Diet According to Blood Donation

Blood donation not only could help others but also is good to body health.

In order to donate blood, you must be in good health, at least 17-years-old, weigh at least 110 lbs. and be able to pass a health history assessment. The specific requirements vary according to each state and may change if you are donating a specific part of your blood, such as red blood cells, plasma or platelets.

Donating blood can cause temporary weight loss. According to the University of Southern California Blood Donor Center, this weight loss is typically 1 to 2 lbs. and is recovered after only two to three days as your body replaces its lost fluids.

If you have recently experienced weight loss or are attempting to lose weight, ask your doctor before donating blood to make sure that it is safe and will not interfere with your weight loss program. If you are hoping that donating blood will provide weight loss, focus instead on a healthy varied diet and regular physical activity.

Diet Before Blood Donation:

The diet before donating blood should be light and avoid greasy foods. Do not eat high protein food such as shrimps and crabs to prevent protein deterioration and allergic substances in the blood; do not eat too full on the night before and do not drink alcohol two meals before; keep good sleep and do not have strenuous exercise; do not donate blood with empty stomach, and people should eat some foods such as porridge and bread to avoid dizziness, palpitation, sweating and other responses. In addition, if people get cold or cough before, they should put off blood donation. And women should avoid donating blood three days before and after menstruation.

Diet After Blood Donation:

After donating blood, people should notice the nutrition calculation. They can eat lean meat, eggs, soy products, fresh fruits and vegetables to promote faster recovery of blood components. But do not overeat and drink alcohol. If the diet is scientific and nutritional the blood will recover in short time.

Drink more water to supplement the lost liquid, you can also drink brown sugar water to achieve goals of supplementing iron and blood. Do not drink tea during one month. Eat more hematopoietic food. The main raw materials of blood generation are protein, iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid. Thus, body absorbs such substances to supplement blood and prevent anemia. Blood donation could stimulate the blood regeneration in body and it is good for health.

 

Exercise After Blood Donation:

If you are following a weight loss program that requires strenuous exercise, you may not be able to follow the program immediately after giving blood. Light exercise is safe, but you should avoid intense activity or heavy lifting for 24 hours after donating blood.