It is a proven fact that regular exercise is an excellent action to prevent as well as to treat cardiovascular disease, Type-2 diabetes, arthritis, cancer and even depression. Studies say that exercise can treat mental health problems, boost our well-being and mood and help a great way to unwind from the stresses of life. The easiest way to exercise is to make it a part of our daily life like walking or cycling instead of riding a car or bus and doing stretching exercises just for a while whenever we get a short break. I think nature is the best physical instructor. We can easily learn how to make exercise a part of ourselves just by watching the activities of birds, cats and dogs in our locality. I see that whenever a sparrow comes to sit on our windowsill, it gets itself busy with preening. Just after having a little food, it again starts exercising in the name of preening! As a matter of fact, birds preen not only to remove dust, dirt and parasites from their feathers but also to align each feather in the optimum position in relation to adjacent feathers and body shape and in doing so they exercise more often than not. After rain, sparrows make a great celebration by having a bath using just a small amount of stagnant

water lying on the field. Most interestingly, they even enjoy dust bath on a dry field.

Indeed, they know how to keep themselves alive and kicking! We can also learn from dogs and cats how to keep our body fit. Whenever these animals get an opportunity they start doing exercises for a while. Both cats and dogs are fond of stretching work out. One day, I had to shoo away a street dog that blocked our stairs but before moving away, it stretched its body to and fro and then walked away with dignity. A dog violently shakes its body to clean dirt and water. While cleaning is shaking exercise for the dog, it is a licking gymnastic for the cat. A cat does many kinds of acrobatic feats to lick its body clean from chest to tail! So, nature tells us that apart from following a strict routine for our work out, we must also take a short break from the computer and start doing neck, eye and leg exercise for a few minutes while sitting on a chair.

Sujit De, Kolkata

Test cricket

It was an excellent performance from England in the third match of the 3-test series where it competed against the West Indies. The home team went on to win the first test without any hassle as it battered the Caribbean team by an inning and 209 runs.

Anyway the Windies went on to level the series by winning the second test by five wickets. As a matter of surprise, England returned with a superb comeback in order to hammer the West Indies in the third test by 9 wickets.

What can be said for certain from the way England played under the pink ball and day-night format, the creator of cricket is ready to understand the condition of test cricket no matter what. Now it’s time for the Nepalese cricket team to learn how to play well under any given condition regardless of whoever the opponent is.

Pratik Shrestha, Buddhanagar