Donating blood? What to do before and after you donate blood?

Donating blood is one of the best things one can do to give back to the society. It not only makes us feel good but also makes a huge difference in our and the life of the one in need. This act has benefits that make it not just an act of kindness, but also a way of life to make your body healthy.

Let’s look at some benefits to our body when we donate blood :

Heart health gets better

As we donate blood, the overall cardiovascular health improves drastically.

The level of iron in the blood that can lead to severe heart problems gets in control and can reduce the chances of heart attack by 88% and cardiovascular stroke by 33% respectively.

Improves overall fitness

When we donate blood regularly, our calorie count remains in check. One pint of blood donated burns around 650 calories, making us feel not just good about ourselves but re-energized as well.

Reduces the risk of cancer

 The study by Miller-Keystone center has proven that people who donate blood have fewer chances of having cancer types like throat, liver, lung, colon, and stomach.

Saving life is not just about being rewarded, but being careful as well. These are some things you should keep in mind before doing this amazing act because blood donors are an integral part of the society.

Here is a checklist to help you do this act without feeling dizzy or uneasy:

Do’s

Iron-rich meals

Have meals that are rich in iron, in order to reduce the risk of iron deficiency anemia which is responsible for the development of hemoglobin, that carries oxygen in our body. List of food rich in iron are:

•         Meats- lamb and pork
•         Poultry- Chicken and turkey
•         Fish- tuna, shrimp
•         Eggs
•         Vegetables- Spinach, Broccoli, Beets, peas
•         Fruits- Watermelon, strawberries, dates
  

Keep yourself hydrated

The blood donated is 50% water, which means being hydrated will help in keeping a check on the blood pressure.  Hence, not leading to dizziness when we donate blood

Don’ts

No Alcohol

Alcohol is an element that dehydrates your body and avoiding it 24 hours before donating blood is very important.

Fried food and too much sugar

Foods high in fat and sugar like burger, fries and ice cream often affect the tests. These tests are done during the blood donation. Hence the diseases that are infectious is not detected often before blood transfusion.

Break from caffeine

Having too much coffee/tea will lead to blocking the absorption of iron in the body. Deficiency of iron in the body leads to low hemoglobin level in the blood. You may become dizzy or nauseous after donation if your hemoglobin level is already low or on the borderline.

Have a good break for one hour before the donation, to avoid immediate effects like dizziness and feeling nauseous. Come out of the donation booth feeling good about yourself and without any trace of weakness in your body. People who donate blood are the real heroes of the society who believe in saving lives.

And like every superhuman, serve yourself first, before reaching out to the world!

Tips-

• Please avoid smoking on the day before donating blood. You can smoke 3 hours after donating.
• Start exercising after 12 hours of donating blood.
• Download the Blood Donor App to receive appointment reminders, start your RapidPass and more.