It may seem like you talk about “types” all day, everyday. The type of guy you’re looking for or the type of coffee you drink – both tall, dark and a little sweet, please. Or maybe the type of job you want or type of woman you’re trying to be. But considering that someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds, your blood type might be the most important topic to talk about.
Already know your blood type? Here are six reasons why that is – and you are – awesome! Don’t know it? Here are five reasons why you should!
As crazy as it sounds, a single drop of blood can provide a plethora of information about your health. According to Reader’s Digest, research has shown that the blood types AB, A and B increase the risk for blood clots by 40 percent compared to type O. Sorry, but there’s more bad news. In comparison to Type O, your risk for heart disease increases by 23 percent for Type AB, by 11 percent with Type B and by five percent with Type A. However, lifestyle choices – such as smoking, weight and diet – significantly affect one’s risk for blood clots and have a greater affect on heart disease than blood type.
You may also want to be aware that Type A blood seems to increase the risk for stomach cancer by 20 percent and those with Type O blood are more prone to stomach ulcers. For those with Type O blood who thought they were getting off light, this blood type also seems to reduce fertility. Age, however, plays a much larger role in fertility than blood type.
It isn’t enough to know if you’re Type A, B, AB or O. If you’re a woman – especially one with plans to be or already is pregnant – you should know whether your blood type is positive or negative. As Lab Test Diagnostics explains, if a pregnant woman and her baby don’t have the same RH blood type (positive or negative), the woman’s body could treat the baby like an allergen. Called hemolytic disease or hemolytic anemia, this RH incompatibility can cause serious harm to the baby. You can receive an injection to prevent this reaction from happening, however – knowledge really is power during pregnancy!
You should also know your blood type in case you need to receive a sudden blood transfusion. A good motivator? If you receive the wrong blood type, your blood cells could clot, which can prove fatal. According to Lab Test Diagnostics, hospitals will usually run a blood type test and, during emergencies, use Type O negative (the universal donor). Nonetheless, certain circumstances could require using your exact blood type and, even if they test your blood, it can’t hurt to know your type!
Knowing your blood type is also helpful when you want to donate blood. If your friend is in a near-fatal car accident, for instance, or a hospital runs low on a certain blood type and releases a call for donations, you will automatically know whether or not your can donate. As Lab Test Diagnostics points out, undergoing a blood test is also the first step to donating bone marrow. Your blood type knowledge could literally save someone’s life.
But if you’re asking what you could get out of knowing your blood type, a better diet is one answer. According to Connect, some experts – like Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo – believe that blood type can determine a person’s ideal diet. This is reportedly the reason why different people have different weight loss results while following the same diet. In particular, people with Type O blood supposedly thrive on protein-rich diets while those with Type A blood do better on vegetable-heavy diets.
Need a new exercise routine? Connect reports that your blood type can also indicate the best exercise for you. Type A rocks with tai chi and yoga while Type O can handle more strenuous exercise. Type AB gets the best of both worlds: People with this blood type do well with demanding activities like running and calming ones like meditation. This is not to say that Type Os who do yoga will suffer negative effects. Instead, you might simply react better to other forms of exercise.
So, ready to look into the crystal ball and at your healthiest self? Take with you the key piece of information: your blood type!
