Israeli startup helps beat stress with unique nutrition bars – I24NEWS

The Israeli startup MyAir, founded in 2019, has developed a revolutionary concept aimed at combating the enemy of all: chronic stress. It is a smart food company based on user data, helping to guide them in their stress management, providing them with personalized follow-up via a plant-based bar program. The myAir Insights app collects 80,000 data points per day in real time from the person’s smartwatch, including heart rate variability, sleep quality, energy levels and stress patterns. MyAir, the first and only of its kind to offer this kind of alternative to drugs to overcome stress, has already conquered the American market.

The principle is simple. Once the user has answered a large questionnaire about their lifestyle and habits, the platform records cognitive data in order to analyze and create the body-mind profile of the person.

Based on this profile, myAir Insights develops a personalized dashboard that empowers everyone with tailored information, tools and behavioral challenges to naturally manage their stress. Depending on the answers given, people will be advised on the two types of nutrition bars they should consume to improve their quality of life.

“Stress is an important element because it acts as a booster in our lives, but when it overwhelms us, it can put us in danger. Doing meditation or relaxation every day is not easy, so we opted for food to change our health because health always starts with nutrition,” said Rachel Yarcony, CEO and co-founder of MyAir at i24NEWS.

The myAir science team, which includes researchers from Berkeley, Stanford and Macgill, conducted a study with leading technology company Garmin, and found that the myAir solution reduced stress for 73% of participants and improved the quality of sleep for 84% of them.

Bars with plant extracts to de-stress

Nutrition Bars contain an exclusive blend of adaptogens (botanical extracts) and super botanicals that are proven to reduce stress. They connect to receptors in the endocrine system and the autonomic nervous system to counter the effects of stress by bringing the body back to homeostasis. Gluten-free and vegan, the bars contain less than 100 calories. One bar a day is enough to get rid of tension.

“People also receive instructions on the foods they should eat, which help for example to sleep better, which are adapted to the profile of the person. After only 5 days of consumption of the bars, 84% of people have improved the quality of their sleep, and 80% managed their stress better,” Rachel said.

“Research has proven that the best way to change behavior is to attach a new habit to something we already enjoy doing. That’s why we use healthy, functional nutrition as the first step to creating a routine. stress management,” she continued.

Stress is the 6th leading cause of death worldwide and stress levels have only increased in recent years, especially due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the United States, 83% of the population suffer from stress and 60% of employees say that their company does not give them the tools to combat it, which can lead to burnout and physical problems. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified stress as the global health epidemic of the 21st century. In the United States alone, stress is estimated to cost American businesses $300 billion a year.

How it all began

MyAir was born out of a personal need for Rachel who was exposed to intense stressful situations. Holder of a master’s degree in business management obtained in France, first worked for the food group Strauss in Israel then Osem before joining the pharmaceutical company Teva where she was vice-president of international marketing.

“As Teva went through a big crisis, I started to feel a lot of chronic anxiety and I looked for a solution that wouldn’t come from drugs, I met a researcher who explained to me the principle of adaptogens and I decided to set up my startup”, she told i24NEWS.

Along with tech entrepreneur Dovev Goldstein, they have brought together world-renowned researchers, scientists, and clinical herbalists, along with a top-notch technology team, to disrupt the food industry with the first personalized nutrition solution that offers continuous monitoring to users.

In the future, MyAir wants to venture into the European market and export its expertise in stress management.

Caroline Haïat is a journalist for the French site of i24NEWS