Donating blood saves more lives than you’d think. According to Red Cross, there’s always at least one person in the United States who needs a blood donation every two seconds. This means hospitals need over 44,000 blood donations per day. Newer studies also show that it’s healthy to donate blood — both for the donor and receiver.
Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
When you donate blood you’re reducing the iron in your blood. Iron in the blood causes oxidation. You’ll be reducing your blood’s viscosity. When the blood gets too thick and sticky it can damage the cells lining the arteries. You can reduce these risks by donating blood on a regular basis.
The Journal of the American Medical Association states that donors aged 43 to 61 have fewer heart attacks than those who don’t. If you’re younger than that demographic you can decrease the chances of a heart attack even further by starting to donate blood now.
Burn Some Calories
You burn approximately 650 calories each time you donate up to one pint of blood. It’s healthy to donate blood because it can help you lose some weight. You shouldn’t make this a dedicated weight loss program though. There is a recommended period of time before you can donate blood again so pace yourself.
Get Some Peace of Mind
A lot of people suffer from psychological problems because they fear they might have some sort of disease. One of the reasons why it’s healthy to donate blood is because you’ll learn how your condition is.
Before you can donate blood, the doctors will screen you for different illnesses. You’ll find out if you have HIV, high blood pressure, and more. While some might have too much iron in the blood, your iron levels might be too low. You’ll gain some peace of mind when you donate blood because of the check-up you get along with the process.
Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Too much iron in your blood can also lead to free-radical damage in the body. This links to the increased chances of cancer and advanced aging. According to the Miller-Keystone Blood Center, blood donations help reduce the risk of cancer in the liver, colon, throat, and lungs. Cancer can attack anyone, regardless of a person’s age, so it is advisable to start battling it as soon as you can. Donate blood today and you can prevent getting cancer in the future.
Gives the Donor a Sense of Significance
Your psychological help is also important. It’s healthy to donate blood because it gives you a sense of significance. You’ll know that by donating blood you’re helping someone out there in need. You’re saving someone’s life by donating your blood.
People who volunteer, donate or take part in community service experience these benefits. Studies have shown that people who give tend to live healthier, happier, and even wealthier lives. You can enjoy these same benefits by going to the closest blood center to start donating blood today.
