Nutrition, food and festivals: Here are Mid-day Online’s top features this week

This week had a mix of health, festivities and food. Photo Courtesy: istock/Trushant Ingle/Mid-day file pic

This week has been busy, it not only had National Nutrition Week but also Teacher's Day followed by Onam and the end of Ganeshotsav celebrations. Continuing from the first week of September where we focused on weight gain in health and fitness, we delved into why parents need to pay attention to their child's nutrition ahead of the seasons changing, post-Covid-19 diet and schools reopening in full swing. Experts say adopting healthy habits early, while avoiding junk food can go a long way in later years. Many people experience stress on a daily basis and that can also lead to skin problems. We spoke to dermatologists who decoded the effects of stress on one's skin in today's times.

In food, after karela and brinjal, we reached out to city chefs for okra, which is not a favourite of quite a few people. They share quick and innovative recipes that not only turned the vegetable into a stir-fry but also a lollipop. With Onam also happening in the same we, Mumbai's Keralites told us about how they plan to bring in celebrations after two years with the pookkalam, rituals and last but not the least, the delicious Onam sadhya, which is relished by people from every community in the city.

With the end of Ganeshotsav only yesterday, former Mumbaikars revisited their favourite memories of celebrating the festival in the city. While they are not here anymore, they still try to celebrate their festival in small or big ways outside the city. In our fortnightly series Shelf Life, we spoke to city-based archaeologist and culinary anthropologist, Kurush Dalal, to learn what's on his bookshelf and more about his reading habits that have shaped him.

This week also had Teacher's Day, so we asked city female teachers how they navigate social media with their professional lives, in light of the recent Kolkata teacher's swimsuit row. We also delved into a how Marathi film 'Zollywood' explores Vidarbha's unique thriving zhadipatti theatre scene, and the challenges faced to bring it to the screen.

Here is a full list of the stories from this week:



National Nutrition Week 2022: Why parents need to pay attention to their child's health
The change in seasons affect children and parents have to always juggle between sick young one and their hectic schedules. City experts say it is especially important for parents to focus on their kid's diet right now. Adopting healthy eating habits early and avoiding junk food can help build good immunity that can go a long away

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Teacher's Day: ‘We have to think twice before posting on social media', say Mumbai teachers
As the country celebrates Teacher's Day, in light of the recent Kolkata university teacher's swimsuit row, mid-day Online spoke to teachers to understand how they navigate the challenges of being in the profession in the social media age

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Explained: How does stress worsen skin problems?
Not many might be aware, but an individual's mental wellbeing does have an impact on their skin too. Dermatologists decode the effects of extreme stress on one's skin health

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How ‘Zollywood' explores the zest of Vidarbha's lesser-known zhadipatti theatre
The Marathi film ‘Zollywood' offers an unfiltered glimpse into Vidarbha's thriving zhadipatti theatre scene. Director Trushant Ingle and writer-actor Asawari Naidu tell us about their early engagements with the form and challenges in bringing it to the big screen

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Bhindi Lollipop? Mumbai chefs share this and other innovative recipes to make with okra
Indian cuisine boasts of a variety of dishes made from bhindi but still there are many who dislike it. After bitter gourd and brinjal, Mid-day Online reaches out to city chefs to share recipes that will change your mind about the vegetable

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Onam 2022: Mumbai's Keralites are excited to bring back festivities with rituals and traditional sadhya
Two years after the Covid-19 pandemic, Mumbai's Malayali community are excited to bring in the harvest festival by decorating their houses with a pookkalam, the flower rangoli. The festival is incomplete without enjoying a feast of the traditional sadhya, and celebrating with friends and family

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Anant Chaturdashi 2022: 'I remember dancing to the beat of dhol and tasha till my feet hurt'
Ahead of Anant Chaturdashi 2022, former Mumbaikars share a piece of their most cherished memories of Ganeshotsav celebrations when they were in the city

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Shelf full of stories: Digging into archaeologist Kurush Dalal's vast collection of books
'Shelf Life' is a fortnightly series that explores the reading culture in Mumbai. This week, we look at what Dalal, who is also a culinary anthropologist, reads and how books have shaped his interests in history and food traditions

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Also Read: Feet style tips! Enhance your outfit with a right pair of footwear this festive season