Monday, September 3, 2012

First Monday Health Tip

The first Monday of the month is when I step away from being a writer and use this blog to promote something associated with my first career. So sit back and enjoy your Labor Day Holiday while I give some advice.

 I know writers have a wide variety of 'day jobs.' One of my favorite, James Rollins, is a veterinarian. In my other life, I'm a health and PE teacher. For many years I worked in the evenings as a fitness instructor and I spent a few summers working in health clubs. I'm not a doctor or nurse, but I feel confident in these monthly offerings to promote some healthful living.

This month, I want to encourage you to share your health with others. Give blood. Someone needs it. I started donating blood on a regular basis in college and have continued whenever I could. I had some months off when I was pregnant or breastfeeding one of the brood, but I always get back in the old reclining chair and let those blood bank workers poke me with needles.

I'm a great donater. I have excellent veins that fill those plastic bags in just a few minutes. I was disappointed to get turned away last time because my iron was too low. That was the first time I'd been turned away for that. In college I couldn't give sometimes because my blood pressure was too low. I added some iron supplements to my routine so I can donate later this week.

How about you? Do you give blood? Afraid of those needles? Please take a few minutes and save a life.

15 comments:

Paul Tobin said...

What an inspiring post, I agree we should all donate, for by giving we recieve.

Unknown said...

I give blood whenever I can. When I was younger, I'd always get nosebleeds around about the time when I was due to give blood, and once I did, they went away. I went through life claiming that I had too much blood in me, and the best thing was to give it away :)

Jamie @ Mithril Wisdom

Jessica L. Celaya said...

It's cool to think of writers with other jobs too. I also think it's cool that you donate so much blood. I donated blood once, but I have notoriously low blood pressure (genetic because my mom has it too), so donating blood for me didn't end very well. But if I could I would. :)

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Just reading about donating blood makes me shaky, to answer your question :)

LD Masterson said...

I get rejected now and then because of low iron (I'm also borderline, even with help) but outside of that, I'm a regular donor. I hate needles with a passion but I figure if I'm lucky enough to be healthy enough to give then I owe it to give something back.

Kudos to you and donors everywhere.

M.J. Fifield said...

I've honestly never weighed enough to give blood. And if I did, I'm sure low iron would keep me from doing it anyway.

But I salute those who are able and do.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'll cheer those who can give blood! Let's just say that the sight of a needle causes me to turn me ghost-white, so doubt I'd survive the process.

Tonja said...

I gave blood once and it trickled out of me for a lot of minutes before they gave up on me. I am a fan of giving blood but am not the ideal donor.

momto8 said...

yes!! give blood!! i worked as an ICU nurse....there is always a need for blood donors...it is a good thing to do. thanks for your example of helping others.

Golden Eagle said...

Giving blood is definitely on my to-do list.

The Happy Whisk said...

Good Monday Health Advice. Hope you had a great day and an oogie boogie night.

Anonymous said...

Very inspirational post.... I so need to give blood. Hubby does but I always chicken out.

Lynn Proctor said...

i haven't given blood--i tend to be anemic at times--but i have heard that men over forty--can benefit from giving blood--it lessens the risk of heart attacks from thick blood!

r said...

That's really nice of you to do :) I'm too young to give blood, I don't weigh enough and I've got low iron levels. But I'm working on that (not the age thing. The age thing happens naturally :D) so one day I'll be able to give blood. Then I'll work on my fear of needles. (I'm not joking. I'm absolutely terrified of them. I can barely get flu shots. I can't even watch other people be poked with them.)

jan said...

Great reminder! We hear a lot about organ donation but tend to forget the importance of blood donation. Donated blood has so many uses. Platelets and coagulation factors, plasma, red cells, and white cells can all be extracted from whole blood to treat a host of needs. Thanks for this post.