by Ingredia USA | Apr 7, 2021 | Stress Management
Contrary to popular belief, student stress surpasses that of adults. During the school year, the average student experiences a stress level of 5.8 out of 10. Since adults average on the 3.9 level, this gives us insights into school stress and how it affects student performance as well as health and wellness.
School is only one hurdle that students need to face. While writing essays and finishing other types of schoolwork are priorities for students, too many students put their wellness at the backburner in order to achieve good grades.
Unfortunately, high-stress levels can impact overall health. Here’s what we know about school stress and health.
What Is Stress?
Surprisingly, too many students don’t completely understand stress and the toll it has on our mental and physical health.
We all experience complex emotions. Stress is a reaction to specific emotions, both positive and negative.
There are different stress in school examples we can use. In a positive sense, if you’re preparing for graduation, you may feel a push to get your cap and gown. While we don’t see this push as stress in the typical sense, our adrenaline causes us to achieve the things we want and need.
But stress mainly comes out during negative times. For example, if you have a major exam coming up, you may feel stress and pressure to study in order to pass.
Why do we feel stress? Certain emotions trigger the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands, which is responsible for the “fight-or-flight” response. This response is beneficial; if you’re ever in a life-threatening situation, your fight-or-flight response will help you act immediately and can save your life.
Unfortunately, too much of a cortisol release can negatively impact your health. The adrenal gland also controls other vital bodily functions such as glucose metabolism, blood pressure regulation, and more. Some of the possible effects of high cortisol include:
- Decreased bone density
- Blood sugar imbalances
- High blood pressure
- A decrease in muscle tissue
- Increased abdominal fat
- Impaired cognitive performance
- Suppressed thyroid function
- Lower immunity
This is why properly managing stress not only improves your mental well-being but also your physical health.
There are also three types of stress. The type of stress you experience can alter the side effects you experience.
Acute Stress
This is the most common form of stress that we experience in our day-to-day lives. For example, if you’re running late and are speeding to class, this response is known as acute stress.
Fortunately, most forms of acute stress are only short-lived and don’t impact your physical and mental health. Using the same example, you’ll likely calm down when you arrive in class.
Chronic Acute Stress
Chronic acute stress (commonly called chronic stress) is a form of stress that occurs when there’s an avoidable situation. It’s common to experience this type of stress for the duration of the situation.
As a student, you likely experience chronic acute stress if you’re taking a class you don’t enjoy and/or are struggling academically.
If you’ll be experiencing this type of stress long-term, you may experience some side effects. These include sleep deprivation and even weight gain.
Episodic Acute Stress
Unlike chronic stress, episodic acute stress is when you experience small stressful episodes over a period of time. Students commonly experience this stress throughout a school semester. For example, you could feel no stress during the semester except during finals.
Episodic stress usually comes on suddenly, which is why symptoms may also be sudden. These symptoms may include tension headaches and even full-blown migraines.
Different Disorders Resulting From Anxiety
Experiencing stress is a normal part of life, especially when you’re in school. However, you should identify the symptoms of a disorder to ensure you have a healthy physical and mental state.
Sleep Disorders
Insomnia is a common symptom of stress. However, you could mistake this symptom for a sleep disorder. In addition, an existing sleep disorder can heighten anxiety problems.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder forms as a result of constant chronic stress. You may also experience physical reactions, such as shaking and muscle tension.
Substance Abuse
Some people choose to handle their stress by indulging in substance abuse, such as alcoholism and drug abuse. College students are especially prime targets for substance abuse; not only are they surrounded by substances on college campuses but the stress they endure can also cause reckless habits.
The Effects of Stress
How exactly do stress and anxiety disorders affect our physical and mental health? Here’s what to look for.
Emotional
Since stress is a reaction to emotions, it’s smart to focus on emotional well-being and how that alters during stressful episodes. Most experience helplessness, hostility toward professors and peers, and even loneliness.
These emotional reactions interfere with how you communicate with professors and engage with other students.
Physical
As stated previously, the adrenal glands regulate many bodily processes. This is why stress is physical as well as emotional.
Some physical symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, increased blood pressure, stomach aches, headaches, and fatigue.
Cognitive
Students need powerful cognition to retain knowledge and advance in education. Unfortunately, stress also impacts many cognitive functions. This is why anxiety and cognition are some of the most underrated negative effects of stress on students.
Under severe stress, students can expect to lose concentration, suffer memory loss, and have an overall negative outlook on their education.
Behavioral
We went over some of the behaviors that result from stress and anxiety disorders, such as alcohol and drug abuse. But stress can have even more behavioral effects, which is why stress relief is important.
For example, stress can interfere with your eating habits (both reduced and binged eating). If you’re in a committed relationship, too much stress can distance you from your loved one and can even impact intimacy.
School Stress: Why Your Diet Matters
Now that we know stress has multiple physical effects, students suffering from school stress need to pay close attention to their diet. While eating healthy is one of the most effective stress management techniques, the ingredients you eat also matters.
We optimize dairy ingredients to boost immunity and even improve mental health. If you’re curious about our company, you can learn more about our expertise. Feel free to contact us and discover which food brands use our ingredients.
by Ingredia USA | Mar 26, 2021 | Stress Management
It’s relatively easy to identify some of the physical signs of stress.
When we’re under pressure, we toss and turn at night. Our heart races and our head aches. We may find it difficult to focus or stay on task.
However, while these symptoms might be most apparent, there are other, internal issues also at work. For instance, did you know that stress can negatively impact your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness?
Your overall wellness and health hinge on many factors, and this is one of them.
Today, we’re exploring this link more closely. We’ll also share how you can make simple changes to lower your stress levels and boost your immune response.
Understanding Your Immune System
Before we dive into the relationship between stress and immunity, let’s start with a brief overview of how your immune system works.
In short, this is an intricate network, comprised of billions of individual cells. The main types of cells are white blood cells.
These cells constantly travel into and out of your internal systems. As they move among your tissues and organs, they help safeguard and defend your body against foreign pathogens (e.g. bacteria and viruses) that could weaken or harm it.
In general, there are two types of white blood cells in your immune system. They include:
Phagocytes generate a universal response to any pathogen. On the other hand, lymphocytes generate different types of immune responses, each tailored to that specific invader. For this reason, phagocytes are considered part of your innate immunity, while lymphocytes are a central part of your adaptive, or specialized, immunity.
Your adaptive immune response kicks in when your innate immunity isn’t capable of destroying germs that invade your body. It takes longer to activate, but once it “learns” the pathogen, it remembers it and knows how to respond more quickly next time.
Pathogens and Antigens
What exactly is a pathogen and how is it related to your stress levels?
Put simply, a pathogen is any type of microorganism that can cause disease. Bacteria and viruses are two types of pathogens.
Antigens are proteins that are attached to the surface of each pathogen. The primary role of these molecules is to trigger a response from your immune system. When this happens, your immune system goes to work creating antibodies that fight the infection.
This is a natural response that your body is trained to perform. However, it has a harder time reacting when you’re under stress. Let’s take a look at why this is the case.
The Role of Cortisol
Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. It’s produced in your adrenal cortex, which is the outer region of an adrenal gland. These glands are located on the top of each of your kidneys and release many hormones you can’t live without.
When you’re under a tight deadline, overwhelmed at work, or facing pressure at home, your levels of cortisol increase.
When this happens, it crowds out and lowers the number of lymphocytes present in your immune system. This weakens the system’s ability to fight off any antigens that attack it. This leaves you more susceptible to illnesses and infections.
The Risks of Stress Responses
Rising stress levels do more than increase your cortisol levels. They also catalyze a stress response in your other internal systems. These can create negative physical reactions on top of the mental strain you’re already feeling.
Below is one example of a stress response in another system within your body.
Gastrointestinal System
You may already know that a stressful situation gives you knots and butterflies in your belly. This is because it alters your gut bacteria and affects your brain-gut connection, which can lead to bloating and stomach discomfort.
However, did you realize it can actually inhibit your digestion and affect the number of nutrients your intestines are able to absorb? Moreover, the adrenaline released during a stress response can also lead to stomach ulcers.
The Indirect Effects of Stress on Your Immunity
It’s also important to mention that stress can also indirectly affect your immune system.
When you’re feeling pulled to your limits, you may be more prone to engage in unhealthy coping behaviors. For instance, you might use alcohol or tobacco to soothe the burden you’re experiencing.
These actions do little to solve the problem, and instead can lead to more issues. Drinking and smoking upsets the equilibrium, or balance, of your immune system, making it more difficult to ward off disease. It also puts you at a heightened risk for developing immune and autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Lowering Stress Improves Your Wellness and Health
It’s normal to feel a little stressed every now and then.
However, living in a constant state of overwhelm can wreak havoc on your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Heightened cortisol levels lower your immune system’s ability to protect your body from harmful antigens. They also impact your gastrointestinal systems and other systems within your body.
Want to supercharge your wellness and health? Find stress-busting activities like yoga and walking to keep your stress hormones in check. You can also find a creative outlet, or talk to friends and family members.
Along the way, we’ll help you and your customers feel your best, from the inside out. The ingredients we produce are filled with the nutrients they need, without the harmful fillers they don’t. To learn more about our mission and work with our team, feel free to contact us today.
by Ingredia USA | Mar 5, 2021 | Blood Sugar Management
What if diabetes didn’t have to change your quality of life?
Whether you were diagnosed with diabetes years ago or only recently, it’s easy to imagine that diabetes will control your entire life. But you can change all of this with the right diabetes self management.
Want to manage your own diabetes better? Keep reading to discover our complete guide!
Diabetes Self Management Begins With Self Care
Our guide is here to make diabetes self management so much easier for you. And proper self management begins with proper self care.
Part of this care is staying active and sticking to a healthy diet, which we’ll dive more into later in the guide. And another part is getting your prescriptions filled at the proper times and taking all of your medicine as directed by your doctor. That may sound basic, but many issues diabetics face begin with deviating from their recommended medicine schedule.
It’s important to attend regular health visits and wear medicinal identification gear when you travel. Furthermore, you need to monitor your blood glucose level regularly and understand what the numbers mean in terms of your health.
Finally, you should know that a diabetes diagnosis may change the way you view yourself and your life. Reach out to your friends, family, and mental healthcare professionals in order to make sure that your diabetes does not lead to depression or other major issues.
Asking the Right Questions
Be honest – what does an average session with your physician look like? If they reflect on this question, most patients simply sit back and nod their heads at whatever the doctor is saying.
But when you are managing your diabetes, it is important to ask questions of your different physicians. Furthermore, you need to know the right questions to ask.
One good question is where you can learn more about diabetes. The internet is filled with information, and not all of it is accurate. But your doctor can guide you to the right resources to help you learn more.
It’s also good to ask how your different friends and family can help you manage your diabetes and help you maintain a more active lifestyle. They are likely willing to help, but many patients and their extended support network don’t know how to get started.
Finally, it’s very important to ask about the “fine print” in terms of what your insurance covers, how much everything will cost, and what your options are if you cannot pay for everything all at once. The last thing you want to worry about while managing diabetes is dealing with a surprise bill!
Carrying the Right Gear
When you get right down to it, most aspects of diabetes management are pretty straightforward. But one of the best things you can do is have the right gear on you, especially when you are out of the house.
This gear includes your glucose meter, strips, and treatment for low blood sugar. And you should have a bracelet or other form of identification that tells others that you are a diabetic.
When traveling, there are extra precautions you must take. You should have a list of your medicine, with notes on when to take each item. And you should keep insulin and medication with you so there is no risk of these things getting lost.
Don’t forget to pack extra medicine and food with you in the event of delays and other schedule changes. And make sure you have a list of your doctors and their phone numbers in the event of an emergency.
What To Do When Sick
So far, our guide focuses on getting you through a typical day. But what about days when you are sick?
We recommend checking to see if you have a fever right away. And try to keep clear liquids with sugar on hand (everything from soda to popsicles can work).
You should have separate medicine set aside to help you deal with issues like fever and nausea. And as an added safety precaution, check your blood sugar more often throughout the day.
Staying Active
One of the very best things you can do for your diabetes management is to maintain an active lifestyle. But what does that mean for your daily life?
First of all, we recommend consulting with your physician before attempting the strenuous activity. And your physician can also let you know if your intended exercise regimen is too intense or not intense enough.
If possible, you should try to get 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week. Additionally, you should engage in strength exercises at least twice a week.
Sticking to this exercise regimen will make you healthier and happier, and all while making your diabetes easier to manage.
Stress and Diabetes
Stress plays a major role in diabetes. If you already have diabetes, your health may suffer due to the stress you experience. And if you don’t already have diabetes, there is a chance that stress could cause it!
Recent research has revealed a potential link between stress and Type 2 diabetes. This is because stress hormones may actually prevent insulin-producing cells in your pancreas from working right and limit how much insulin your body produces.
That can lead to type 2 diabetes. And if you are a “stress eater,” then packing on extra pounds due to stress you are experiencing may also cause type 2 diabetes.
Stress is also a factor if you already have diabetes. You might get hypo anxiety or simply feel overwhelmed due to having to manage so many things as a part of your condition. And a recent study discovered that stress hormones may lead to higher blood sugar levels.
Different Types of Stress and Your Diabetes
There are multiple types of stress that you may be experiencing. And these different types of stress have different effects on your diabetes.
If you have type 2 diabetes, mental stress may increase blood glucose levels. And if you have type 1 diabetes, mental stress could potentially lower or increase your blood glucose.
You may also experience physical stress. This may increase your blood sugar no matter what kind of diabetes you have. And your body may have the same reaction when you are sick or injured.
Dealing With Stress
Obviously, stress can be a scary factor when it comes to diabetes. Fortunately, there are multiple ways you can deal with this stress.
Make sure you get enough sleep each night. And try to establish a regular exercise routine, as this can fight stress and also keep your body healthy.
It’s important to schedule some relaxation time for yourself each day so you don’t stress yourself by working too hard. And finally, don’t be afraid to reach out to your support network whenever you are feeling frightened or overwhelmed, and don’t be ashamed if you need to turn to therapy.
Different Solutions for Different Types of Stress
The above suggestions can help with general feelings of stress. But once you isolate what kind of stress you are experiencing, you can try out some very specific solutions.
For example, taking up yoga or other regular exercise is a great way to deal with physical stress. If you are experiencing emotional stress, try to isolate yourself for at least five minutes and breathe deeply. During this time, placing your hand on your belly while you breathe may help you calm down.
Stress from family or work basically has the same solution: setting proper limits. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to stressful family events. And at work, talk to your supervisor if you are feeling overwhelmed before things get worse.
What Next?
Now you know how to handle your own diabetes self management. But do you know who can make that process much easier?At Ingredia, we specialize in innovative ingredients that can help create healthy dairy products. To learn more about what our research can do for you, contact us today!
by Ingredia USA | Mar 5, 2021 | Stress Management
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States? Every 36 seconds, an American dies due to heart disease. With roughly 655,000 deaths each year, heart disease is responsible for killing 1 in 4 Americans.
The good news is that doctors are getting better at diagnosing and treating heart disease. Medical professionals also know the common causes of heart disease. This way, unhealthy behaviors can be eliminated before they become a bigger issue.
Stress is one of the primary causes of heart disease. Read on to learn how wellness at home reduces the risk of heart disease. Explore topics like heart disease prevention and stress management.
What Are the Common Causes of Heart Disease?
There are many different causes of heart disease. Diabetes, obesity, and excessive alcohol use increase the likelihood of heart disease.
Genetics certainly plays a part in a heart disease diagnosis. If someone in your family had heart disease, there is an increased likelihood it will affect you too.
Your lifestyle choices play the most significant role in managing heart disease risk. Common causes of heart disease include an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.
In the rush to prevent heart disease, doctors look for three risk factors. High blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking are clinically proven as precursors for heart disease.
While smoking is harder to control, high blood pressure and cholesterol are two red flags at a doctor’s appointment. The above causes are likely the reason for the presence of these risk factors.
What Is the Connection Between Stress and Heart Disease?
Stress is a common occurrence for adults. There is so much to worry about these days.
Adults stress about paying the bills or work-related issues. Parents stress about their children and are in a constant state of worry. While stress is common, it can have dire consequences.
The byproduct of stress in the body is an increased plaque rate. The excess plaque accumulates in the arteries. Platelets become sticky and, as a result, your arteries are vulnerable to blood clots
Stress also triggers the arteries to constrict, which is problematic for healthy blood pressure. All of these stress-induced reactions increase the likelihood of chest pain or a heart attack.
What Are the Signs of Stress?
You may not realize how much stress you are under. Most people mistakenly believe that stress only manifests by yelling or angry outbursts. However, there are many signs and symptoms of stress.
From a physical standpoint, stress commonly leads to insomnia. Body pain, muscle tension, and migraines are other physical symptoms.
Some stressed-out individuals have gastrointestinal issues. Others report a racing heart and unexplained sweating.
Stress also has emotional and behavioral responses. Many people develop depression or anxiety as a result of stress. Another reaction to stress is to consume excess alcohol or food.
There is not always an outward expression of emotion. A significant number of people avoid social situations and turn to isolation.
How Are Heart Disease Risk Factors Treated?
There are many different prescription medicines used to treat high blood pressure and cholesterol. However, doctors prefer to lower blood pressure and cholesterol naturally.
The focus immediately turns to wellness. This means the doctors want you to exercise more and implement a healthy diet.
Beyond diet and exercise, there is an emphasis on stress reduction as well. Wellness also involves reducing stress with techniques like meditation.
How to Promote Wellness at Home?
There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can make to promote wellness. Continue reading to learn about each one:
Physical Activity and Fitness
The first thing you can do is set a dedicated time for physical activity and fitness. This does not mean you need to run a marathon or do a bench press.
There are many different forms of physical activity that promote wellness. For example, some people like to plant and maintain a garden. Others like to meet up with a friend and take the dog for a walk.
Dietary Changes
Another way to promote wellness is reimaging your diet. Many foods contain ingredients that contribute to high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Some foods seem healthy on the surface but have a high concentration of sugar or sodium. Take your favorite yogurt as the perfect example. Many yogurts have so much sugar that they lose much of their nutritional value.
You cannot automatically assume that every dairy product is healthy. The best strategy is to look for ingredients that are proven healthy.
The right dairy ingredients promote muscle, digestive, bone, and mental health. These ingredients include Osteum, Proferrin, and Lactium.
We suggest taking a deep look into the ingredients of your favorite items. This holds true even if the item is commonly perceived as healthy like a dairy item.
Create a Healthy Environment
The old adage is that the home is your temple. You spend more time here than in any other place. To promote wellness, you should emphasize health in the home.
Start with the air that you breathe. Did you know that indoor air is up to five times more polluted than outdoor air?
To change this dynamic, frequently change air filters to eliminate airborne irritants. Invest in an air purifier and scents that promote stress relief.
The next step is to eliminate clutter that causes stress. Sell or throw out excess items. Lastly, purchase some indoor plants and create a blissful living space.
Mental Health Exercises
Far too many people emphasize physical health at the expense of mental health. To reduce stress, it is equally important to focus on mental wellness.
You can achieve this with a number of mental exercises. Meditation is one popular method. Other techniques are breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation.
Connecting Heart Disease, Stress, and Wellness at Home
You can live a long, healthy life by reducing stress. Promoting wellness at home is an effective way to do so.
Many people find success by creating a healthier environment. They focus on things like air quality and decluttering. The key is finding time to incorporate positive activities in your day and focus on your personal health.Mental health exercises and changing your diet go a long way. If you are interested in our research and ingredients that promote wellness at home, contact us today to speak with a specialist.
by Ingredia USA | Feb 19, 2021 | News & Press
If you’re a parent, you know the challenge of putting your children to sleep at night all too well.
It’s not easy preparing and calming your kids down for bedtime, but it’s essential that you do your best so that they can enjoy plenty of high-quality sleep. When children don’t get enough sleep, they have difficulty concentrating and controlling their emotions.
They may become irritable or hyperactive. Additionally, kids who are sleep deprived are more likely to have behavioral problems.
But don’t worry. If you want to learn how to calm kids down before bed, we’re here to help.
Set up a Routine
One of the best ways to avoid bedtime stress is by setting up a regular nightly routine for your kids. This encourages good sleep patterns.
A consistent bedtime routine of bath, story, and bed can help smaller children feel ready to snooze. For older children, you might cut out the story and replace it with a quick and quiet chat about their day before switching the lights out.
Setting regular sleeping and waking times for the whole family also helps calm children before bed. Just be sure to follow them, even on the weekend.
You can tell that your kids are getting enough sleep when they fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes of going to bed and can wake up easily during the day.
Many kids will also ask for that ‘one last thing’, whether it’s a big hug, a drink of water, another story, or a trip to the bathroom. Do your best to involve these requests by making them part of the bedtime routine.
It’s also essential to let your child know that once they are in bed, they need to stay in bed. If they refuse, try not to react negatively but take them by the hand and walk them back to bed.
Remember, if you argue or give in to their demands, you’re just giving your kids extra attention and delaying bedtime.
Try not to give in to the ‘just this one-time’ pitfall. If you let your children stay up longer, ‘just this once’, they will try to delay it again and again, potentially undoing the bedtime routine you’ve worked on and accomplished.
Work as a Team
It’s essential to discuss and agree on a sleeping routine with your child or spouse beforehand so that you can work as a team to reduce stress before bedtime. Without any discussion, you can’t expect your kids to learn or change their behaviors.
If you’re starting a new sleep routine for your children, make them feel involved by explaining the new structure to them if they’re old enough to understand.
For younger children, use an illustrated picture chart to help them learn and understand the new routine. It should demonstrate actions like changing clothes, brushing teeth, and reading bedtime stories.
Create a Calming Environment
Creating a cozy and calming environment in the bedroom is also essential in reducing kids’ stress before sleep. Always ensure that the bedroom is dark and quiet, and the noise level throughout the house is low. The blue light coming from televisions, computer screens, mobile phones, and tablets delays sleepiness and suppresses melatonin levels.
Bright lights in the hour or so before bedtime can have the same effect on children. Always turn off devices at least one hour before bedtime and keep bright screens out of your kids’ room at night. Dim the lights an hour or so before bed for kids of preschool age and younger.
If your child doesn’t like a completely dark room, switch on a small night light or leave the hall light on with the bedroom door open. If you choose a night-light, select a dim and warm-colored globe instead of a bright, white, cool-colored lamp.
You should also check the noise inside your child’s bedroom to avoid disrupting them.
If your children tend to watch the clock, encourage your kid to move it or place it in a spot where they can’t see it from the bed.
Deal With Sleep Issues
If your child struggles with sleeping issues, such as difficulties falling asleep, waking up at night, avoiding going to bed, waking up at night, or snoring, make sure you deal with these problems.
You may also notice issues in daytime behavior. If your child seems overly tired, sleepy, or agitated during the day, it may be worth speaking to their doctor.
Make Story Time Part of the Routine
If you don’t already have storytime as part of your bedtime routine, try adding it in right away. Whether it’s independent reading or spending time together as a family, reading before bedtime is a great habit of starting early. Many children continue this habit as they grow older.
To make storytime fun, why not create a reading nook, fort, or den with cozy blankets to give them a quiet space for reading.
Now You Know How to Calm Kids Down Before Bed
Congratulations – now you know how to calm kids down before bed! Remember, there are no hard and fast rules for a bedtime routine as every child is different.
Create a routine that works well with your family and make an effort to stick with it.
Want to learn more about practicing a healthy sleeping routine? Understand the effects of sleeping disorders on your health here.
