Blood, the source of life in the human body & bull; hello healthy

Blood is an important component that the body needs. Without blood, the organs in your body cannot work optimally. Interestingly, blood contains many surprising facts that you may not have imagined before. Come on, take a peek at various facts about blood in the following review.

Blood acts as a means of transportation

Blood is a red liquid that allows your body to work normally. In the body, this fluid acts as a means of transportation in charge of transporting nutrients, oxygen, hormones, and various other important compounds to the parts of the body that are in need.

At the same time, this fluid is also responsible for carrying waste substances that are no longer useful to the excretion or disposal system, including into the kidneys, lungs, and liver.

This fluid also helps fight germs or disease-causing bacteria that attack the immune system.

There is one last thing you may not have thought about before. This fluid also plays a role in bringing heat to the skin. Yes, this fluid is able to keep the outside of your body (such as the fingers and toes) warm because the heat created in the center of the body, such as the heart and muscles, is carried to that area.

The amount of blood volume for children and adults is the same

Quoting Live Science, Daniel Landau, a specialist in hematology and cancer at the University of Florida Cancer Center, said the body of a healthy adult contains about 4-5 liters of blood on average.

If you are short of blood, you will probably lose about 8-10 percent of your total body weight. So, if you weigh 54 kilograms, then about 4-5 kilograms of your total body weight is blood.

In addition, you may think that the blood volume counts of adults and children are different. In fact, the amount of volume in the bodies of adults and children is actually the same. However, because the size of the organs in the child's body is relatively smaller, the volume of fluid that fills their body appears to be more.

Blood is made of many components

The red fluid that flows in your body consists of several components. Each component has its own function and task. In general, here are the various components that make up the liquid that is the source of this life.

1. Blood plasma

More than half of this fluid component is blood plasma. This clear yellow liquid contains 92 percent water, while the remaining 8 percent is a mixture of sugar, fat, protein and salt.

The main task of fluid plasma is to transport all blood cells along with nutrients, antibodies, waste products, proteins, and even hormones to the parts of the body that are needed. Plasma fluid also functions to balance blood volume and salt, including potassium, sodium, calcium, chloride, bicarbonate, and magnesium.

2. Erythrocytes

Red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, are the most abundant cells in the blood. Per second, the human body can produce about 2 million erythrocytes and it is estimated that there are about 150 billion erythrocytes in every 1 ounce of your blood. Interestingly, stress can make the body produce erythrocytes 7 times more than that number!

Apart from the most, these cells also have an important task. Together with hemoglobin, erythrocytes carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and carry back carbon dioxide from all over the body to the lungs. Hemoglobin itself is a special protein that gives erythrocytes their red color.

This cell is round and in the middle there is a hollow (bikonkaf) which when observed using a special tool looks like a donut. Unlike many other cells, erythrocytes do not have a nucleus (cell nucleus), so they can change shape easily. This is what makes it easier for erythrocytes to pass through the various vessels in your body.

Erythrocytes are produced in bone marrow and can survive for about four months or 120 days. The percentage by volume of whole blood that consists only of erythrocytes is called a hematocrit.

3. Leukocytes

In the body, the number of leukocytes or white blood cells is indeed small, which is about 1 percent of the total volume of your blood. Even so, the job of leukocytes should not be underestimated. Leukocytes are responsible for fighting viral, bacterial, and fungal infections that trigger disease development. This is because white blood cells produce antibodies that will help fight these foreign substances.

Similar to erythrocytes, leukocytes are also produced in the bone marrow with a variety of different types, including lymphocytes, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, and monocytes. All types of leukocytes have the same duty to maintain the immune system, so that you avoid infection that causes disease. Depending on the type, leukocytes can survive quite a long time, whether it's a matter of days, months, to years.

4. Platelets

Unlike erythrocytes and leukocytes, platelets are not actually cells, but rather tiny cell fragments. Platelets have an important role in the process of blood clotting (coagulation). When you have an injury, the platelets will form a blockage with the fibrin thread to stop the bleeding and stimulate the growth of new tissue in the injured area.

In the blood, a normal platelet count ranges from 150 thousand - 400 thousand per microluter of blood. If the platelet count in the body is higher than the normal range, then you are at risk of developing blood clots that can lead to strokes and blood attacks.

Conversely, if your platelets are lower than the normal range, then you are at risk of heavy bleeding because the blood is difficult to clot.

Human blood consists of many types

Did you know that everyone has a different blood type (goldar)? This goldar difference is based on the presence or absence of antigens in erythrocytes and plasma fluid. The antigen itself is grouped into eight basic goldars, namely A, B, AB, and O. Each type of goldar can be positive and negative.

In general, here is a brief description of each goldar.

• A:You only have A antigen on erythrocytes and B antibody in the plasma fluid
• B: You only have B antigen on erythrocytes and antibody A in plasma fluid
• AB: You have A and B antigens on erythrocytes, but you don't have A and B antibodies in the plasma
• O: You do not have A and B antigens on erythrocytes, but you do have A and B antibiotics in the plasma

Some people also have additional markers on their blood. This additional marker is called the rhesus (Rh factor), which is grouped again as "positive" or "negative" (meaning it doesn't have an Rh factor). For example, your goldar might be A + (positive), while your friend B- (negative).

You don't need to worry if you don't have additional markers. The reason is, the presence or absence of additional markers will not make you healthier or stronger. Additional markers are simply a matter of genetic differences, such as having blue eyes or red hair.

Few people are AB goldar negative

Your goldar is AB negative? Congratulations! You belong to a unique category of people. The reason is, this goldar is quite rare. Only a handful of people have goldar AB. This has even been proven by experts.

Quoting from the Medical Daily page, experts from the Stanford School of Medicine found the proportion of goldar in a community group.

• A is positive: 35.7 percent
• A is negative: 6.3 percent
• B is positive: 8.5 percent
• B is negative: 1.5 percent
• AB positive: 3.4 percent
• AB negative: 0.6 percent
• O positive: 37.4 percent
• Negative O: 6.6 percent

Now, from the findings above, it is very clear that compared to other goldar, AB negative goldar has a smaller proportion. Even so, the results of this study cannot be used as a reference that only a few people have a negative AB goldar in every country. This is because the proportion of goldar in a group will depend on the ethnic background and region of the country.

For example, blood type B is more common in Asians, while blood type O is found in Latin America.

Hematology specialist, a doctor who deals with blood problems

If you experience health problems related to blood, you can consult a hematologist. Hematogist specialists have the duty to diagnose, treat, and prevent various blood-related diseases. Including, cancerous and non-cancerous diseases that affect blood components and / or organs that produce this fluid, such as the spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes.

Before deciding to consult a hematologist specialist, you are advised to find as much information as possible about what you will choose. You can search for information from website trusted hospital, ask directly to the doctor you subscribe to, read patient testimonials from forums on the internet, or even get info from nurses or employees at the hospital where the doctor practices.

Now, when you find the right hematology specialist, ask all the things you really want to ask. Starting from health conditions, disease progression, to the treatment options that you may receive. An experienced professional doctor will explain well all the questions you ask.

Blood donation has many benefits

Blood donation is not only beneficial for the recipient, but also beneficial for the donor. Here are some of the benefits of blood donation that you should know:

1. Make you happier

A study in the field of psychology shows that donors who want to help sesana have a lower risk of experiencing premature death than those who donate because of their own interests or even not donating at all.

Not only that, donating things that are priceless to those in need will also make us feel happier. This feeling of happiness can be cultivated because you feel useful and useful for others.

2. Prevent heart disease

This life-saving activity can actually reduce blood viscosity if done regularly. Blood viscosity itself is one of the factors that play a role in increasing the risk of developing heart disease.

If the blood flowing in the body is too thick, the risk of friction between the blood and vessels is also higher. If there is already friction, the cells of the vessel wall can be damaged which in turn triggers blockage (atheroscrelosis).

3. Helps you lose weight

Are you planning to lose weight? Try a blood donation routine. The reason is, this activity can be an effective way to burn calories that accumulate in the body.

Based on a study conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Diego, United States, the average adult can burn 650 calories when giving 450 ml of blood, you know! Although it is effective at burning calories, it should also be remembered that this activity cannot be used as an option for a weight loss program.

You still have to adopt a healthy lifestyle by paying attention to food intake and regular exercise in order to achieve the ideal body weight.

4. Reducing the risk of cancer

By becoming a donor, you mean helping the body get rid of excess iron that has accumulated in the body. In the right amount, iron does offer many benefits for the body.

Conversely, too much iron accumulation in the body can increase free radicals that can lead to premature aging and cancer. At least that's what one study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found.

5. Detecting serious diseases

This one activity can be a way to find out how your health condition is, you know. The reason is, when you want to do this activity, you will first have their health checked.

The doctor will examine your health condition thoroughly, ask about your medical history, to perform laboratory tests to ensure that you are in good condition. So besides helping other people who need blood, you can also get free health checks.

Not everyone can donate blood

Although it is useful, you must not just do this noble activity. The reason is, there are many conditions that you must meet before doing it.

Before donating, make sure that you meet the mandatory requirements below.

• Physically and mentally healthy.
• 17-65 years old.
• Have a minimum weight of 45 kg.
• The minimum systolic pressure is 100-170, and the diastolic pressure is 70-100.
• Hemoglobin levels ranged from 12.5 g / dl to 17 g / dl.
• The minimum donor interval is 12 weeks or 3 months from the previous deposition.

Apart from those already mentioned above, there are also several health conditions that prevent you from doing this noble activity. Look carefully at the following list.

• Fever
• Flu
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
• HIV / AIDS
• Epilepsy or seizures
• Hepatitis B or hepatitis C
• Sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, syphilis, and so on.
• Alcohol addiction
• Drug users

There may be many other medical conditions that were not listed above. If in doubt, you can ask your doctor or medical staff directly before you donate blood.