Working here at Incept over the last year has taught me a lot about donating blood.
Granted, I was a blood donor long before I began working here,
but there were many things that I didn’t know despite that experience. Like everyone else, I knew the health questionnaire almost by heart, and I knew to eat a good meal and bring my ID that day. What I didn’t know, however, were all of the little things I could do to help myself have an easier time donating.
Many people have a hard time donating, especially during the summer. Here are a few tricks of the trade to help you have a quick, easy blood donation for the summer:
- Drink LOTS of water! I know, I know. We’ve all heard the mantra before – drink plenty of fluids and eat a good meal – but we probably don’t realize just how much water we should drink. I usually try to drink a full 20-oz. bottle of water in the hour prior to my appointment. Another thing to consider is what we’re drinking. Avoiding soda, energy drinks and coffee before you donate is a good way to make sure you have an easier time donating. Coffee, soda and energy drinks dehydrate you, and caffeine can raise your heart rate and blood pressure, possibly enough to defer you that day. Water is best, of course, but if you really need something sweet, go with either a flavored water or sports drink.
- Boost your iron! In my experience as a blood donor recruiter, one of the most common reasons a donor is deferred is because of low iron or anemia. Believe it or not, anemia isn’t uncommon (especially in women during their childbearing years). Being a little anemic doesn’t mean you can’t donate though! Our iron levels fluctuate daily, and by eating foods rich in iron you can give yourself that extra little boost to help you pass the iron test and have an easier donation. While consuming fish and meat is the best way to make sure your iron is at a good level, there are a lot of other foods you can eat too. Iron-fortified cereals, spinach, soybeans, lima beans, nuts and whole-grain products are all great sources of iron, and, of course, most multivitamins have extra iron in them as well. Always check with your doctor if you have any concerns about your iron levels. Chances are he’ll probably have even more suggestions on how to get your iron to a healthy level.
- Get plenty of rest before and after you donate! No one likes feeling tired, and being tired while donating blood is even worse. Sometimes donating can take more out of you than you might think, so it’s always a good idea to get a good night’s sleep the night before you donate and for an hour or two afterwards. It might sound silly, but I usually end up taking a nap after I donate. Not only does it give me a chance to recuperate a little, but it also lets me sleep through the time I have to wear the arm wrap (which drives me crazy!).
- Bring a friend! Taking a friend along to donate with you is a must. Not only will your friend be helping save a life too, but having someone with whom to talk will make the time seem to go a lot faster.
With summer upon us, there’s a sharp increase in the need for blood. Fewer people have time to donate, and increased travel during the summer months makes accidents more likely, putting even more of a strain on our blood supply. By following these tips and tricks, you can make sure that your blood makes it to a patient who needs it. After all, each blood donation has the potential to save up to three lives, and it only takes about an hour to donate! Here’s to a great summer and happy donating!
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Here those on! First time I hear!
Well my presumption has been a mixture of a.) just the month of July has the most fatal car accidents each year… And I mean a lot of people are out and about traveling not donating blood?
about this or any other article in The Maine Campus………………………………………………………………….For months now the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross has been in short supply of blood. While the group is scrambling to meet daily minimums the management remains hard-pressed to figure out why donations have fallen..Lisa Ferzel a donor recruiter for the American Red Cross in Northern New England who works at the Bangor location explained that since no synthetic substitute has been created blood can only come from volunteers.. Blood cannot be manufactured she said adding the cause of the shortage is the million dollar question. .Blood donations are used to help trauma victims cancer patients premature babies and others but in recent months donor numbers have been down. The result of this decline in donations is a shortage of reserve blood supplies that has persisted since early July..Ferzel said the summer months generally see a decrease in the amount of donors due to heat but this summer posed more troubles.
Great insight! I thing the shortages this year are due to a combination of things. Like you said, fewer people show up for blood drives due to the heat and also because summer is a hectic time of year for most people. Kids are out of school, so parents need to find someone to keep an eye on their children while they go to donate. People heading out of town for vacations, family reunions and other trips also cuts down on the time they have to donate and also puts more people on the road, increasing the likelihood of accidents. We’ve also had a lot of bad weather across the country this year, putting an even bigger strain on our blood supply. All of these things combined are what makes it difficult for our blood centers to keep blood on the shelves.