Photo: Colourbox
Those of us who haven’t recently measured the thickness of our cortices don’t know whether we’ll have the predisposition to become SuperAgers or not, but there are things that we can do to help our brains stay sharp. Harvard Medical School recommends that people continue learning and challenging their brains—but that doesn’t mean we have to resign ourselves to Sudoku books and The New York Times crossword puzzle. Harvard suggests that pursuing a hobby (animal advocacy, anyone?) can have the same effect. And since PETA loves to use new technologies to further our reach, you can try those out, too, and double down on your efforts to challenge your brain and help animals, feeding two birds with one scone.
The following are a few suggestions to try out for keeping both your brain and animals happy:
- Subscribe to PETA’s mobile alerts. This is the easiest way to take action for animals in a jiffy, no matter where you are. PETA will send you a text message when animals desperately need your help (on average, about one text message per week). You can simply reply “Y” to tell an animal abuser to call off the cruelty!
- Load your smartphone with some animal-friendly apps. From finding tasty vegan food on the go to knowing whether a product is cruelty-free, you’ll have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.
- Add links to PETA’s website on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. You can share an animal rights message with hundreds of people with just a few clicks.
- Of course, nourishing foods protect our brains, too. A study of more than 3,000 seniors in Chicago showed that those who ate plenty of vegetables had significantly better memories and cognitive function than those who didn’t. Recent research has also linked the saturated fat, cholesterol, and toxins found in meat and dairy products to a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. But the protective properties of substances found in plants, including antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, help substantially lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
We already knew that being kind to animals is also kind to our bodies. As it turns out, it’s kind to our brains as well!
