Cure two people with one jab!

Giving blood has its positives and negatives, let me explain;

Blood, the liquid of life, it's what circulates through our body and keeps us warm, it's what transports oxygen to our brain so we can function, it's what brings nutrients to our injuries to have them heal; without blood we cannot survive. Without "enough" blood we have restless sleeps, suffer from constipation, feel irritable, age rapidly and have dry dehydrated, have trouble seeing, feel dizzy and light headed, and feel cold when others are warm. 

In Chinese Medicine, many people fall into the category of 'blood deficiency', meaning their body is not producing enough blood and need to consider strengthening their digestive system, especially the spleen. The spleen (from a Chinese Medicine point of view) is responsible for taking the nutrients from the food we consume and transforming it into blood. If we have a bad diet; have an eating disorder; or are continually under stress, the function of the spleen will be challenged and therefore will not do its job in producing enough blood. 

When a 'blood deficient' person gives blood they are in effect compromising and causing more injury to their health by making themselves more blood deficient.  A sure sign of this is, soon after giving blood, the 'blood deficient' person will feel even more tired, lethargic and even dizzy.  Whilst they aren't in need of a blood transfusion, they are not physically in the best condition to be giving away blood.

To look at the other end of the spectrum, if someone who is angry all the time, suffers from headaches, severe pimples, insomnia (of the excess type), has blood clots, pain in the legs from blockages (to name a few symptoms) then giving blood could be provide a win-win situation - cure two people with one jab! The above symptoms are of an 'excess' type nature.  Here, the body is showing pain and heat because the blood is not moving and circulating properly. The liver's job is to have the blood move but if we are stressed all the time then the blood will back up like a traffic jam which causes the above excess symptoms to surface.  When someone cuts themselves the blood loss forces the body to respond by moving the blood to the injured area for healing. When this happens all tension is released and in many cases the dis-ease is will be alleviated.  A classic example is when a woman has period pain due to emotional tension and once the period comes and the blood is released, and all the pain disappears.   There are countless examples of patients with illnesses or severe pain that simply disappears straight after they have had a blood test for their doctor. The drawing of the blood has moved the stagnation!

So if you want to give blood please be sure your own honey pot is full first and then by all means give blood to help save the lives of others. If you are blood deficient or have the symptoms that I spoke of earlier then look to have blood strengthening herbs and or acupuncture to build your blood reserves.