US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: Beast Sports Nutrition!

 

Natural Caffeine Vs Synthetic Caffeine. Which Is Best?

Posted by Maria Altieri

Caffeine is considered to be one of the most frequently used supplement ingredients all across the world in many different products, and for a good reason – it works. One of the most common uses of caffeine is in the form of coffee. There are many people who rely on the caffeine content found in coffee to get them through their day and even workout. Some can get away with low doses, while others need incredibly high doses. However, many people do not know that there are different sources of caffeine, which is why we are going to discuss the two types of caffeine – natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine. 

Caffeine is a common ingredient found in drinks such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, and soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc. There are many sources of caffeine that can be utilized, and they all don’t have the same effects on people. Some sources are natural, plant-based, and some are even synthetically produced. 

Let’s take a look at what natural caffeine is as well as what synthetic caffeine is to get a better understanding of how they differ. 

Natural Caffeine 

If we go back to its roots, caffeine was first found in naturally occurring plants such as guarana, cacao, yerba mate, and berries. In present times, it can be found in over 60 various types of plants. 

While natural caffeine can be found and sold as a standalone supplement, it’s generally not the most commonly found product on the shelves and online. Instead, natural caffeine can be found in many different supplement profiles from fat-burners, to pre-workouts, to straight-up energy products. 

You may also find caffeine in vitamins and methylxanthines, which balance the up and down of energy from caffeine in your system and help deliver it to your body in a stable manner. Essentially, natural caffeine provides a more sustainable and cleaner boost of energy in comparison to synthetic caffeine, and it also allows for heightened focus and cognition. If you’ve ever used different forms of caffeine, you may have noticed and experienced a quick jolt of energy but then an abrupt crash that soon follows. 

Unlike synthetic caffeine, natural caffeine generally does not have any side effects such as insomnia, nervousness, and anxiety, to name a few. It is because of the gradual release of natural caffeine into your system that many of the side effects associated with synthetic caffeine are nonexistent. There is no sudden release that can cause jitters or uneasiness. 

You can take a glance at the nutritional panel of a product to see if it has natural caffeine or synthetic caffeine, as many of them will break down what source of caffeine is used. 

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Synthetic Caffeine 

Synthetic caffeine is widely used in soft drinks and energy drinks. Synthetic caffeine is quickly absorbed in your system and gives you a sudden boost of energy, which is much faster than natural caffeine. Interestingly enough, and a little history lesson for you, synthetic caffeine was first discovered by the Nazis during World War II. With increasing demand, synthetic caffeine started becoming the norm. 

Additionally, synthetic caffeine (such as caffeine anhydrous) is a very inexpensive ingredient to produce. Natural caffeine is something that would need to be sourced, and because of this, synthetic caffeine has become the most widely used form of caffeine. Big companies such as Coca-Cola are highly dependent on synthetic caffeine for their products. Unfortunately, synthetic caffeine has some drawbacks and side effects that could become quite harmful to your body. 

There have been some instances and cases where individuals got their supplements mixed up and took two teaspoons or more of synthetic caffeine and, unfortunately, died because of ingesting a lethal dose. 

Because synthetic caffeine is absorbed into your body much faster than natural caffeine, it provides a quick spike of energy that many people enjoy but then an equivalent crash as if you hit a wall going 100mph. Although synthetic caffeine and natural caffeine are almost non-distinguishable on a molecular level, the method of how synthetic caffeine is made can trigger significant health concerns, which you need to take into consideration before you decide if you want to supplement with it or not. 

Natural Caffeine vs. Synthetic Caffeine 

Here are some key points and takeaways from both sources of caffeine. 

• Natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine are chemically identical. The big difference is that synthetic caffeine is made from chloroacetic acid and urea, whereas natural caffeine is produced from various plants. 

• The most surprising part is that both sources of caffeine affect the body in similar ways. 

• Naturally sourced caffeine tends to be harder to source and relatively expensive, which is why labs have started making synthetic caffeine. 

• Due to the lower cost associated with synthetic caffeine, many supplement companies prefer to use it over natural caffeine due to the cost-savings advantage. 

• Synthetic caffeine undergoes numerous steps to be converted from its initial form, which is ammonia. It is usually exposed to harsh chemicals during the conversion, such as ethyl acetate, carbon dioxide, and methylene chloride. In addition, synthetic caffeine has somewhat of a “glowing” factor. This is removed by cleaning the caffeine with acetic acid, sodium nitrate, chloroform, and sodium bicarbonate. 

• It should be noted that not all synthetic caffeine is harmful when consumed in a small amount. But the thing to keep in mind is, you have probably had it this week or even today, unknowingly, as several products have them as one of their ingredients. Because of this, it is recommended that you take a look at the ingredient list of the product you are looking to purchase. 

Which Source of Caffeine Is Right for You? 

The most significant takeaway when differentiating natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine is that synthetic caffeine can work faster and provide you with a sudden boost of energy. Still, when you are coming down from that rollercoaster ride, and you have a sudden crash in energy, it will be much worse than what you’ll experience through natural caffeine. 

It’s beneficial to understand what you are reading on many supplement labels out there. If you see the word “caffeine” on the ingredient list of a product, it is very like that it is synthetic caffeine (caffeine anhydrous). If it is a natural source, you will see the actual name of the plant products used, such as green tea extract, green coffee beans, or guarana, to name a few. 

Now that you know the basics of the varying sources of caffeine, you can make a more informed decision on whether you prefer to use a natural caffeine source or a synthetic caffeine source to help provide you with the results you want and need to achieve your goals.

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Today's Devotional: The Promises of God

 From Intouch Ministries

Because it is impossible for our holy God to lie, we can trust Him completely.

Hebrews 6:10-20

Have you ever felt as if there’s a promise God failed to keep? If so, then today’s passage is for you. Let’s look at three things we can learn from it.

1. There is no one greater than the Lord. He has infinite power, knowledge, and wisdom. Nothing can thwart His purposes, so everything He commits to do, He will do. Today’s passage reassures us that the Lord never fails His children, even if we have to wait for His answer.
2. God is unchangeable. That means His Word and His plans for the ultimate good of His children do not change. You can count on Him to do whatever He says He will do. Though everything around us changes, our heavenly Father never wavers.
3. It’s impossible for God to lie. He is true and the source of all truth. Because He’s holy, there is no sin in Him. All His commitments are based on His truthfulness.

A promise is valuable only if the one making it is trustworthy. Since God alone perfectly meets this qualification, we can base our entire life on the certainty of His promises. What’s more, His absolute faithfulness means we can also be sure of His devotion and unconditional love.

Bible in One Year: John 4-5 

US Sports Psyche: 12 Effective Ways To Countering Fear

• Author Joey Ward

We can take action when faced with fear versus allowing fear to get the best of us. The following coping tools can be implemented immediately whenever you are faced with fear.

Identify the Fear In order to deal with our fears during times of crisis, we must first understand what those fears are. Demystify fear and identify whether it is realistic or not to make it less scary and more manageable.

Think Positively

Positive thinking is a way to regain control during times of distress and uncertainty when fear tries to dominate. Choose to not focus on potential negative outcomes. Make a conscious pivot away from the negative source/stressor and towards a more positive focus.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation practices improve mood, reduce stress hormones, slow breathing, decrease heart rate, and reduce frustration, all of which are associated with fear. Relaxation techniques include yoga, massage, aromatherapy, music, and art, among others.

Breathe

Breathing helps you regain a sense of calm in the midst of fear. Breathing offers the opportunity to take the time to pause, refocus, and process what is happening and what you are feeling. Be Patient Fear can cause irrational thoughts and poor decision-making.

Take some time to just sit with your feelings so you can realize that the fear isn’t valid, help you reason through the fear and develop a solution to adequately address it.

Self-Care

Self-care is a way to address the mental and emotional impacts fear can have on the body. Self-care is about prioritizing the protection of well-being and happiness, particularly during periods of stress induced by fear. Methods of self-care include healthy lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, meditation and other forms of relaxation, stress management, and journaling.

Get Informed

Fear is often fueled by the unknown. What we don’t know seems to cause us to panic and think about worst-case scenario situations, especially during a crisis. Manage fear with information from reputable sources. Once we understand a situation or scenario, we are in a much better situation to address it.

Gratitude

Being grateful can serve as a powerful means of refocusing attention and energy when in the midst of fearful situations. Gratitude can ground you in positive thoughts when fear tries to overwhelm and override. Humor In crisis situations we are often only surrounded by the negativity and severity of the situation at hand. It is hard to remain afraid when you’re laughing.

Exercise

A little physical activity can produce a physical response in the body that is great for fighting against fear. When we engage in any kind of physical activity, there is a release of endorphins that cause an analgesic effect within the body.

Exercise reduces stress and boosts inner calm and mental clarity.

Meditate

Meditation can be used to combat fear by intentionally choosing to focus on something other than the trigger causing the fear and regularly engaging in the practice as a means of redirecting and gaining control of your thoughts.

Through meditation, you can manage and calm your fears and thus manage distressing situations.

Talk it Out

Talking about your fears helps you to either realize the fears are not realistic or at the very least allows you to vent, instead of letting those fears fester in your mind. In talking through fears, we can often come up with solutions to address the core problem. ===========================================================

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US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: Avantlink Affiliate Marketing!

 AvantLink's approach to performance marketing is simple, grow your business through quality partnerships. Three unique international networks feature category-leading merchant advertisers that are all backed by thousands of our accomplished affiliate partners.

Headquartered in Park City, Utah, AvantLink was founded in 2005 and is privately owned and supports approximately 35 employees. The company takes pride in being profitable and debt-free. It operates three independent affiliate networks in the US (Global Network), Canada, and Australia, all boasting leading advertisers and accomplished publishers.

Today's Devotional: Honor God By Honoring Your Marriage

From CDM

 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

In today’s society, marriage isn’t honored or valued as it should be. The Holy Spirit is trying to lead us in this area, but we’re all free moral agents; sin still has consequences.

US Sports Basketball: Defensive Strategies for Basketball

 

By Ryan Brennan

 

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Much like choosing your offensive strategies in a basketball game, calling the right defensive plays can be crucial in a win. When choosing a defense, you must evaluate both your team and opponents on the court and choose the best defense that fits their size, quickness and strength.

Although some coaches decide to go with the same defensive strategy throughout a game or season, having multiple strategies can give your team an edge and keep your opponents guessing.

However, you must be certain that your team is well prepared; otherwise, they will only end up confusing themselves.

There are a lot of different defensive plays and strategies out there. Listed below are a few tried-and-true strategies I recommend adding to your defensive playbook.

The Man-to-Man Defense is Simple, But Important to Understand

The main principle when defending man-to-man is to make sure every player on your team defends one opponent. Another big component of a man-to-man defense is a term called “help side defense.” This happens when a defender that is “two passes” away drops off his man to help offenders that are cutting or setting screens.

The whole point of a man-to-man offense is to keep pressure on the ball at all times. However, for the defenders away from the ball, the defense is treated a bit like a zone defense. This makes it a very important defense to learn and memorize. It teaches great on-ball defense, which includes moving your feet, staying on your toes and knowing where to be at the right time.

There are several drills to perform that will help teach your team the man-to-man defense. One of them is called the “one-one-one” drill. This is a very simple drill that will help improve your players’ on-ball defense, as well as “one-one-one defense.” You will need your team in two lines, one under the basket facing the free throw line (defender) and one at the free throw line facing the basket (offender). This can also be done at the three-point line instead of the free throw line. To begin, the defender must throw the ball to the offender, immediately closing out on the offender. The offender just needs to try and score, while the defender tries to stop them. The drill is over when the offender scores or is stopped, then it moves on to the next duo.

Another drill is a “three-on-three” drill that will help improve your team’s defensive intensity. It’s more of a competition, so motivation can be made if the winners get some kind of reward. To set up, separate your team into three-man groups, trying to make the teams as fair as possible with at least one guard and one big man on each team. In this drill, points are only scored by the defense, if they stop the offense from scoring and get possession either through a defensive rebound, steal, block or a forced turnover. If the offense scores, the defense must walk off, while the former offense becomes the defense and competes for points. The team that was on the sidelines would become the offense. If the offense is stopped, they leave the court while the team on the sidelines becomes the offense.

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Keep The Court Organized With a Zone Defense

A zone defense differs from the man-to-man defense because instead of guarding a player, each defender is given an area of the court (or zone) to guard. Any player that enters their area is their player to guard. Defenders move their position depending on where the ball goes.

For the most part, you’re going to want to use this defensive strategy when you’re worried about giving up too many points in the paint. However, you need to understand that you will be giving up some pressure on the outside. There are several types of zone defenses.One zone defense is “Coach Marshall’s 2-3 Zone Defense.” For starters, when the offense is bringing the ball up, set two-point guards at the top of the three-point line close together, the two forwards on the outside halfway between the basket and three-point line, and your center underneath the basket. If the ball gets passed to the wing, the forward on that wing would defend the ball until the closest guard gets to him. Then that forward would retreat back to the low post. The key is to always have someone on the ball but have everyone else loosely guarding the entire floor.

Combination Defenses Are Effective in Confusing Your Opponents

The match-up zone is a type of “combination” defense, which combines aspects from the man-to-man defense as well as the zone defense. The on-ball defender will close out and play tight to the ball handler like a man-to-man. The zone that is seen away from the ball resembles a man-to-man help side defense. This is a great type of defense to confuse your opponent so they don’t really know what type of defense you are using.

Don’t Let Your Opponents Beat You On An Out-Of-Bounds Play

When defending an out-of-bounds play, you can use any type of defense. Most coaches use either a man-to-man defense or a zone defense. The “2-3 zone” is a great way to defend, causing a lot of traffic down low to prevent inside layups. The two guards will also help keep the offense from getting the ball up top.

If you are using a man-to-man defense, there are a couple of things you need to pay close attention to. For example, a rule called the “step under rule” will be in effect. If one of your defenders is getting screened, they need to make sure to “step under” the screener. That means they take one step back towards the baseline in order to get inside positioning on the screener. This will avoid your defenders from getting pinned by the screener.

 

Does Defense Really Win Championships?

Everybody is aware of the saying, “Defense wins championships.” As cliché as it sounds now-a-days, defense really is an important aspect when it comes to winning. Without a good defense, especially in basketball, your team will be weak and forced to rely on your offense to win. Even if you have an outstanding offense, you will have a big chance of losing.

The fact of the matter is that defense needs to be a common subject to teach youth basketball players. By teaching kids, the correct movements and locations for different defenses will prepare them for their basketball career ahead of them.

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US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: Ardent Outdoors!

 

Ardent Tackle LLC is a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of

freshwater fishing tackle and a distributor of D-Funk Products, Zbones headphones

and WFT Gliss fishing line. With operations in St. Louis and Macon Missouri,

Ardent is an American owned company that designs our products in the

USA and manufactured overseas to deliver the highest performance at the

lowest consumer cost. Our administration, engineering, quality assurance,

shipping and receiving, and sales and marketing personnel are

all employed in the USA.

Every tackle item we produce is the result of professional angling input

with the objective of ultimate performance at the lowest consumer price.

Ardent reels are backed with a 3 year warranty which is 2 years longer

than any competitor. Any reel returned to us for service under the Ardent

warranty will be repaired and the reel will be professionally cleaned and

lubricated, upgraded with any new components, performance tested,

and returned to the owner at Ardent's expense within 10 business

days of receipt. Repairs for equipment that is out of warranty are

available for a minimal charge based on the repair required

and the cost of return shipping.

Ardent has numerous professional anglers fishing our tackle at

all levels on the pro tours in addition to thousands of very satisfied

amateur anglers as well. If you have never used an Ardent reel or

rod or other tackle item we invite you to try one. We are confident

you will have a great experience and own equipment that will

give you years of fishing enjoyment.

ArdentOutdoors.com - Fishing Equipment and Accessories

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Today's Devotional: How It May Be Well With Thee

 From CDM

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3).

Under Old-Testament law, children were killed for disobeying their parents. Under New-Testament grace, obedience is still important, but the law is administered with love, not with the threat of punishment.

US Sports Psyche: The Next Essential Skill

 

• Author Nan Russell

"Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running." Those words from Olympic swimmer and author Sarah Connor capture the essence of a skill those wanting to thrive in the new world of work need.

We live in a world with constant interruptions, interesting internet rabbit holes to explore, and mobile apps to try. There's more information than we can possibility absorb, consider, and read; more activities than we can ever do in a lifetime. Thriving in today's world requires us to self-manage, or we can drown in a sea of busyness, with our time used up and our results minimal.

There is plenty to keep us busy - we know that. But, people who are winning at working know how to self-manage that busyness from the inside-out around their needs, desires, challenges, talents, and aspirations. They understand the choices they make determine the results they get.

Self-managing people display common sense, but also uncommonly practiced behaviors that enable them to be winning at working. Here are 10 examples:

1. They know what they want and work towards achieving it, using the power of incremental progress.

2. They embrace learning, personal growth, and well-being. They compete with themselves, working to improve who they are, what they can do, achieve, or contribute.

3. They're worthy of trust; they're dependable, reliable, and consistently good to their word. If they say they'll do it, they do it, or tell you ahead that they can't.

4. They set boundaries for themselves, making time for what matters to them while understanding that life's ebbs and flows can change their priorities.

5. They operate from the inside out with self-managing essentials such as self-trust, enhanced awareness, self-direction, and reflective choices.

6. They invest time in fixing the problem, training the new person, figuring out new or better ways, and "stopping the bleeding" before moving forward.

7. They do what needs to be done, whether they like the task or not.

8. They're self-motivated and engaged, with what others might call "drive" or "passion." They want to make a difference with their work and life.

9. They're contributors to the common good, not myopically self-focused, with a "big" team mentality; they help and assist others, build strong relationships, and share their knowledge and talents willingly.

10. They use, enjoy, and invest their time thoughtfully. They have a make-it-happen mindset and are highly productive.

Self-managing people who are winning at working do, while others talk of doing. They plan their day, while others let their day plan them. They motivate themselves, while others wait for someone or something to motivate them. They know the results they get are not about the time they have, but the choices they make in how they use it.

If you want to be winning at working and thrive in today's crazy, busy world, the next essential skill you need to learn is the art of self-management.

(c) 2015 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

Nan Russell is an award-winning author of four books. Her latest is Trust, Inc.: How to Create a Business Culture that Will Ignite Passion, Engagement, and Innovation (2014). More about her and her work at www.nanrussell.com.

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US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: ShareASale Affiliate Marketing Platform

 

Who We Are

Of #1 importance to ShareASale, is the set of values that we represent. We believe in fair business practices, socially responsible individuals, and a general concept of “doing the right thing.” It is our goal to hire like-minded professionals and grow a positive, socially altruistic workplace. Additionally, we operate with a customer-first mentality and are always prepared to go the extra mile for our clients.

 

The Awin Group Story

In 2017, Awin acquired one of North America’s largest platforms, ShareASale. ShareASale has been a pure-play affiliate marketing network, successfully growing its business by nurturing relationships, building cutting-edge technology and guiding clients to success in affiliate marketing since 2000. As a leading network in the US, ShareASale is known as a fair and ethical business partner with a goal of supporting performance-based partnerships.

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With over 20 years of affiliate marketing experience for both Awin and ShareASale, our trusted platforms offer a global community of people, technology and business intelligence insights. No matter what type of partner, level of service, or tools your business needs, the Awin Group provides solutions to drive sustainable growth.

Part of the Axel Springer and United Internet Groups, with Commission Factory, Awin and ShareASale are powered by 17 offices worldwide, over 1,000 employees, 241,000+ contributing publishers and 21,200+ advertisers. Connecting businesses with customers around the world across the retail, telecommunications, travel and finance verticals, the Awin Group generated $16 billion in revenue for its advertisers and $1.3 billion for its publishers globally in the last financial year.

 

Together, we are affiliate marketing. Get started today!

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