It's in You to Give

Guest Post By: Dr. Karen L. Dallas - Specialist Physician, Certified Personal Trainer, Nationally-Qualified Physique Competitor

Any of us who have ever donated blood can probably recall that feeling of satisfaction and reward that comes from doing something good for society – for a complete stranger in need of life-saving blood after bad car accident, after a stem cell transplant or after a complicated childbirth (post-partum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide).

As a physician, I actively encourage all who are able (check with your local Red Cross for your state’s requirements) to become blood donors if they are not already. In fact, you may not realize just how many life-saving treatments can come from your blood! It’s not just Red Blood Cells, Platelets and Plasma as many donation appeals would have us believe (“…you could save up to 3 lives!”). Rather, our plasma can be fractionated even further to produce special proteins used to treat patients with rare bleeding disorders, immune system disorders, and more!

Yet, while being or becoming a blood donor is great, we – especially we women – need to take precautions to keep ourselves healthy as donors. As donors, we should also share our experiences with others, even our own children, so that we can encourage future donors. If your children are of a mature age and are interested in the process of donating blood, contact your local donation center and ask if they are allowed to observe while you donate. I have even taken students on tour of a donation center and it really helped to encourage future donors.

If you are a blood donor, ensure you are taking a multivitamin which contains iron – not all of them do, so be sure to check the label – and eating a healthy, balanced diet. And next time you visit your family doctor, tell him/her that you are a blood donor, have been or have started taking multivitamins but want to ensure you are not iron deplete or deficient. A simple blood test can tell you about your level of Red Blood Cells and about your iron levels.

Certainly, if you feel you have signs and symptoms of anemia, you should see your doctor sooner.

Remember, taking better care of ourselves helps us to take better care of others! Have you donated blood? What was your experience like? Maybe we can help to encourage those who have not donated so they can become future donors.

PS - Just found this great website that can help you explain what blood is made of to your children! 

About the Author: Dr. Karen L. Dallas is a Specialist Physician, Certified Personal Trainer and Nationally-Qualified Physique Competitor.