Blood Donation Benefits: Blood donation is an essential activity that we, as a society, need to adhere more to, because it helps save lives of others but it also can help you, shall you ever need it. People worldwide are suffering from illnesses that requires them to have a blood transfusion and their only hope of being alive is dependent on us.
For most of us, blood donation is a scare idea because it involves being pricked with a needle and a bag of our blood is filled, but we need to keep in mind that blood will be produced by our bodies because we’re healthy but there are those whose bodies have given up on them.
A majority of us never have never donated blood and the mere thought of donating blood scares us, but when we donate blood once and see the impact that it has on people to whom it is being given, we are overcome with joy.
There are many illnesses and medical practices worldwide that require for regular blood transfusions such as Leukemia, Kidney Failures, Surgery and Thalasemia. The fact that blood is so essential to humans, boils down to the fact that is what carries nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body to ensure that everything is running perfectly well.
If we are to talk about the Blood Donation Benefits blood then there are many, such as:
Improvement in blood flow
Our blood is thick and at times its viscosity can go up which may obstruct the blood flow as it becomes dense and thick, and it begins to flow like molasses. Thus, by donating blood we are not only saving the lives of other but also helping ourselves. Smooth flow of blood can help the body as essential elements in our blood are carried to all the parts of the body, moreover, blood with high viscosity can clog up arteries and cause clots.
You get a quick and brief check-up
When we go to donate blood, our vitals are checked and some other small tests are run quickly on us and our blood so that its safe to donate blood. Our lives are hectic and we may not always be able to go to a hospital and consult a physician because we may have no time or simply because we just don’t want to take the effort on us. But nonetheless, it is essential that we keep an eye our blood and our bodies, and by donating blood we get to know the condition that we are in.
Balances out the iron levels in us
Our blood has many elements such as zinc, phosphorus, urea and iron. Iron is an essential part of our bodies because it helps our bodies grow but also at the same time keeps our bones strong. But, having too much iron in our blood can lead to abnormalities in our blood such as stroke, abnormalities in our blood vessels and heart attack. But, by donating blood, our iron levels are reduced and they gradually go back up as we consume food.Additionally, if you suffer from low iron levels and still want to donate blood then eating an iron supplement may help.
It may help you live longer
Studies have suggested that people who donated blood are expected to live for 4 more years than the ones who did not donate blood. So, in other words you are not only helping save someone else’s life but also your own.It is absolutely vital that we recognize the importance of blood donors and what a great act they are taking part in. Furthermore, we need to remember that the need for blood is always there, so, we do not have to wait for someone to ask us to donate blood, we could just walk to a hospital and volunteer to donate blood.
Giving blood can help your liver stay healthy
As we talked about earlier, having too much iron in our bloodstream is dangerous because it harms many parts of our body, including our liver. Research has suggested that blood donating is an activity that helps relieve your blood iron levels but also at the same time significantly reduces the risk of Hepatitis C and other such liver related illnesses and viruses.
Donating blood may reduce the risk of cancer
Some studies have suggested that donating blood may reduce the risk of cancer and blood donation has been proved to be an effective method to reduce iron levels in our blood.
Helps us with our mental states
Volunteering to donate blood has been proved to improve our state of mind and in some patients it has dramatically helped them with their depression and loneliness. Thus, as the saying goes “A healthy body has a healthy mind”, is truer than ever because it helps us be more creative.