With a staggering number of people around the world confined into their living space during the Covid-19 pandemic, many have turned their attention towards binge-watching movies or series to pass the time. More often than not, reliving the cinema experience with the company of a few delectable treats is a natural thing to do - so here is our take on some of the top snacks for a Netflix binge.

The solo snacker

If you’re eager to binge an entire season of “Friends” or “Big Bang Theory” on your own, these staple snacks will keep you filled for hours:

Ice-Cream

A universal dessert that has washed down hearty meals for decades - ice-cream is an incredibly safe option with a plethora of flavours to choose from. Whether you’re a fan of the classics like ‘Vanilla’ or something niche like Ben & Jerry’s recently available “Boots on the Moooo’n” - this dessert has something for everyone. Popsicles and ice-cream sandwiches are decent choices, but would most likely indulge your taste buds for a mere fleeting moment or two. We recommend an “all-in” approach with a full on tub and your biggest spoon - if anyone deserves to be treated with royalty after a long day at school or the office, it’s you. 

https://www.tovolo.com/product/sweet-treats-tub/

Trail Mix (the healthy kind) 

Much like ice-cream, trail mix is a flexible option for avid munchers, but if you are looking to gorge healthily - here are a few of ingredients you could try. One of the most popular combinations these days includes a mixture of banana chips, peanuts, almonds and dark chocolate chips. This combination chucks copious amounts of sugar at the backseat and offers a well-rounded and personalized approach to healthy snacking. If you’d like to mix it up, other recommended ingredients include raisins, dried mangos, pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs. The sky’s the limit with your creativity and your taste may be too impeccable for unknowing guests to even comprehend.

https://www.myketokitchen.com/keto-recipes/keto-trail-mix/

The more the merrier

Whether you’re playing host or a humble guest to someone else’s weekly binge session, these snacks are flexible enough for anyone to enjoy.

Popcorn

It’s safe to assume that popcorn has been a must in cinemas since the beginning because of its ability to keep one snacking for hours without feeling stuffed within the first 10 minutes of a film. The classic salted popcorn is as traditional as it gets, and in this day and age, some might consider it a little too safe. Huge popcorn companies like Garrett have taken the snack to the next level with coated chocolate, caramel, nuts and even cheese. Some may see these contemporary options as a bit “excessive”, but it is undeniable that popcorn can easily adapt to different types of food craving at any binge environment.

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/01/thai-red-coconut-curry-flavored-popcorn.html

Chips (not the potato kind)

Regular potato chips could possibly be the epitome of casual snacking, but we’d like to recommend two alternatives that can easily satisfy in a group setting. Corn chips with dip is a tame suggestion at first, but if you and your friends are grandmasters at your “dip-game”, you certainly have one of the best snacks at your disposal. The health-conscious members of your party can easily walk the avocado route for a wholesome experience, while others who seek decadence can lean towards nacho cheese, salsa, mayonnaise and even traditional Asian chilli sauce. 

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-e/ho/philips-chef/recipe-overview-page/starter-snacks/air-fried-tortilla-chips.html

Tapioca chips are known for being slightly healthier than regular potato chips, but don’t let that fool you - anything deep-fried isn’t going on a diet. That being said, its namesake is an ingredient that is distinctive enough for dips and sauces to remain completely optional. In South and SouthEast Asia, this snack is commonly sold salted or with Chilli powder. There are ways to be creative with the recipe, but the fact that not many sellers have found the need to prove how tapioca chips is a fine example of simplicity done right. 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/cassava-or-yuca-chips-2137745

Being cooped up at home due to the pandemic paid handsomely for a Minnesota horticulture teacher who used the extra time to constantly water and feed a massive pumpkin that won this year’s Half Moon Bay pumpkin contest.

Travis Gienger, of Anoka, Minnesota, spent a lot of his free time in the pumpkin patch in his backyard, watering his plants up to 10 times a day and feeding and fertilizing them at least twice each day.

Gienger, 40, then drove his gargantuan gourd for 35 hours to see his hard work pay off at the 47th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, where his winner came in at 2,350 pounds (1,066 kilograms).

“It was nerve-wracking because with every bump on the road I kept thinking, ‘is it going to make it?’” And then finally it got weighed, it was the last one, and oh, my gosh, it’s been incredible!” Gienger said.

Gienger, a landscape and horticulture teacher at Anoka Technical College, has been growing pumpkins since he was a teenager, inspired by his father who also grew them. It was his first time competing at the Half Moon Bay weigh-off but he’s not sure he’ll be back next year.

“I might need a year off from the work and the nerves and everything,” he said, laughing.

The first-time pumpkin champ won $16,450, or $7 per pound, for the lumpy, orange pumpkin that will be showcased during a parade through Half Moon Bay later Monday.

Gienger’s pumpkin was the second-heaviest ever weighed at the 40-year-old California event, but it was still far from a U.S. record. That was set in 2018 when a grower in New Hampshire produced a pumpkin weighing more than 2,500 pounds (1,134 kilograms).

The record for the heaviest pumpkin in the world was set in 2016 at the Giant Pumpkin European Championship in Ludwigsburg, Germany. A Belgium grower’s winning whopper came in at just over 2,600 pounds (1,179 kilograms).

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A cultural programme titled ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ was held on Monday to exchange the inland cultural diversity with participation of teachers from eight countries.

This programme was celebrated as part of the six-month-long programme arranged on the occasion of the International Teachers’ Day and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, according to a press release.

In this programme, teachers from eight countries showcased the intangible cultural heritage of their countries.

Dr Md Abdul Mannan, Project Director (Additional Secretary), a2i was present as the chief guest. Kizzy Tahnin, Program Officer, UNESCO Bangladesh and Mohammed Rafiqul Islam, Educational Technology Expert, a2i were also present as guests.

In his speech, Mannan said we believe teachers can bring changes in the society. “So, this kind of arrangement strengthens the sharing of culture. The participating teachers can present cultural diversity to their students through this.”

Tahnin said Intangible Culture not only presents the cultural position of a country but also the manner and individuality of a society or tribe.

"It’s very important to know or study about a tribe or a society," he said.

At the time, he discussed the cultural and traditional activities of UNESCO and about the intangible culture of Bangladesh.

Besides the teachers of Government Teachers Training College, representatives of a2i, and a number of national and international teachers joined the programme online.

The education system of a country, educational institutions and teachers play a great role to introduce the students to their own culture, to create cultural values and to create positive mentality towards other cultures, the press release said.

This cultural programme was arranged to recognise the similarities and dissimilarities of different countries with our own intangible cultural heritage.

Under the implementation of a joint venture of Education Ministry, Ministry of Primary and Mass education and The Aspire to Innovate (a2i) programme of the ICT Division and the Cabinet Division, supported by the UNDP, it was the first cultural episode of a six-month-long programme titled ‘Teachers: Leadership in Crisis, Think Anew about the Future’ with 100 teachers from around the world, education officers, researchers and personalities related to education.

The series of programmes, with almost 21 seminars, five cultural programs and six side events will end on March 17, 2021. 

Under the supervision of Md Mohiuddin, English teacher of Chittagong Presidency International School, the cultural tradition of India, ‘Kalamkari’ was presented by Aditee Kulkarni, the cultural tradition and spiritual music of Russia ‘Tyvan’  and ‘Khuresh’ were presented by Nadezhda Ivanova, Indian cultural diversity was highlighted by Shabbi Parwez, cultural tradition of Turkey ‘Turkish coffee’ was presented by Derya Ceylan, the cultural tradition of South Africa was presented by Elliot Mashinini, the tradition of Pakistan ‘Kelash Culture’ was presented by Muhammad Asif Iqbal, Indian ancient religious feast ‘Kumvamela’ was presented by Sandhya Mishra, the traditional culture of Croatia was presented by Snjezana Kovacevic, the ancient recipe of Moroccan delicacy ‘Couscous’ was presented by Asmae Nasri, the effect of Indian dance on Canadian culture was presented by Indrani Choudhury and the tradition of Bangladesh ’Jamdani Saree’ was presented by Md Mohiuddin.

Speakers at a webinar have laid emphasis on taking mental health issues seriously to ensure healthy growth of all.

The webinar was held on Sunday night marking the International Mental Health Day, said a press release.

Quoting research they said the mental stability of children very much depends on the psychological condition of the parents.

Hosted by Dr. Tazdeek Hasan Deep, the Research Associate of Liverpool, Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed, an associate professor from the Institution of Mental Health and Child Psychologist and Researcher, Sharmima Shirazi from ICDDRB participated in the discussion.

"With the assistance of social and domestic awareness, starting from pregnant mothers to every newly born and grown-up child, everyone’s mental health should be taken care of and parents have a role to play on ensuring the psychological stimulation of the children," said researcher Sharmina Sirazi.

Besides, Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed s a id, “It is hard to introduce new policies without research and the more we work on improving our mentality, the more criminal activities due to the lack of ethics will decrease. Counseling or psychological assistance should be provided with standard quality.”

The complete webinar has been conducted by A.N.M. Fakhrul Amin, the Founder and Executive Director of “ACTIONISTS.”

ACTIONISTS ” is a non-profit organization volunteered by the youngsters of Bangladesh about educating people on the importance of mental health which has been providing free counseling since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Read Also: COVID-19 disrupts mental health services in most countries: WHO survey

Sitting for long periods has harmful health consequences.

A number of health researchers suggested that sitting or lying down for too long increases your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and Colon cancer and Overproductive pancreas.

“We know sitting too much is bad, and most of us intuitively feel a little guilty after a long TV binge. But what exactly goes wrong in our bodies when we park ourselves for nearly eight hours per day, the average for a U.S. adult? Many things, say four experts, who detailed a chain of problems from head to toe,” reports Washington post.

Organ damage

Heart disease

Muscles burn less fat and blood flows more sluggish during a long sit, allowing fatty acids to more easily clog the heart. Prolonged sitting has been linked to high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, and people with the most sedentary time are more than twice as likely to have cardiovascular disease than those with the least.

Overproductive pancreas

The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that carries glucose to cells for energy. But cells in idle muscles don't respond as readily to insulin, so the pancreas produces more and more, which can lead to diabetes and other diseases. A 2011 study found a decline in insulin response after just one day of prolonged sitting.

Colon cancer

Studies have linked sitting to a greater risk for colon, breast and endometrial cancers. The reason is unclear, but one theory is that excess insulin encourages cell growth. Another is that regular movement boosts natural antioxidants that kill cell-damaging

— and potentially cancer-causing — free radicals.

Muscle degeneration

Mushy abs

When you stand, move or even sit up straight, abdominal muscles keep you upright. But when you slump in a chair, they go unused. Tight back muscles and wimpy abs form a posture-wrecking alliance that can exaggerate the spine's natural arch, a condition called hyperlordosis, or swayback.

Tight hips

Flexible hips help keep you balanced, but chronic sitters so rarely extend the hip flexor muscles in front that they become short and tight, limiting range of motion and stride length. Studies have found that decreased hip mobility is a main reason elderly people tend to fall.

Limp glutes

Sitting requires your glutes to do absolutely nothing, and they get used to it. Soft glutes hurt your stability, your ability to push off and your ability to maintain a powerful stride.

Leg disorders

Poor circulation in legs

Sitting for long periods of time slows blood circulation, which causes fluid to pool in the legs. Problems range from swollen ankles and varicose veins to dangerous blood clots called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Soft bones

Weight-bearing activities such as walking and running stimulate hip and lower-body bones to grow thicker, denser and stronger. Scientists partially attribute the recent surge in cases of osteoporosis to lack of activity.

Trouble at the top

Foggy brain

Moving muscles pump fresh blood and oxygen through the brain and trigger the release of all sorts of brain- and mood-enhancing chemicals. When we are sedentary for a long time, everything slows, including brain function.

Strained neck

If most of your sitting occurs at a desk at work, craning your neck forward toward a keyboard or tilting your head to cradle a phone while typing can strain the cervical vertebrae and lead to permanent imbalances.

Sore shoulders and back

The neck doesn't slouch alone. Slumping forward overextends shoulder and back muscles as well, particularly the trapezius, which connects the neck and shoulders.

Bad back

Inflexible spine

When we move, soft discs between vertebrae expand and contract like sponges, soaking up fresh blood and nutrients. But when we sit for a long time, discs are squashed unevenly. Collagen hardens around tendons and ligaments.

Disk damage

People who sit more are at greater risk for herniated lumbar disks. A muscle called the psoas travels through the abdominal cavity and, when it tightens, pulls the upper lumbar spine forward. Upper-body weight rests entirely on the ischial tuberosity (sitting bones) instead of being distributed along the arch of the spine.

The right way to sit

If you have to sit often, try to do it correctly. As Mom always said, "Sit up straight."

• Not leaning forward

• Shoulders relaxed

• Arms close to sides

• Elbows bent 90°

• Lower back may be supported

• Feet flat on floor

So what can we do? The experts recommend ………

Sitting on something wobbly such as an exercise ball or even a backless stool to force your core muscles to work. Sit up straight and keep your feet flat on the floor in front of you so they support about a quarter of your weight.

Stretching the hip flexor for three minutes per side once a day.

Walking during commercials when you're watching TV. Even a snail-like pace of 1 mph would burn twice the calories of sitting, and more vigorous exercise would be even better.

Alternating between sitting and standing at your work station. If you can't do that, stand up every half hour or so and walk.

Trying yoga poses — the cow pose and the cat — to improve extension and flexion in your back.

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