Everyday Systems

I shall be wandering along to a blood donation session tomorrow to give blood (obviously) and have elected to call it an S-day for health reasons. Low blood sugar is a most unpleasant experience.

I can't think of an 'S' except exSanguination. Well, it sort of works...

It's not low blood sugar that gets you (though it could be part of what makes you feel not well), it's low blood volume. When your blood volume drops, your blood pressure drops and that can lead to nausea, diaphoresis (sweating) and other physical symptoms. So, be sure to drink enough fluids. In this case, water would be best.

Thank you; I now know more things than I did earlier. This is always good. I've never had any of those symptoms from giving blood (nor with dehydration after a session), just a general weakness (presumably from lack of oxygen to the cells or the heart working harder) which eating has always dispelled.

Hey Thompson Pier. How's Reading doing? Are you getting flooded like most of the UK?
Good for you on donating blood : )
Do what you want, but if you stick to only having a few glasses of orange or grape juice afterwards, I wouldn't really see any reason to make it an S day.
But that's just me.
Have a good week!
Peace and Love,
Debs

A few flood warnings around the area, but mostly in the town centre. I live at the top of the hill, so there's little risk of my house flooding (hurrah!) or having to have a day off work (boo!).

I'll wait and see how I feel after donating, I think. There's no point in worrying about such things, but equally no point in risking anything healthwise for the sake of fat loss.

Seems like a lousy excuse to eat sweets, if you asked me.

I give myself permission for a snack or an extra meal, too, after giving blood. YMMV, but right after the blood is drawn I find the sugar rush of eating or drinking something sweet (like fruit juice) quite unpleasant. If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to eat something more substantial, some nuts or whatever, something with protein and/or fiber in it to buffer the sugar.

BTW, thank you for donating.

Meh. I have a blood factory somewhere in there and someone might need some of it. I may as well put it to good use.

A small extra meal or second helping was more in line with what I was thinking. I don't really like sweets; cheese and biscuits or nuts are more my snack of choice.

Mmm, cheese.

MMmmmm. Cheese.

I love the stuff.

A couple of years ago I posted about donating blood and S-days, and everyone seemed to agree that those days are "S" for very special person. Have what you like after you donate -- the main thing is plenty of liquid (like wosnes said).

I declined the donuts and kool-aid, and brought my own drinkable yogurt (without sugar; kind of like buttermilk) for the mineral and fluid replacement. Although I did take a slice of pound cake from the nice older gentleman who was volunteering in the recovery area.

Since you're only allowed to donate blood every 56 days, I think one damn bag of nuts or cheese and crackers is probably NOT going to screw you up.

Donate, man, and take care of yourself.

And thanks for donating!

I just gave blood, accepted their 6-oz container of cranberry juice but declined the cookies, then came home and had lunch right away. I feel fine! The timing just worked out that way, but I realize that in future I'd probably deliberately donate right before a scheduled meal.

Thanks for posting here because it helped me remember I wanted to do this. I donated directly to our local hospital group because I heard that Red Cross sells the blood rather than using it for emergencies, which is what you'd expect the RC to do.