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Have you ever donated blood? If you have why did you do it? It may have been for a loved one or a friend. It could have been for the free coupons and gift certificates blood centers provide for donations. Maybe you’re required to donate blood being that you’re in the medical field.

In actuality, less than 10% of the population has donated blood to the world’s blood centers. Why? Most people say they’ve never been asked. Some say they just need some reminding. Others are deathly afraid of blood or needles.

As a blood donor myself, I have numerous reasons I donate. I started donating in the beginning because I received extra credit for an archaeology class. If you can believe that! However, after a lot of consideration for my health and my blood type, I have even more reason to do it.

If You’re a Universal Donor, You Owe It To World To Donate Blood

O- is the universal donor because this blood type can be transfused to people of all blood types. A donor from the O+ blood group can donate to any positive blood group A+, B+ and AB+. O+ donors are needed more frequently than any other donor considering close to 40% of the population is O+. I happen to be O+, hence the routine calls from the blood bank.

Donating Blood Is Healthy

From a health standpoint, I can’t think of a better way for people with high blood pressure, migraines, or high cholesterol to let go of some waste. I do it to help with my blood pressure and migraines, as unloading two pints of blood is the best way for me to relieve pressure in my brain and my body. Furthermore, donating blood changes the iron levels in your body, thus helping, and sometimes preventing, heart disease. This is especially important for women. Why? After women stop menstruating, they are no longer getting rid of iron. In actuality, a woman’s iron levels will increase after menopause. Giving blood is one of the safest and easiest ways to reduce levels of iron to healthy levels. Also, giving blood decreases the risk for heart attacks in men.

Donating Blood Is Personally Rewarding

Knowing your donation will make a difference for someone else really makes you feel wonderful. Knowing that so few people actually do it, however you take the time to show up for every one of your appointments, says something about your character.

Donating Blood=Incentives

The incentives for giving blood are endless. Of course the health benefits are important, but we can’t forget the free gift certificates, tickets, and IPads, we can receive just by taking 30 minutes out of day. Yes, I said IPad! So far I’ve received two subway foot longs, $10.00 to a barbecue restaurant, $20.00 to Darden restaurants, extra credit for a class just for donating (Heck yeah!), and I just started. I’m also entering a video contest about donating blood to win an IPad. How cool is that!

Donating Blood Saves Lives

Consider the individuals in the hospital needing a blood transfusion. A gunshot or accident victim. Any person needing an ample supply of blood while in surgery. These people need us, and what they ask for is very little. Just imagine what a few pints of blood can do and how many lives it can save.

Donating Blood Increases Your Own Awareness of Cholesterol Levels

One of the added benefits of donating blood is having access to cholesterol levels. Results are readily available to you online so you can gage what you need to change in your diet, or you may just want to maintain healthy levels.

Donating Blood Is Free

There are very few free things to do in the world so why not take advantage of one.

Donating Blood Makes You A Stronger Person

It sounds cliché, but yes, giving blood will make you a stronger person. Knowing you have the power to affect a life changes your mind and wheel. It teaches you about weakness. Why? The first few minutes when the flow is started your mind starts to race with apprehension. Why? Have you seen the needle! I’m not trying to terrify you, but even I, a person who has been receiving allergy shots her entire life, still get nervous. The way I get through it? I think about a saying a marine told me once when I wanted to give up because something was just too painful to bear. “PAIN is WEAKNESS leaving the body”. Man did that statement stick! No pun intended

Why Don’t You Donate Blood?

Less than 10% of the population actually donates blood. Why? Most individuals claim they’re afraid to get AIDS; they’re afraid of needles; they’re too busy; they don’t have enough blood to spare; their blood is rare; they’re too old to donate blood. All excuses and most without merit.

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