Iron

[guyinahat]

So you get the pricky-finger test to make sure you have enough iron. It's a gradually built up value, so although you should eat well before donating, your iron count needs to be of a healthy level already.

Which means consuming:

Red meat
Red wine
Dark chocolate
Spinach
Irn Bru

It's tough being healthy...

Comments

[h2_the_foodie]

nah, you wouldn't have become anaemic. They just are *extremely* cautious about who they take from, because donor safety is as important as product (Blood) safety. I'm sure if you'd gone to a gp and said 'i'm worried about my levels' and told them what it'd been, your GP wouldn't have been in the slightest bit interested, because by doctoring standards your levels would have been fine. This has particularly become a problem (for me anyway) in the last few years as they've had to up their minimum level to fit in with new ? EU laws. I tend to fall between their old minimum and the new minimum, which is very frustrating.

[smurfgasm]

replace the Spinach for Curly Kale, it's much tastier.

Then there's always iron supplements.

[h2_the_foodie]

actually, they really don't like you taking iron to keep your levels high. The rationale is that by taking iron (in order to be high enough to give blood) you're masking any actual problem you might have (even if the problem is only that your levels are entirely healthy, but not high enough to give- they have very high standards). So don't go taking ferrous sulphate or anything.

However if you want to be sure to give your levels a boost, things like Kellogs Cereals are fortified with iron and won't get you into trouble. I reckon if you are a daily eater of a bowl of fortified cereal and a healthy diet then you're unlikely to fall below the level.