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Blood Donation – What should you eat before and after donating blood

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Blood is among the most important fluids in our body. It helps transport oxygen from the lungs to your body’s cells and keeps them functioning properly. Hence, lack of blood in a human body or its excessive loss in an accident can be dangerous. This is when donated blood can come in handy.

Blood donation is a voluntary act that can save the lives of accident victims and people with life-threatening conditions. If you are healthy and eligible for blood donation, you can donate blood every three months and help others. However, make sure you take extra care of your health before and after blood donation to avoid feeling sick and dizzy. Also, keep a health insurance policy handy for medical emergencies. You can easily find some of the best health insurance policies online and buy them with a few clicks.

Read on to know about some important blood donation tips. We will also tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of donating blood. Let’s get started with it!

How do hospitals use donated blood for other patients?

Blood donation is not as simple as it may sound. Before donating blood, hospitals ask donors a set of questions to determine if they are fit to donate blood. Only those who are in good health and free of medical conditions can donate blood safely. The blood of the potential donors is also screened for various diseases to prevent their transmission.

Also, if a hospital is looking for a particular blood type for a medical emergency, they will screen the donors’ blood to find out the blood type and Rh type. This is important to ensure that the patient receives the right blood type and there is no inappropriate transfusion.

Also, prior to transfusion, the donors’ blood is tested for additional proteins or antibodies, as these can lead to adverse reactions in receivers.

Here’s some important information about blood:

1. Plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets are the four primary components of blood.

2. Each component of blood can be used separately for different conditions, such as anaemia, cardiac surgeries, blood-related conditions, cancer, and more.

3. Some people may experience an adverse reaction to blood transfusion. The most common ones are allergic and febrile reactions.

4. Researchers also use donated blood to develop new treatments for blood-related conditions. In most cases, blood unsuitable for transfusion is used for developing therapies and treatments.

Blood Donation Tips – Dos and Don’ts Before Donating Blood

According to experts, blood donation is healthy for both the donor and the receiver. However, there are certain things that you must keep in mind before and after donating blood to prevent feeling sick and dizzy.

If you are donating blood for the first time, here are some tips that can be useful:

1. Things to keep in mind before blood donation

• Take someone with you: Do not go to the blood donation centre alone. Blood donation can lead to an abrupt drop in blood pressure as well as cause dizziness. Hence, it is important to take someone along in case you feel sick.

• Eat well and stay hydrated: Take care of what you eat and drink before and after blood donation. Eat a light yet healthy meal and stay hydrated to prevent low blood pressure and associated symptoms.

2. Things you must not do before donating blood

• Do not donate blood if you are unwell: Avoid donating blood if you are feeling under the weather or suffering from an underlying medical condition. Donating blood when you are not well will make you sick further. Getting body piercings done in the past three months will also make you ineligible to donate blood.

• Do not donate blood on an empty stomach: Make sure you eat well before donating blood to prevent low blood pressure, dizziness, shivering, fainting, and other related health issues.

• Do not smoke or drink: Blood containing alcohol or nicotine can harm the receiver rather than do any good to them. So, if you plan to donate blood soon, stop smoking and drinking, as both of these substances can stay in your blood for a long time.

What to Eat Before Donating Blood?

Blood donors should take extra care of their diet to prevent feeling sick after the donation procedure.

So, if you wish to donate blood any time soon, make sure you include nutritious food in your diet to prevent deficiencies later. This will also ensure that the receiver gets better quality blood that can help expedite the person’s recovery process.

If you are wondering what to do before donating blood or what to eat to minimise the side effects of blood donation, we have curated a list for you.

1. Foods rich in Iron

Your body uses iron to make haemoglobin and myoglobin. Haemoglobin is a protein in the red blood cells that plays a vital role in carrying oxygen from the lungs to other body parts. On the other hand, myoglobin is a protein that helps provide oxygen to the muscles.

So, if you plan to donate blood, include lots of iron-rich foods in your diet. Blood donation can reduce iron levels in your body, and consuming foods containing iron can prevent deficiencies.

Some iron-rich foods are:

• Bread and cereals

• Whole white bread

• Enriched pasta

• Wheat products

• Almonds & raisins

• Fruits such as strawberries, watermelons, apricots, figs, and dates

• Vegetables like spinach, green peas, sweet potatoes, beet greens, string beans, kale, collards, and chard

• Seeds of sunflower

• Chickpeas

• Eggs and meat

• Seafood

2. Foods containing Vitamin C

You must also consume foods rich in vitamin C to promote the absorption of iron in the body. Vitamin C also maintains the bones, blood vessels, and cartilage, protects cells, and supports overall health.

Some vitamin C-rich foods are:

• Citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons

• Fruits, such as strawberries, blackcurrants, and kiwi

• Vegetables, such as broccoli, potatoes, brussels sprouts, capsicum, tomatoes, and leafy greens

In addition to healthy foods, drink plenty of water before and after donating blood. Inadequate hydration can make you sick and ineligible for blood donation.

Advantages of Donating Blood

Blood donation offers many health benefits to the donors. The following are the advantages of donating blood regularly:

1. Good heart health: One of the main advantages of blood donation is better heart health. Studies have shown that donating blood regularly helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels and reduces the risk of heart attacks. It can be particularly beneficial for those with high blood pressure.

Blood donation reduces the viscosity of blood in people with high haemoglobin levels. This alleviates the chances of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.

2. Keeps weight in check: According to researchers at the University of California, donating blood can help you lose as many as 650 calories per pint. However, do not donate blood every few months, only with the aim of losing weight.

3. Reduces the risk of cancer: Blood donation helps maintain healthy levels of iron in the body, thereby lowering the risk of cancer.

4. Benefits your emotional health: The very thought of donating blood to help others can boost your emotional well-being. Hence, blood donation can reportedly reduce stress and negative feelings and improve your overall emotional well-being.

5. Better heart, liver, and pancreas health: Blood donation reduces the risk of conditions related to iron overload in the body. While your body absorbs a certain proportion of iron on a regular basis, the excess gets stored in the heart, liver, and pancreas. Excess iron in these organs elevates the risk of liver failure, cirrhosis, and irregular heart rhythms. It may also damage the pancreas. Blood donation can reduce iron levels in your body and alleviate the risk of these conditions.

6. Prevents hemochromatosis: This is a condition related to excessive absorption of iron in the body, which can lead to multiple organ dysfunction. You can reduce the risk of hemochromatosis with regular blood donation.

Disadvantages of donating blood

The main disadvantages of donating blood are:

1. Pain and bruising: Some people may experience pain, bleeding, and bruising at the site where the needle is pricked.

2. Nausea and dizziness: Blood donation can lower blood pressure in some cases, and this can result in nausea, dizziness, and light-headedness.

3. Weakness or fatigue: This happens due to low blood pressure after blood donation.

What should you Avoid Before Donating Blood?

Certain things can stay in your blood for a considerable period and harm the receiver, who may be already suffering from any other health issue. Hence, it is wise to avoid consuming these things days before you donate blood. Some important things to avoid before donating blood are:

• Alcoholic beverages

• Nicotine from smoking

• High-fat foods

What to Eat and Drink After Donating Blood?

If you’re pondering over what to eat after donating blood, we have listed some eatables for you to keep handy.

After donating blood, ensure you include more nutritious foods in your diet, especially those rich in iron and vitamin C. Some healthy options are spinach, cashews, almonds, raisins, green peas, wholemeal bread, apricots, tomatoes, oranges, eggs, and meats.

Also, drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. This can help prevent an unexpected or rapid drop in blood pressure.

What to do after donating blood

It is important that you take special care of your diet after donating blood. Consume more nutritious foods and drink plenty of fluids, such as water, fresh fruit juices, herbal tea, and broth.

In case you feel dizzy, avoid doing anything strenuous and rest for some time. Do not lift heavy objects and avoid working out till you feel better.

If you feel light-headed, dizzy, and fatigued for many days, make sure you see a doctor without delay. Since medical expenses can burn a hole in your pocket, make sure you take an adequate health insurance policy without delay. This will keep you at peace during medical emergencies and help you opt for quality and timely treatment without worrying about your finances.

What are the side effects of donating blood?

Donating blood has minor side effects, such as pain, bruising, bleeding, nausea, weakness, and light-headedness. However, the side effects are minor and can be dealt with easily.

Bleeding, bruising, and pain can subside on their own after a while. In case of severe pain or bruising, you can apply a cold compress or take a painkiller after consulting a healthcare practitioner. You must not take certain painkillers after blood donation, so do not opt for self-medication.

Conclusion

These are some important things related to blood donation. It is important that you take good care of your health before and after donating blood to avoid feeling sick and dizzy. Also, considering the increasing incidence of health issues, make sure you keep a health insurance policy handy for those uncertain times. In case you are diagnosed with a health condition that requires hospitalisation, you can use your health insurance policy to avail of the finest treatment without fretting about the bills.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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