Donating blood is the closest you can get to being a superhero!
After all, your one-time whole blood donation could actually save up to 3 human lives!
In fact, any one who donates whole blood regularly every 56 days, starting at 17 years old until they reach 76 will have potentially saved more than 1,000 lives! 🙂
But your blood donation is not just helping those who receive your blood. There are surprisingly many benefits of blood donation for you as well. Check ’em out below:
- Free blood analysis: Before you donate blood, your blood is compulsorily screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis. Moreover, your blood is also checked for its hemoglobin levels while you are checked blood pressure and general health. Under normal circumstances, this can validate how healthy you are otherwise it can alert you to the possibility of any impending diseases or health issues that can possibly be nipped in the bud.
2. Balance blood iron level: A high iron level has significant negative consequences for the body. It can cause a variety of complications such as hardening of arteries, muscle weakness, irregular heartbeats, decreased libido, lethargy, enlarged liver, and accelerated cholesterol oxidation to name a few. But just through a single blood donation, you can remove 225-250 mg of iron from your body; thereby reducing your risks for these health issues.
3. Lower risk of cancer: An increased concentration of iron is one of the major causal factor for the development of cancer. By keeping the blood iron levels in check, donating blood lowers your risk of cancer.
4. Lower risk of dementia: This is again connected to the iron levels with higher levels of iron in the blood increasing the risk for dementia significantly. Regular blood donors escape this risk by purging extra iron from their bloodstream periodically.
5. Burn calories: One pint of blood donated will shed 650 calories off you. Though you can only make the next blood donation after 2-3 months, this figure is still significant for the calorie-counters or those who’re on a healthy weight-loss plan.
6. Improve cardiovascular health: According to American Journal of Epidemiology, blood donors are 88% less likely to suffer a heart attack.
This is again majorly due to the iron stores in the blood. The iron constricts the blood vessels and increases the viscosity of the blood. On blood donation, the iron levels are balanced in the blood, which allows the blood to flow better, consequently lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
7. Increase life span: With a decreased risk for the major killers like cancer, cardiovascular diseases and dementia, the overall life span of regular blood donors increases.
8. Better psychological health: By donating blood you get a sense of significance and this altruistic gesture makes you feel good about yourself in general. This boosts your mood, improves confidence, and brings about a better psychological health.
Though there are many benefits of donating blood just one time, but most of these benefits of blood donation are experienced by the regular donors.
Have you donated blood before? Share your experience with us in the comments below! Are you ready to be a blood donor? Check out this link to get going!
Knowledge is power so do share this post with those who’re considering blood donation 🙂
