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| "We're out of luck Marge...this one's already donated this summer, too." |
Helping trauma victims and surgery patients make it through their ordeals is a good enough reason to donate. But why not add reasons why it's good for you, the donor? Here are 10 benefits of blood donation:
- Cancer prevention The more you donate blood (eligible every 56 days) the lower your risk for liver, lung, colon, throat and stomach cancers. Wow, I had no idea...
- Protect your heart Florida Blood Services found that if you donate regularly, you are 88% less likely to get a heart attack and one third less likely to get a stroke.
- "Helper's High" People who volunteer get a release of endorphins which will make you feel happy for doing good.
- Discipline & willpower Ok, most people, even the regular donors, wouldn't say they love getting stabbed with a big ol' needle. But getting yourself to go anyway even though you're helping someone you won't meet and you're getting health benefits that are hard to notice is great practice for developing discipline. That's a virtue that will spill over into all parts of your life from relationships to work promotions.
- Reduce iron levels High blood iron levels are linked to heart disease and blood donation lowers blood iron levels. This is especially critical for guys since they tend to have higher iron levels and higher levels of heart disease risk. You'll also be replacing old blood with young, clean new blood, so donating is a great blood rejuvenator.
- Mini free checkup Keep an eye on some of your basic health statistics. Before you donate, the nurses will measure and tell you your blood pressure, pulse, iron levels, and sometimes even cholesterol. This gives you earlier notice or any changes in these important numbers and a faster response might make all the difference.
- Immune boost Volunteers have higher levels of immunoglobin A, a critical part of your body's immune system.
- Meet new people It's always easiest to make new bonds with people when you're going through the same experience, so chatting with other donors in nearby chairs is a great way to keep your mind off the needle and to make new friends. The types of people who came out of their way to donate are probably nicer than average anyway.
- Free blood tests Donors' blood is tested for many rarely-tested viruses and disorders like West Nile Virus and Hepatitis. If the blood tests positive, they let the donor know, which helps them prevent further spread and get early treatment.
- Have a productive day! No matter what else happens that day, you're guaranteed to have a productive day since you donated blood someone will get to use and no one can take that away.
