HEALTHY BODY · NOVEMBER 2018
D
onating blood may be one
of the most impactful small
sacrifices one can make
for a stranger. As of yet,
there is no viable way for
scientists and doctors to introduce any
sort of artificial blood into the human
bloodstream and obtain the desired
effect. Therefore, any time patients need
a transfusion, they’re dependent on the
kindness of others, which may be selfless
enough to help save their lives. According
to the Central Blood Bank, about 38% of
the nation’s citizens are able to donate.
Why is it then, that less than 10% of the
population actually does?
Giving blood can seem scary, I get it. I don’t
like needles either. You’d be hard pressed
to find somebody who does. And aside
from a blood drive coming to your work or
school once a year, it may be a bit of a time
commitment to drive to and wait at your
nearest blood bank to give a little of yourself.
Some may be concerned by the possible
lightheadedness or the sight of their own
blood being collected in eerie vials. But, hey,
nobody said it was easy to do some good
in this world. And that doesn’t mean that it
won’t be totally worth it.
There are even some benefits for yourself!
The most obvious being the fuzzy feeling that
comes from building on your positive karmic
tally. For a lot of people, it can be quite
similar to the feeling they get from doing
volunteer work: you took some time out of
your day, blood out of your stream, and you
helped save someone’s life. That’s got to stick
with you for the rest of the day, maybe even
week—leaving a certain radiance on almost
every subsequent interaction you have.
THE HEALTH
BENEFITS OF
DONATING
BLOOD
But aside from that, it’s also quite prescient in that you get to
check your blood’s fitness without having to do a full, sometimes
costly, medical examination. The doctor on duty is required to
give you a mini-physical before the phlebotomist begins the
procedure, so they end top checking your heart rate, blood
pressure, hemoglobin count, and other essential aspects of
your vascular health. This is done to make sure that needy
patients don't receive potentially unhealthy blood, but you can
also benefit greatly from knowing this information, especially
if you’re still some months away from your yearly physical.
One of the most common problems that comes to light during the
mini-physical is an imbalance of iron. If you have too much or too little
of this essential mineral, it will sure as day come out on your pre-
donation blood work. Knowing this information before any symptoms
really come to light can save you a whole lot of pain, money, and maybe
even your life. Issues with iron storage can lead to maladies such as
hemochromatosis and heart attacks.
So, one way or another, donating blood is one of the best things you
can do. You may be giving to your mom, uncle, or classmate, or you may
be giving to a complete and total stranger. Either way, you are helping
someone stay alive. And you are noble for doing so.
By Andres F. Portillo Del Valle
29 HEALTHY MAGAZINE