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Coffee can keep eye tremors away
According to The News International, having one or two cups of coffee a day could protect you from eye tremors, a condition in which there is sustained, forced, involuntary closing of the eyelids.
The disorder known as blepharospasm may affect people aged between 50 and 70. People with blepharospasm may be unable to prevent their eyes from clamping shut so at times they are effectively blind, Forbes reported.
The first symptoms of the disorder may include eye irritation and discomfort, sensitivity to light and increased blinking.
A previous study had suggested smoking had a protective effect on the condition. In the current study there was no significant association found with smoking but those who drank coffee were found to be less likely to develop the condition, the researchers said.
The effect was proportional to the amount of coffee drunk. The age of the onset of the spasm was also found to be greater in patients who drank more coffee — 1.7 years for each additional cup per day.
Researchers said the most obvious candidate for the protective effect could be caffeine. However, they said the low frequency of decaffeinated coffee intake in Italy prevented them from examining the effects of caffeine on blepharospasm.
Coffee market and its expansion
IT HAS been 10 years since a little-known coffee company named after the US city of Seattle opened its first branded shop in the UK. Like a shot of strong espresso, the move fuelled a boom in cappuccino culture as chains including Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Caffè Ritazza and Scotland’s own Beanscene transformed the tea-drinking British into a nation of coffee lovers.
Now, having conquered the US and with UK sales growing strongly, the battleground looks to be moving onto the plains of Europe.
According to market research group Allegra Strategies, the European branded market across the Continent is forecast to continue growing at nearly 9% a year, expanding from 7,000 outlets to more than 11,000 by 2012.
Allegra Strategies says that while all European markets remain dominated by small, independent coffee shop operators, the trend is definitely in favour of well-funded and highly sophisticated brand operators such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Caffè Ritazza and the newly created McDonald’s McCafe.
Jeffrey Young, managing director of Allegra Strategies, says: “A number of key markets are showing many of the characteristics of the UK market nearly a decade ago. If the growth achieved in the UK is any indication of future European trends, these markets will be significant in the next few years.
“Future growth will ultimately be dominated by a smaller number of large multi-country operators as smaller local, mainly franchise, players struggle to gain critical mass and are unable to compete with the brand appeal and operational expertise of global leaders.”
The firm’s report says that the UK is by far the most developed market with roughly 3,000 coffee bars - a figure that is still growing by 8% per year - but Europe is potentially massive. According to IGD market research, across Europe 190 billion cups of hot beverages are consumed out of the home each year.
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Please Come to Boston For the Tea Party
A little bit of history info here. On December 16th, 1773, American colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest an oppressive tax.
This December 16th 2007, American citizens will gather to express their support for ending the oppressive and unconstitutional inflation tax - which has enabled a flawed foreign policy, a costly war and the sacrificing of our liberties here at home.
You are invited to the Boston Tea Party Freedom Rally!
1:00 pm - December 16, 2007
Boston, Massachusetts
RALLY ON STATE HOUSE STEPS at 1:00pm - DOORS OPEN-FANEUIL HALL at 2:15pm