As a raw foodist, what are your views on...

[Queen Bean]

...giving blood?

[freespirit]

Im squeemish around needles, but i would do it

[Raw Yogini]

Sure, why not? I'm sure the person needing the blood would appreciate such healthy blood. I've only done it once and my recovery time was like three days so I've stayed away from doing it again but now that I know about coconut water I've thought about doing it again.
I've seen blood transfusions literally save a life. One of my patients started bleeding excessively during a c/section. She got several pints of blood and it is very likely w/out it she would have died and left her husband and newborn behind.

[lytlsprout]

I think if you can give blood you should. there always seems to be a shortage. and it's only really like one third of the population that qualifies to give blood. if i wasn't so sick i would do it. one of my friends actually started to give blood to get over her fear of needles. though i think she went like 4 times before they could stick her without her blood pressure going crazy.

[iamacranberry]

I think being a raw foodist has absolutely nothing to do with giving blood. The two don't seem to be related at all.

[Anastazia]

One day I was thinking & praying about this issue (giving blood, why some don't, & that I want to...) & suddenly it came to me, that Jesus said,
"Greater love has no one than this than they'd lay down their LIFE for another!" The LIFE is in the blood...(of course that verse also means other things...) That settled it, for me...

When I'm healthier, I will begin to again...in the US, they pay you to...not so here in Canada...not sure where I stand on that, I think it should be freely given, yet I'm sure some would never do it without the $, & with the shortages...hmmmm...

...wish I'd known about coconut milk when I nearly bled to death after giving birth...
...almost had to have a hysterectomy & transfusions, but the woman filming my birth (who I'd never met before that day!) ran out in the hall when I began gushing huge amounts all over the doctor, my midwife, the walls, to find her husband, & they prayed intensely for me...& the bleeding suddenly totally stopped! (See why I believe in miracles!?!)

~Anastazia~

[Sugar Snap Pea]

I had a pt tonight who would be dead right now, seriously, if I hadn't given her packed red blood cells and FFP (fresh frozen plasma to stop her massive GI bleed she was having). It's such an easy way to save a life!

[rawstrength]

If you plan on traveling, please consider giving blood BEFORE you travel.
I patiently awaited the day I turned 18 so that I could give blood. Then I found out that I couldn't because I had recently been to China.

[RawHeaven]

Giving blood is a great thing.

I do not like needles either freespirit...but the blood people know how to deal with us squeamish folks.

The only thing that I don't like about the process is they feed you junk after you're done. Sugar & processed treats.

Bring your own food. :)

[Clare]

Anastazia - beautiful meditation. Thank you.
They don't pay in the US for blood anymore. At least not as long as my husband and I have donated, since we were 18. It's probably better that way, so nobody's donating just to get some quick cash. But on the other hand, just more $ in the pockets of medical people, who charge big $ per pint on hospital bills.

[JennaBoBenna]

I have a huge hangup on needles :eek: I didn't really know until I went in for my first acupuncture appointment! Not a great time to realize that...

anyway, I've always said I'd never give blood...but I hope to someday. When I'm brave enough :rolleyes:

[Queen Bean]

iamcranberry...raw foodists generally are very interested in their health. other reasons (such as environmental reasons) also play a part, but most raw foodists want to obtain a very high level of radiant health. aside from the altruistic motives (which are extremely admirable), the effect of taking a large chunk of blood out of our bodies is still going to have some effect, which our body will have to overcome to regain equilibrium. for those who hold their health as paramount, this may be an issue that they find difficult to grapple with. so although you say 'raw foodism' and 'giving blood' are totally unrelated issues, my query focuses on how these two concepts relate - how those with extremely high levels of health handle giving away some of their life force. At a spiritual level I'm sure this is a very wonderful thing, but at the pure physical level it must tax the body (albeit temporarily) somewhat.

[Morn]

One day I was thinking & praying about this issue (giving blood, why some don't, & that I want to...) & suddenly it came to me, that Jesus said,
"Greater love has no one than this than they'd lay down their LIFE for another!" The LIFE is in the blood...(of course that verse also means other things...) That settled it, for me...

When I'm healthier, I will begin to again...in the US, they pay you to...not so here in Canada...not sure where I stand on that, I think it should be freely given, yet I'm sure some would never do it without the $, & with the shortages...hmmmm...

...wish I'd known about coconut milk when I nearly bled to death after giving birth...
...almost had to have a hysterectomy & transfusions, but the woman filming my birth (who I'd never met before that day!) ran out in the hall when I began gushing huge amounts all over the doctor, my midwife, the walls, to find her husband, & they prayed intensely for me...& the bleeding suddenly totally stopped! (See why I believe in miracles!?!)

~Anastazia~

Wow Anastazia what a great Praise REport! I really enjoyed reading this post - God truely has given you some insight!

[Anastazia]

Thanks, Clare...I haven't lived in Texas sinse I was 5 months pregnant 12 years ago,didn't realize they'd stopped paying...As I read what you wrote, I realized I'm glad for that...

...& thanks, Morn, nice to hear from you again, been thinking about you...
...I was referring also to the verse that says, "The life is in the blood"...but some of my post got edited...
...yes, He's given me SOME insight...I still have sooo much to learn, though...I see that more every day, the more i do learn...funny how that works! (God's sense of humor, I think!)
~Anastazia~

[Sugar Snap Pea]

QueenBean, I've thought about this, especially in the case of pheresis donation, where they take the blood, spin it down, remove certain components, and return it to your body. It's worries me, and while I know it's beneficial to the critically ill, I haven't been able to bring myself to do this. I have given blood, without a problem, though.

[Eva]

...in the US, they pay you to...not so here in Canada...not sure where I stand on that, I think it should be freely given, yet I'm sure some would never do it without the $, & with the shortages...hmmmm...


I don't doubt this is true somewhere, but I've never seen anyone get paid for giving blood. Any time I've given blood, it's been of my own free will with no compensation (in the US).

[Gittel]

Anastazia, what do you mean by
...wish I'd known about coconut milk ? I'm very interested. Thanks!

Gittel

[Eva]

And I was in a bad accident, by the way, where I needed lots of blood! I'm so thankful, and I was glad to have given blood. Like it's good karma, or something.

I would think raw foodists would be more ready to give blood -- my iron levels were much lower before I started drinking up on the green smoothies. Any time I gave blood, my iron level was barely high enough to pass. Now, I bet I would recover much, much faster! But I haven't given blood since going raw...

[Anastazia]

I don't doubt this is true somewhere, but I've never seen anyone get paid for giving blood. Any time I've given blood, it's been of my own free will with no compensation (in the US).

It was in texas, about 15 years or so, give or take...
...can't remember what it was, just remember feeling...weird...about it...
...I guess cuz we needed the $ at the time, & my hubby wouldn't have done it otherwise...
~Anastazia~

[Anastazia]

Anastazia, what do you mean by ? I'm very interested. Thanks!

Gittel

I just mean I heard here at RFT that it can be used as a blood transfusion, (maybe they said it was in poor countries?, Sorry, brain fog, no sleep...) & that it's really similar (somehow) to blood...I want to learn more about this, in case I ever need blood...

...because I know that diseases, & genetic weaknesses can be carried in the blood, I never want a blood transfusion...(but would have one to save my life, of course, if it's the only option...)

Whoever knows something about this, could you please share? Thanks!
~Anastazia~

[RawHeaven]

Maybe in some states they still pay you, but in California they stopped paying folks to give blood in the late 80's/early 90's??? There were many reasons for this...for example, in San Francisco there is a huge homelessness issue and I think many homeless people were sustaining themselves financially by giving their blood. HIV risk probably factored in as well I would imagine. Before blood screening was put in place in 1985, anyone could give blood...even addicts.

[RawHeaven]

I just mean I heard here at RFT that it can be used as a blood transfusion, (maybe they said it was in poor countries?, Sorry, brain fog, no sleep...) & that it's really similar (somehow) to blood...I want to learn more about this, in case I ever need blood...

...because I know that diseases, & genetic weaknesses can be carried in the blood, I never want a blood transfusion...(but would have one to save my life, of course, if it's the only option...)

Whoever knows something about this, could you please share? Thanks!
~Anastazia~


I didn't read the above threads, but I received blood transfusions after my motorcycle accident and after a few surgeries. In the cases where we could prepare, I actually donated my own blood in advance at the blood bank to be transfused (if necessary) after certain operations where there was a lot of blood loss or I was at risk of becoming anemic.

It is true certain illnesses can be transmuted in blood I believe. Not completely certain about this. I know there is a disclaimer that you sign when you give blood...but they generally test for everything before they allow you to give it. You are matched up by blood (antigen) type - blood type is the biggee. If you're an O negative type for instance which doesn't have any antigens, you're considered a universal donor. If you're an A type you have the A antigens, B type = B antigens; if you have both A & B antigens, you're an AB. If you're an AB positive you've won the lottery because you can receive any type of blood in an emergency.

I'm sure the Raw nurses - Nurse in the Raw & Raw Yogini can explain this better than me! lol. But you get the drift.

[LynieD]

Just another voice telling everyone to please give blood if they can.

One of my best friends passed away from acute myelogenous leukemia, after fighting for more than 14 months against the disease. The average life expectency for AML patients is only around 6 months, and part of what kept my dear friend alive for so long was regular blood transfusions. She figured it up once---I think it took 12-15 people a month to keep her alive.

Please, please, please...if you ever have an opportunity, donate. You'll save the life of someone's loved one.

[EastCoastie]

Hey Sugar Snap Pea,

I do apherisis donations a few times a year (and when I lived in Cali did them every 14 days) and it is really not a big deal. They make you really comfortable, have a tv on for your entertainment, and you don't really see the platelets being separated from the blood unless you deliberately turn to look at the machine.

On a different note, I remember reading somewhere that someone who was drinking lots of green smoothies had a green hue to their apherisis donation. (The normal color of the platelets when separated from the blood is golden.) It's been awhile since I learned that little tidbit of information so it could be urban legend. (I'll let you know if I ever do a donation after getting consistent with green smoothies again.)

EC

[Sugar Snap Pea]

Hi EastCoastie, It bothers me when I think about it on a cellular level, I worry about damage to blood cells when they go through the machinery, any chemicals used (if there are any) - I don't like the thought of all my blood going out of my body and then coming back in... I'd rather just give a pint of blood and be done with it! But it all goes back to my original theory on life-- It doesn't pay to think too hard about anything!

[Sugar Snap Pea]

Hey Anastazia, You are not in any danger from any genetic problems when you get blood, these are not passed on that way. You can get HIV, hepatitis, and other bloodborne illnesses- this is why blood is screened so carefully at time of donation. Even though they screen it carefully, a few things manage to slip through. Usually, though, the benefit outweighs the risk when someone needs blood.

[DawnW]

I agree....well said.

My father had to get blood and thankfully it was available because he had lost too much blood to have lived without it.

I am no longer able to give blood. I grew up in Africa and my senior year of high school I contracted Hep A and Malaria. It was a hard year!

Dawn



One day I was thinking & praying about this issue (giving blood, why some don't, & that I want to...) & suddenly it came to me, that Jesus said,
"Greater love has no one than this than they'd lay down their LIFE for another!" The LIFE is in the blood...(of course that verse also means other things...) That settled it, for me...

When I'm healthier, I will begin to again...in the US, they pay you to...not so here in Canada...not sure where I stand on that, I think it should be freely given, yet I'm sure some would never do it without the $, & with the shortages...hmmmm...

...wish I'd known about coconut milk when I nearly bled to death after giving birth...
...almost had to have a hysterectomy & transfusions, but the woman filming my birth (who I'd never met before that day!) ran out in the hall when I began gushing huge amounts all over the doctor, my midwife, the walls, to find her husband, & they prayed intensely for me...& the bleeding suddenly totally stopped! (See why I believe in miracles!?!)

~Anastazia~