Realty is a small group of agents working in the Austin real estate market. If you are investigating the Austin market you can find information and statistics on their Austin real estate blog as well as using their site to search for homes in the Austin MLS.

Is there an alternative to coffee for staying alert while driving-something without the familiar addictive side effects one can experience from caffeine. Researchers believe air charged with negative ions may be the remedy to prevent drivers from nodding off on the highway.

Negative ion air purifiers for cars make clean airflow available to a driver. It accomplishes this by releasing negative ions into the car’s atmosphere. These negative ions attach themselves to positive ions in the air. Micro particles, of a positive charge, are fungi, exhaust, bacteria, dust, mold, and other pollutants.

When the negative ions attach to these positive particles, they form a cluster. The resultant cluster is now too heavy to remain in the air. It falls to surfaces inside the car. The result is cleaner air to breathe in the vehicle, while a simple wiping of the surface cleans away the residue. Fresher air means an energized driver who is more alert.

Why is ionization of vehicle interior air a better alternative to coffee? Coffee is a stimulant because of the caffeine present within. Regular over-indulgence of coffee can lead to caffeine addiction.

This addiction can interfere with one’s normal life activities including driving. Some of the addictive side effects of caffeine are irregular heartbeat, diarrhea, rambling thought flow and speech, and nervousness (Psychology Today, Online Edition, Caffeine-Section II-Symptoms, Review date April 2005).
Those who rely on caffeine to function and then strive to wean themselves off may experience certain other adverse effects. Withdrawal symptoms can include depression due to decreased serotonin levels. Researchers point to the fact that depression and low serotonin levels go hand in hand.

A John Hopkins study found that withdrawal symptoms such as depression start as early as twelve to twenty-four hours after the last drink of caffeine. Symptoms can last for one to nine days with peak intensity at one to two days (John Hopkins Medicine, Online Edition, September 29, 2004, Caffeine Withdrawal Recognized as a Disorder, Paragraph 7).

Some automobile manufacturers already have ‘ion air conditioning’ in place in some models of cars in Japan. To promote alert driving these systems clean and cool the air utilizing negative ions. It is a way to keep the air fresh inside a car so drivers remain awake and focused.

Ionization of air with negative ions is a process that produces no side effects. This makes it a perfect coffee substitute for motorists. Research at Columbia University measured the antidepressant benefits of negative ions. Related to seasonal affective disorder it nonetheless showed air induced with negative ions acts as an antidepressant (Terman M, Terman JS, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Abstract, 1995); the exact opposite of caffeine withdrawal causing depression symptoms.

The studies also showed no side effects from this ionization treatment. This bodes well for negative ion purification use in many other areas. The potential benefits for drivers prone to nodding off are undeniable. Fresh, clean air invigorates and promotes a positive attitude.

A refreshed energized driver is a safer driver. While coffee may give a short-term boost of energy, it is not long lasting. It eventually has a downer effect. More coffee will not reverse this effect. It will instead cause adverse symptoms to develop.

It is common sense to continue further study in this area. The automobile industry’s initial forays show promise. Having negative ion air purifiers in your car is an available option right now. You can purchase portable models to install in a vehicle.

The Department of Transportation has not issued any edicts on requiring them them, though. However, further study on making them standard features in vehicles for the promotion of driving safety is something to consider.

Thomas Fox is in his final stage of his Ph.D. project at Walden University where he studies leadership organizational change and decision sciences. It is his opinion that making good decisions while driving is without doubt improves safety on highways. Mr. Fox’s objective is to further research negative ions and productivity enhancing methods and tools for cars and workplace environments.

Those who start their day with a hot cup of coffee (those who brew their cup and consider it as a ritual) can definitely value a good coffee maker (let it be pourover or automatic) which retains the same taste from the first cup to the last. It’s actually a satisfying experience to have one.

Choosing a coffee maker can be really a pain in the neck as the options for a good coffee maker nearly reach to infinity. Let’s get a quick look at the possibilities in choosing a good coffee maker (home or commercial).

While choosing a coffee maker the first consideration to be made is about the pourover and automatic model. The pourover (or the drip coffee brewer) is the most common model in the lot where you pour the water in the top of the coffee machine whereas the automatic machine is directly connected to a waterline with sometimes a pourover option (which is a good feature to look for).

The second consideration to be made is about the brewer (and believe me there is lot much to decide about the brewer). Let’s talk about some of the regular type of brewers available in market.
Regular or Drip - brews the coffee into pots. Warmers keep coffee hot. You can find several models to choose from.

Pod - Instead of grounds it brews coffee by the cup using coffee pods.

Airpot - It brews coffee into airpots. The an airpot is the coffee stays hotter and fresher longer. Since airpot brewers do not have warmers, the airpots can be taken to a different location for use.

Some airpot brewers feature a gourmet funnel, which means the funnel is larger to accommodate the larger amount of coffee grounds you need for brewing gourmet coffee.

Thermal - brews coffee into thermal servers or thermal carafes. Similar advantages and features as airpot brewers.

Satellite -brews large volumes (.5 to 1 gallon batches) of coffee quickly. Multiple servers can be used with brewer and can be set on warmers in different locations.

SoftHeat - it is quite similar to satellite brewers. Can brew .5, 1 or 1.5 gallon batches of coffee. Patented server heat control automatically shuts off once target temperature is reached. Electronic grinder interface communicates to grinder on exact amount of coffee for selected brew batch size.

ThermoFresh - brews .5, 1 or 1.5 gallon batches. Stores individual coffee recipes so operator can easily brew many varieties. Smart funnel allows wireless brewer-grinder interface for error-free operation. Coffee extraction controlled with pre-infusion and Pulse-Brew, digital temperature control, and large spray head; coffee strength controlled with variable by-pass.

Liquid - for large volume production using liquid coffee concentrate. Can brew over 125 - 5 oz. (1.48 litre) cups per hour with a 120 volt, 15 amp electrical connection or over 500 - 5 oz. (1.48 litre) cups per hour with a 240 volt / 30 amp electrical connection.

Urn - for very large brewing capacity - from Brews 11.4 to 18.8 gallons of coffee per hour depending on model.
Now that you know about the coffee makers I am sure that you will find the right one for that everlasting taste of that hot cup of coffee to make your day.

Find discount coffee makers, espresso machines, and coffee grinders as well as all the info on how to buy the best one from our site!

They say all good things come at a price and so does that espresso maker you love. For the real connoisseurs of espresso coffee buying a good espresso maker is a real option to think about. Now if you are really getting serious about getting a new one for you I would recommend you to just sit back and understand a few things before impelling to swap your money for it.

A good coffee machine is all about good taste that your taste buds lunge for. So we have it. Look for the brands which are reputed for that special blending of coffee providing an everlasting taste. This may require a bit research and asking a few connoisseurs about the different brands and the differentiating taste they produce. This will help you to get closer to the perfect cup of espresso.

The basic part in any maker is the temperature of water, the pressure of the water and the fineness of the ground coffee. It all depends on the fineness of the coffee (generally it should be like the powdered sugar) and how tightly it is packed. This is about getting the best shot of coffee.

There are a few types of espresso machines like the Pump model, the super automatic model, the semi automatic model, the easy serving espresso system etc. These are the options which you will get from the entry level machine to the high-tech espresso maker, (there is one which you can take along for your camping trips).

The all work on the same principle that is to force the water through the coffee to give you the best shot of espresso with the crema. What you need to decide first is the coffee maker which would fit in your requirement (I will suggest you to read all the reviews before finalizing one).

I think if you are taking it to your home/office then it should be the easiest to operate and the same way to clean. This helps in easy maintenance of the machine and gives you the same great taste cup after cup. Moreover, it certainly delivers the best output for which the machine is designed to perform.

An ideal machine will serve you for a time to come without bothering you with lot much beeps and bells. The best part of such espresso is that they retain the same taste for every cup of espresso which they serve with the perfect quantity of crema in each cup.

Always remember that it is an investment that needs to be done properly not only to give you a rich coffee but also to give you the best value for your money. That is why the selection of the machine is more important than anything else. Moreover, look for the one that can last you for a couple of years.

Now go ahead, spot the products, read the reviews, compare them and find yourself the best espresso maker to enjoy that startling taste of hot espresso again and again.

Find quality espresso makers, cheap coffee brewers, and the supplies to go with them from site Coffeefun.com!

When one is invited to have a cup of coffee and enjoy coffee cake they may be surprised to learn that coffee cake does not contain coffee. Coffee cake is so named because it is a delicious treat that goes well with a cup of coffee.

In addition, there are a variety of coffee cakes on the market or that can be made from various recipes. For example there are apple streusel, sour cream or banana walnut coffee cakes, etc.

One traditional coffee cake is a cake made from cinnamon. This coffee cake can be made from a simple recipe. When following this recipe there are basically two steps in the process. Those steps begin with the gathering of the ingredients and following the preparation steps.

Ingredients

Being organized is a key strategy when starting any project. The baking of a coffee cake is no different. Therefore, it is important to assemble the ingredients needed along with the appropriate cooking utensil.

First of all the baker will need a pan to pour the coffee cake mixture into. A bundt type cake pan should suffice.

Then, assemble together the needed ingredients. Those ingredients should include 2 cups of warm water, two packages of bulk yeast or the equivalent of 4 teaspoons, a cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and a cup of cooking oil. In addition, to the mixture, 2 eggs will need to be added, 5 to 6 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 6 tablespoons of butter. Also, as an added flavor, the ingredient to make a delicious coffee cake is the addition of cinnamon. 3 teaspoons of cinnamon should be sufficient.

Preparation

Once the ingredients have been gathered together they can be combined to comprise the coffee cake batch. The first step in the process is to dissolve the yeast in warm water. This combination of yeast and water should be allowed to stand for a couple of minutes.

Following this first step, add the sugar, salt and cooking oil. Stir these ingredients together.

Following these steps add in the eggs and beat vigorously to ensure the eggs are properly mixed in. After the eggs have been added, mix in one cup of flour and stir till the mixture is smooth in texture. Following the addition of one cup of flour add in two additional cups and stir in the mixture till the batter is smooth. When this step has been completed add in enough of the remaining flour so that the batter is sticky to the touch.

Once this process has been completed the batter should be placed aside for roughly 20 minutes. During this 20 minutes take the opportunity to lubricate the cake pan and prepare the glaze for the coffee cake. This can be accomplished by mixing the sugar and cinnamon together and melting the butter.

After the 20 minutes has elapsed take the dough and pull out lump portions equivalent to the size of a small egg. Take these small portions of dough and roll them into smooth balls between the palms of your hand. The rolled balls of dough should then be glazed in the melted butter and rolled in the cinnamon and sugar.

After this preparation, place the balls into the pan. Don’t pack the rolled dough too tightly. Add the dough until completely gone and layer the dough if needed. Allow this dough to rise by placing in a warm area for about 45 minutes.

The last step is to bake the dough in an oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

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