Diet donor

Donating blood is a noble mission, because the resulting biomaterial can save more than one human life. Those who decide to become a donor need to learn to take care of themselves in order to help others, because not every blood sample is suitable for transfusion. Its quality directly depends on many factors, and not least on nutrition. At any transfusion station there are brochures with reminders and recommendations for donors, including nutrition. Doctors say that, in addition to time limits and rules like giving up alcohol two days before donation, those people who are going to donate on an ongoing basis need to completely rebuild their lifestyle, give up bad habits and adhere to the principles of healthy eating – and this is in addition to the existing requirements regarding the state of health and the absence of a number of diseases.

Absolute and relative restrictions on blood donation

Blood is a biological material that carries genetic information about the body, as well as traces of almost any of its life activities, including previous and existing diseases. Accordingly, the transfusion of material of inadequate quality may not only not improve the condition of the recipient, but also add new health problems to the existing ones.

Absolute restrictions mean that any item on the list automatically excludes a person from the list of possible donors – his blood, introduced into someone else’s body, can harm him. This list includes infectious diseases such as AIDS, syphilis, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis; diseases associated with antisocial behavior – drug addiction, alcoholism; parasitic diseases like toxoplasmosis, helminthiasis; malignant tumors; blood diseases; psychiatric illnesses; diseases of the digestive, respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

As for relative restrictions, they allow a person to be a donor under certain conditions, most often this is the time that must pass, for example, after recovery or travel. For example, a person who received a transfusion can become a donor himself only 6 months after the procedure, the same period applies to surgical interventions. Relative prohibitions also include pregnancy and lactation, long trips abroad, vaccinations, certain infectious diseases, alcohol intake, as well as malnutrition with the abuse of junk food.

Donor diet and nutrition system – nuances and rules

The whole way of life of a person who has devoted himself to helping others should be conducive to maintaining his health at the proper level.

The general requirements for proper nutrition and the rejection of bad habits do not only work two days or a week before the procedure – ideally they should be followed constantly.

So that donation does not harm either the donor or the recipient, doctors advise to stop drinking alcohol, limit smoking, periodically take vitamin complexes, adhere to a sleep and rest regimen, and observe certain intervals between donation procedures. In fact, the listed items are a list of everyday habits of a healthy person.

As for the daily diet, the donor needs to receive a certain amount of proteins, fats, mineral salts, iron every day, as well as maintain water balance by drinking the appropriate amount of liquid. It is also important to get the number of calories needed for the normal functioning of the body – it is calculated depending on weight, age, lifestyle. This means that you need to monitor your diet constantly, and not just immediately before the procedure. If possible, it is better to limit the use of fatty, fried, smoked meats, marinades, store-bought sauces, sweets, and energy drinks.

Two days before the donation, you need to go on a diet and follow some rules.

What to eat and what not to eat before donating blood

The donor’s diet for two days implies a diet that includes fresh, baked or boiled vegetables, cereals on the water, fruits (except for prohibited ones), bread, boiled or steamed low-fat varieties of fish and meat, boiled pasta, fruit drinks and compotes. Sodas, juices, tea and coffee are not recommended. From sweets, honey, jam, jam are allowed, while home-made products should be preferred.

The list of products that fall under the ban is much longer:

• fried, smoked, spicy food;
• spice;
• any dairy products and eggs;
• beets, blueberries, dates, bananas;
• sausages and sausages;
• sweet shop drinks: juices, sodas;
• snacks, chips, seeds, crackers, halva, marinades, ketchup and mayonnaise;
• alcohol, energy drinks.

All these products can significantly worsen the properties of blood donated for transfusion, especially milk and everything that contains it: animal fats and proteins in dairy products make blood serum thicker and complicate the separation of blood into components.

But even from a small list of allowed ingredients, you can cook light and tasty diet meals, for example, potato cream soup. It needs:

• 1 carrots;
• 1 bulb;
• 3 potatoes;
• 200 g leek;
• 1 stalk of celery;
• Xnumx chicken broth;
• greenery;
• salt to taste.

All vegetables must be washed, cut into cubes and boiled until tender in salted broth. Next, the mixture is added to a blender and mixed until a smooth puree. Finely chopped greens and white bread croutons will add flavor and brightness to the finished dish.

The meatloaf recipe for the donor diet suggests a healthy combination of lean meats and vegetables. For cooking take:

• 500 g of beef without fat;
• Xnumx bunch of parsley;
• 1 chive;
• 1 carrots;
• 1 bay leaf;
• salt to taste.

The meat is washed and cut in such a way that a layer about 2 centimeters thick is obtained. Shallow cuts should be made on the surface of the meat, then it is wrapped in cling film and beaten on a plank. The processed beef is rubbed with salt.

Peeled and washed carrots are boiled until tender and finely chopped together with garlic and herbs, after which they are laid out on meat. The beef is wrapped in a roll, wrapped in cling film and tied with a thread. The roll is cooked for about 1,5 hours in boiling water over low heat. After the dish is ready, it is cooled, the film and threads are removed. Beef roll is perfect for a side dish of rice or buckwheat.

On the eve of the evening, you should not eat up just before bedtime, it is better to have dinner at least an hour in advance. In the morning before the procedure, it is better to have breakfast 2-3 hours in advance; cereals on the water or boiled pasta without oil, biscuit or simple oatmeal cookies are suitable for this meal. Be sure to drink a portion of sweet tea, mineral water, compote or juice immediately before donating blood. Do not smoke 2 hours before and 2 hours after.

It is especially important to follow all these recommendations before donating platelets or plasma, since the use of prohibited products then complicates the process of dividing blood into components.

Immediately after the manipulations, it is advisable to rest for 10 minutes and drink sweet tea, have a snack with a couple of biscuit cookies.

In order to quickly recover after the donation procedure, doctors advise using the following products:

• beef liver, meat, poultry, fish;
• dairy;
• seafood;
• eggs;
• pasta, bread;
• dried fruits;
• walnuts;
• vegetables and fruits.

All of these recommendations are important for the health of the donor and the health of the donor, as well as for maintaining the quality of the blood at a level that is suitable for its introduction to another person. Compliance with the rules of nutrition, first of all, will help the donor himself to normalize his well-being before and after the blood sampling procedure, which is stressful for the body, and, in addition, will make the biomaterial for transfusion as safe as possible.