Blood donation :)

tattereds

So, today I went and donated blood!

I started donating in 2002 on my 16th birthday (legal age with parental permission in Australia), and have tried to do so regularly over the years. Donating blood is especially important to me, as my younger brother has been the recipient of countless transfusions during many an operation over the years. However, I had a tattoo done last year before Easter, so this is my first donation in a while, and the first since I started losing weight. So I was really happy and excited to get back in there today!

Just wanted to ask some advice about diet after blood donation...

I have bucketed a LOT of water today and ate a banana and had a flavoured milk (not the greatest choice, but better than the cordial they wanted me to drink!) right after donating to replenish sugars, but just wanted to ask if anyone had any advice on whether I should I be upping my total sugar and cals today?

Any advice appreciated

bekah1301

I always feel quite weak after giving blood, but I know not everyone does, I think the most important thing to do is listen to your body and if it's telling you you need more sugar (if you feel dizzy etc, which I'm sure you're very good at noticing after 8 years of donating!) then have a biscuit or something asap, I think after giving blood that's more important than worrying about calories for one day!! If you feel fine, obviously you don't need to massively up your sugar levels. Remember as well that if you've been dieting for a while your body will have got used to your new intake so it's not as though you've given blood and then started a diet!

oEmmao

i eat extra if i am donating blood, your body needs to replenish, so eat some extra good quality foods or drinks to keep you energised and safe :drinker:

summersmi

The others have pretty much covered the basics. Listen to your body and don't fret too much about cals for one day. BTW thank you for donating blood, my daughter has 'ALL' and needs transfusions all the time. Anyone who donates blood is a hero to me. I wish I could but being in the service I have been to too many countries where they do not allow you to donate blood for a very long time.