According to my Health Magazine that I am reading right now, and according to Biotech researchers at Arizona-based Medistem Laboratories, menstrual blood contains adult stem cells that could potentially be used to treat disease. They say that you now have the option to bank your blood in a deep freeze...just like they do with the umbilical cord storage. While this is fundamentally a really cool idea, I think I'll hold off on jumping into that one. But shall my readers be interested in making a deposit, you can find more info at http://www.celle.com/.
Speaking of blood...in a couple of months I am going to switch over from donating whole blood to an automated donation process where they remove your blood, separate and take the plasma/platelets that they need and replace what they don't back in your body through the iv. It's often a long process depending on your blood count (2 hours) but mine seems to be on the high side so Bonfils tells me it might only take me about 70-85 minutes. If I understand the process correctly, since they are not taking the whole blood then you can donate it every two weeks instead of every 56 days. Donating through the automated process is obviously more time consuming for people but it is crucial for cancer patients recipients.
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7 comments:
You go, girl! I can't donate blood, too many niggling health issues that prevent it. Not that I'm complaining, but wish I could at least have the option.
you said not to read. Of course that told me READ READ READ
I'll take your advice next time. Cool though, there should be plenty of that if they can get folks to donate it.
good grief!! i just have to ask this... how on earth do you bank menstrual blood....????? oh dear...
Sweets
I can't even begin to imagine...
Wow...I can't donate blood because I have a tattoo and lived in England while there was mad cow disease, so go you. As for menstrual blood...sounds great but logistically kind of difficult to "collect." :-)
Did you read their site? Lol!
What it basically says is "No one uses this yet, but maybe someday they'll figure out how to use menstrual blood for this, maybe... kinda... sort of... but anyway, until then, how about paying us $400 a year to hold onto this stuff for ya? You know... just in case."
Well here's what I'm thinking... If there comes a time when the technology to use this is viable, I'm thinking there will be NO shortage of stem cells in the world. This could be the future fountain of youth. And when you think about how many people could "donate" and how often? There won't be a problem. I don't need to start storing mine now for something there'll be no shortage of later!
Now... there is the argument that the best stem cells for me to grow a new leg or a third eye would be my own. But really, my genes aren't that great. I'm perfectly fine giving one of my younger female family members' stem cells a shot if needed. (Yeah... that's a conversation I'd look forward to... -Not!)
teehee... no wonder we menstruate!
as for the donation- thats amazing! i've never even heard of it!
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