Blood donation is the most satisfying experience. You can save the lives of many people by donating blood. You may not know that in the US, around 36 thousands units of RBCs are needed every day for the victims of cancer and car whiplash. The blood is a fluid that cannot be produced artificially. Therefore, these patients depend entirely on blood donors for their recovery. Not just that, donating blood also provides many health benefits to the blood donor. Some of them are following -:
- Reduce the risk of a heart attack.
- Decrease the risk of developing cancer
- Good for liver health.
- Eliminates the harmful iron reserve.
Apart from all above these, the blood donation nation gives you mental peace. However, many people feel weak, tired and dizzy after this procedure. The main cause of this is the deficiency of iron. Therefore, it is advisable to elevate your iron stores to an optimum level before giving blood to needy people. It can be done by eating iron-rich foods and consumingliquid iron supplements.
The adequate amounts of Ferrum reserve in the body help you avoid uneasiness and after-effects of blood donation. Moreover, it would be best to hydrate yourself by drinking lots of water before sitting on the blood donor chair because the low amounts of fluid in the body can alleviate the blood pressure and ultimately make you feel giddy.
Donating blood is the best to help people in need. But, you have to nourish your body before donation. It will help to make the entire process smooth and keep you healthy. Read on to learn about the foods to eat before undergoing a blood donation procedure.
Iron
This is the vital nutrient that our body requires to make haemoglobin ( a blood protein). This protein helps to circulate oxygen to every part of the body. The healthy nutritional diet and liquid iron supplementscan help to increase your iron reserve. If you do not have a good amount of iron in your body at the time of blood donation, then you are more likely to become the victim of anaemia.
Iron is available in both vegan and non-vegan foods. The Ferrum found in non-vegan items like fish, beef, etc., are easy to absorb and known as heme iron. On the other hand, vegan foods are the source of non-heme iron, which is quite difficult to absorb. You can include the following iron-loaded foods in your diet before donating blood.
- Pork
- Red meat
- Green peas
- Fish (Tuna and Mackerel)
- Dried fruits (raisins, nuts)
- Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Legumes
- Whole grain cereals
- WaterMelon
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is imperative for the absorption of iron. So, apart from including iron in your daily meal, you also have to eat vitamin C-rich foods. This nutrient boosts the digestion of non-heme iron. Many vegetables and citrus fruits contain abundant amounts of vitamin C. Some of them are following
- Orange
- Papaya
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Guava
- Lemon
- Broccoli
- Blueberries
- Tomatoes
- Capsicums
- Kales
- Bell Peppers
Low-Fat Foods
The foods containing trans fats, such as ice creams, pizza, french fries, etc., are not good to consume before donating blood. They increase fat, wax, oil, and many other lipids in your blood and make it harder to detect infections if there are any. It may increase the risk of infection to the patient who will be given blood. Hence, it is better to take a low-fat diet before blood donation.
Fluids
As discussed earlier, our body contains around 60% of water, so it is crucial to keep it hydrated. According to the Red Cross, to avoid pressure drop after donating blood, you should drink at least 1-litre extra water. It will alleviate the risk of nausea and dizziness.
What To Avoid Eating Before donating blood?
- Alcohol
- Aspirin
- Caffeine
What To Do After Donating Blood?
The donor should consume light snacks and pure fruit juice after donating blood. Moreover, they must take a rest for 10 minutes and avoid heavy physical work. The people who often donate blood palets should takeliquid iron supplements to stay healthy, says American Red Cross. However, it is vital to consult the physicians before consuming the specific iron alternatives.