Blood Donation Basics: A Refresher Course On Being A Hero

For anyone that saw the end of the Avengers franchise (no spoilers, don’t worry), it was a shock to see…

Fat Thor.

And not just because we’re used to seeing Chris Hemsworth about as swoll as any human could possibly get.

No, it went deeper than that. It had us questioning to our very core our beliefs in heroes and what we thought we knew.

Heroes… can get out of shape?

Sadly, it’s true.

Just like art imitates life, life imitates art. As more and more of us feel more comfortable getting out in the world again, we have a chance to be heroes like we were in the past.

It’s time once again for regular blood donations.

Though some folks kept going to donate blood, there were others that felt more conservative about putting themselves out there during the pandemic.

Since you may now feel ready to be getting involved in the community again, we wanted to give a few pointers on the best ways to do so. After all, giving back is one of the biggest achievements there is!

What To Remember When Going To Give Blood

For anyone that’s a little foggy on the important details about giving blood, here are a few blood donation basics again so you can do the most good, right away.

We researched the heavy hitters in the blood donation world to give you a refresher course. Before you make your appointment, read through this list and make sure you’re good to go.

• All Adults Welcome - While in most states you need to be at least 17 to donate, there’s no upper limit on the age for blood donation. It’s a great way to start giving back to your community while you’re young and keep going through your wiser years.
  
  
• Meal Before, Snack After - It’s a good idea to have a full meal and be well-hydrated before you go in for your appointment. You can consider drinking an extra few 8 oz glasses of fluids and eating foods that are rich in Vitamin C and iron. Then replenish afterward with a snack and fluids to make up for the gift you just gave!
  
  
• No Need To Know Your Blood Type - Though knowing your blood type is important in other situations, it’s not going to restrict your ability to give blood. There is always a need for each type of blood and each type of donor. And it turns out that if you’d like to know your blood type, you can find out after your blood has gone through the whole donation process.
  
  
• Treat Yourself To A Rest Day - After you’ve done your heroic deed, it’s recommended to avoid any vigorous exercise or heavy lifting. You know, no jumping over tall buildings or racing faster than speeding trains. You can save those heroic activities for the following day.

With these tips in mind, go ahead and book your appointment. In just about an hour, you’ll be in, out, and full of snacks and heroism. Just another day’s work for you, though! 

What about you? Do you donate blood regularly?