I have fantasized at times about living in a different era. How exciting to live in the times of knights in shining armor and ladies in fancy dresses in a stone castle. But then I think, what if I were to have gotten sick in those times? Would I have died of a disease or illness that is easily treated in this day and age? The doctor or Barber surgeon came to your home to treat you. Most likely he would perform bloodletting. This was a common practice to cure or prevent illness and disease. This seems very archaic and a little extreme. Did this procedure help people or did it just make them sicker and quicken their death? For those with an Iron Overload Disorder it may have helped.
Proper balance? I can think of other ways to keep my body in proper balance! This was a bit fanatical and even gruesome, but was there a possible benefit to this procedure? In the video “Donating Blood to Prevent Cancer”, Michael Greger M.D.! FACLM, talks about “ferrotoxic” diseases that may benefit from giving blood.
People with Iron Overload Disorder or high levels of iron in their blood are at a greater risk of certain cancers and other diseases. It has been shown that when people “get rid of” some of their blood and thus decrease their iron levels, they show a decrease in contracting certain illnesses.
Thankfully there is a less painful way to keep your iron at an acceptable level. Eat healthy!
What exactly is eating healthy in this case? Eating a plant based diet. Utilizing plant-based sources of iron seems to be as effective as donating blood at reducing the risk of iron-related diseases. I know I would rather eat my vegetables then have to go give blood several times a week.
