Blood donation is a process that is carried out when a person voluntarily offers for blood to be extracted from his body. There are countless myths about blood donation that need to be squashed and awareness is the only way of doing it.

While blood donation brings multiple health benefits to both the donor and recipient, some facts are known to only a few. These facts will not only open doors to endless possibilities, but will make people feel confident about it.

Facts

Here are some lesser-known facts about blood donation- every person should know-

 


	
	Approximately 112.5 million units of blood are collected from blood donation globally.
	
	
	Around 30 million units are transfused annually.
	
	
	Any person in sound health, at least 18 years old, and weighing at least 45 kilograms can donate blood every 56 days.
	
	
	Your one unit of donated blood can save up to 3 lives.
	
	
	A, b, ab, and o are the primary blood groups. While ab is a universal recipient, o negative is a universal donor.
	
	
	The blood donation process normally takes less than 10-12 minutes.
	
	
	Donating blood does not make you physically weak or decrease your strength.
	
	
	Only 1% of india's population donates blood each year, leading to an annual deficit of two million units.
	
	
	All donated blood units are tested for diseases like hepatitis b, hepatitis c, hiv, and syphilis before transfusion.
	
	
	Red cells, plasma, cryoprecipitate, and platelets are the various types of transfusable elements derived from the blood. The procedure takes place using a method called apheresis.
	
	
	Red blood cells carry oxygen to the organs.
	
	
	Red blood cells survive for about four months in the system of circulation.
	
	
	Platelets encourage blood clotting and provide leukemia patients and other cancer patients with better treatment.
	
	
	Plasma is a pale yellow combination of proteins, salts, and water.
	
	
	Plasma is 55 percent of the volume of blood and 90 percent water.
	
	
	White cells are the chief defense of the body against infections.
	
	
	There is no alternative for blood donation as blood cannot be manufactured.
	
	
	You cannot contract aids or other infectious diseases due to blood donation.
	


Lesser Known Facts About Blood Donation

The moment you are diagnosed with a tumour, the first thing your doctor will do is find out whether the tumour is benign or malignant   this will determine the course of your treatment. In simple words, benign means non-cancerous while malignant means cancerous.

Benign cancer

When tumour cells grow at a normal pace, it is known as benign or non-cancerous growth. In the case of benign cancer, the cells grow slowly and do not spread to other parts of the body or invade the adjacent tissues. Most often, these do not exhibit serious symptoms or pose a threat to your health. So, they are not a cause of concern. However, sometimes a benign tumour can press against nerves, tissues or the blood vessels, causing pain and discomfort.

Some common types of benign cancer are  


	
	Adenomas
	
	
	Fibromas or fibroids
	
	
	Hemangiomas
	
	
	Lipomas
	


Benign tumours, although tend to be harmless, may need to be operated. This is true for tumours that have grown to become large and weigh heavy. When these develop in the brain and cluster around to press against block channels or vital organs, the condition can be potentially dangerous. Moreover, certain types of non-cancerous tumours like intestinal polyps are precancerous   meaning they have the potential to turn cancerous. ;Surgery to remove this type of tumour can help prevent it from becoming malignant.

Malignant cancer

Malignant cancer refers to cancerous tumours that can potentially be fatal. Unlike benign cancer, malignant cancer progresses quickly and metastasizes to invade other organs, tissues or parts of the body.

Here are a few examples of tumours that are cancerous in nature  


	
	Carcinoma
	
	
	Sarcoma
	
	
	Germ cell tumour
	
	
	Blastoma
	


A tumour that has turned malignant, or has spread through the lymphatic system or bloodstream, may require aggressive treatment. Based on the stage of cancer, your ;oncologist will devise a treatment plan that might include immunotherapy, ;radiation therapy, chemotherapy ;or surgery.

Being diagnosed with a tumour can be hard to deal with. To find out if the tumour is benign or malignant, consult a specialist and discuss your concerns.

Benign Cancer Vs Malignant Cancer: Know The Difference!

People with sickle cell disease often experience myriad symptoms of the disease that can be controlled by the right nutrition. Reports suggest that nutrition is an increasingly significant factor to prevent symptoms such as slow growth, lower body mass, joint issues, infections, pain crises, and anemia.

There is a greater than the typical requirement for both calories and micronutrients.

The nutritional requirement of a sickle cell patient emphasizes more on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and more similar food items. These can prevent any deficiencies in the body and also decrease any chances of disease exacerbation.

 


	
	High-calorie nutrient-dense diet
	


The usual energy intake in a sickle cell patient is normally lower than the average values. It is a case even when the condition is asymptomatic where the requirement drops to half the level. As a result, people with sickle cell diseases (especially kids) are at higher risk for impaired growth and considerably lesser fat and fat-free mass, with obesity also posing a risk. It is suggested to have adequate energy supplements in the diet to reach the minimum sufficient requirement of the body that can be done only by proper nutritional assessment.


	
	Adequate fluids
	


Avoiding dehydration is another significant factor to avoid any severe symptoms of sickle cell disease. Sickling of the erythrocytes aggravates in patients who perform hardcore physical work in the heat without drinking enough fluids. This leads to dehydration and can even result in constipation.


	
	Micronutrients
	


Micronutrient deficiencies can be found in sickle cell patients up to a great extent. Several vitamins and minerals like vitamin a, b6, c, e, carotenoids, zinc, and magnesium are often found in fewer numbers in scd patients. A significant drop in blood-antioxidant status may result in acute chest syndrome. The supplementation of these vitamins and minerals can reduce the number of sickled cells in the body. Plant phenols and flavonoids may also help in lowering oxidative stress.


	
	Calcium-rich food
	


Getting plenty of calcium-rich food like dairy products, leafy vegetables, cereals, and fruit juices aids the child's growth and development. This may lead to a stronger physical structure and a greater resistance to the disease.


	
	Omega-3 fatty acid
	


There are reduced proportions of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in sickle cell patients. These acids aid the fluidity of red blood cell membranes. As a result, they prevent sickle cell crises. Supplemental docosahexaenoic (dha) and eicosapentaenoic (epa) have shown numerous therapeutic benefits in scd patients.


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Role Of Nutrition In Sickle Cell Disease

International yoga day or international day of yoga is celebrated on 21 june annually. It took a shape in the united nations general assembly in 2014 when indian prime minister narendra modi proposed a day for yoga. The mental, physical, and spiritually enticing practice of yoga started being celebrated in 2015.

 

Yoga and its importance

The term'yoga' is derived from sanskrit which means to reunite or join. It is symbolic of the union of mind and body. Yoga originated some 5000 years ago in india. It was developed as a process to interconnect the mind, soul, and body. As it started gaining popularity in the west, it became an exercise and a method to relax. Through yoga, you can easily calm down your nerves, alleviate any physical concerns, get relieved of any chronic pain, and attain bodily well-being.

 ;

Significance of 21 june

June 21 is also called the summer solstice. It is considered the longest day of the year when the sun is out for most parts of the day. From yoga's perspective, the summer solstice allows the transition to dakshinayana. Hence, it was chosen as an ideal day to celebrate a healthy mind and body.

 

Un declaration

After the draft resolution was presented in the un general assembly, it received support from 177 member countries. Pm modi in his statement emphasized yoga's invaluable importance. He also stressed the fact that how yoga connects us to nature.

 ;

Benefits of yoga


	
	Yoga and fitness
	


Yoga ensures that a person is healthy in its true sense. The different postures of yoga encourage overall fitness and balance of the body. In addition, an enhanced mental strength, physical power, stamina, and detoxification of the body.


	
	Yoga and stress relief
	


Some precious moments of yoga each day is a good way to eliminate everyday stress. Be it physical or mental, certain practices like meditation and pranayama are perfect for preventing stress.


	
	Yoga and inner peace
	


There is a serious need for peace in this robust world. Yoga done regularly gives you extensive inner peace. It is vital to calm your disturbed peace. Moreover, breathing exercises in yoga are very helpful against unwanted stress. Immune system enhancement and protection from frequent diseases is another one of yoga s benefits.



 

International Yoga Day: All You Need To Know!

Abstract

Background: it is essential to have an understanding of life expectancy and risk factors among patients with sickle cell disease (sickle cell anemia, hemoglobin diseases, and thalassemias). These are required to counsel the patients, target treatment, and plan the right clinical trials.

 

Methods: a research followed 3764 people ranging from birth to 66 years of age and suffering from scd. The procedure was done to understand the life expectancy and calculate the average age at death. Moreover, the study understood the reasons for the death in all 209 adults. It used the proportional-hazards regression analysis to know the risks for an untimely death in adults with sickle cell anemia.

 ;

Results: when the results for young kids and adults with sickle cell anemia were observed, it was found that the average age at death was 48 for women and 42 for men. Moreover, suffering from hemoglobin c disease had an average mortality age of 60 for men and 68 years for women.

 

In people with sickle cell disease, 18% of deaths took place in patients with mainly renal organ failures. 33% of the tested patients were medically free of organ failures but episodes of pain crisis took their life. Out of these patients, 78% experienced chronic pain, chest syndrome, or both, while 22% suffered a stroke that took their lives.

 ;

Clinical modeling showed that people with sickle cell anemia faced acute chest syndrome, seizures, kidney failure, a white-cell count of over 15, 000 per cubic mm, and a low hemoglobin level were related to a risk of early death.

 

Conclusions: results suggested that 50% of patients with sickle cell anemia lived beyond the age of 50. A huge share of those who lost their lives suffered no noticeable chronic organ failure. However, most of them died due to acute episodes of pain or stroke. Early death was seen highest among patients who had symptomatic disease. High levels of fetal hemoglobin suggested improved chances of survival and are assumably a credible source to foresee the risks and other factors related to adult life expectancy.


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Life Expectancy And Risk Factors Involved In Sickle Cell Disease

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