Surprising facts about donating blood
1. Can justify skipping a workout
If saving the lives of others and improving your own health isn’t enough to get you to donate blood, how about the possible weight loss. According to LiveStrong, you can burn about 650 calories per donation with one pint of blood—that’s more than what you burn in a 30-minute run!
2. Blood shortages during holidays
Everyone tends to get a bit busy over the holiday, and blood donation trends show this. Blood shortages happen most during summer and winter holidays, so keep this in mind most.
3. Type O Positive Blood is commonly needed
Type O positive is the most common blood type and it’s most likely to be transfused.
4. Reducing iron overload
For each unit of blood donated, you lose about a one-quarter gram of iron, which is one of the best ways to avoid the health risks associated with too much iron.
5. You get a mini physical
Every donor gets a “mini physical” prior to donation. Your temperature will be checked along with your blood pressure, pulse, and hemoglobin. Your blood will also be tested for 13 infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis B and C, West Nile Virus, and syphilis.
Sources: Medical Daily, Mercola
Self-driving cars will help PwD
According to a research report commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation, self-driving cars could save $19 billion annually in US healthcare costs by simply reducing the amount of doctor’s appointments missed each year. The report also asserts that approximately 2 million individuals living with disabilities would have new employment opportunities by having access to autonomous transportation.
Source: futurism.com
Sick Days: Are you oversharing?
How much should you talk about your health at work, and what should you keep private? Here are some tips:
• Confide carefully in a few close colleagues you trust.
• Timing is key: If you suspect that a personal stress-related ailment may persist, talk to your employer before your productivity and wellness suffer
• Honesty is (usually) the best policy: Acknowledge you’re feeling under the weather, if asked, and gracefully change the subject.
• Doctor’s dos and don’ts: Book an appointment sooner rather than later; track symptoms, and treatments you’ve already tried.
• Get help: If you decide to keep matters private at work, tap into outside resources like family, friends and health-care professionals for help and encouragement.
Source: cbc.ca
Near-infrared spectroscopy
Swiss neuroscientists have developed a brain-computer interface (BCI) that monitors patients’ brain blood oxygen levels to effectively read “yes” and “no” responses. The wearable device fits like a swimming cap, and is equipped with sensors that can detect changes within the brain’s blood levels, without any movement. Findings indicate the device was accurate 70 per cent of the time, which, while not perfect, is considerably greater than a guessing game.
Source: infowars.com
