Understanding Blood Health, Medical Terms, and Wellness

Posted on Jan 17, 2026 in Medicine & Health

Understanding Blood Health and Related Medical Terminology

Blood:: The red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the body’s tissues.
Blood Cell / Célula Sanguínea:: Any of the kinds of cells normally found circulating in the blood (e.g., red cells, white cells, platelets).
Blood Type / Tipo de Sangre:: Another term for blood group, determined by the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells.
Blood Donor:: A person who gives blood or blood components for transfusion or medical use.
Blood Recipient:: The individual who receives blood or blood components from a donor.
Blood Transfusion:: The process of transferring blood or blood components from one person into the veins of another.
Blood Clots:: A mass of blood that forms when platelets, proteins, and cells stick together. Normally, blood clots form to stop bleeding from an injury.
Bloodborne Disease / Enfermedades Transmitidas por la Sangre:: An illness caused by pathogens (like viruses or bacteria) that are present in human blood and can be transmitted through contact with infected blood or other body fluids.

Gene: One unit of the code inside cells which contains information on how to build a living thing.
Determine: To control or influence something.
Probability: The level of possibility that something will happen or that something is true.
Interaction: The reaction or communication between two or more things.
Protein: Chemicals found in the cells of living things, which build bodies and provide energy.
Impede: To make it difficult to do something; to hinder.
Immune: Protected against a disease because of certain factors in the blood or immune system.
Hereditary: Passed down from parents to a child before or at birth.

Sickle-Cell Anemia:: A serious hereditary blood disease, found mostly in people of African family origins, characterized by abnormally shaped red blood cells.
Cholesterol:: A fatty substance found in most tissues of the body, which is linked to a higher risk of heart disease if found in large amounts in the blood.
Leukemia:: A type of cancer in which too many abnormal white blood cells are produced, causing weakness and sometimes death.
Disorder:: A condition or illness that causes problems with the way a part of the body or brain works.
Remission:: A period during which a serious illness improves for a time and the patient seems to get better.
Palliative Care:: Medical treatment that focuses on reducing pain and suffering without necessarily curing the underlying cause.
Donor:: A person who gives blood or a part of his or her body to be used by doctors in medical treatment.

Note: These dietary suggestions are based on the controversial Blood Type Diet theory.

Type A: The Farmer
Eat a mostly vegetarian diet and avoid red meat.
Type B: The Nomad
Eat fruit and vegetables at most meals. Avoid chicken, pork, wheat, corn, and tomatoes.
Type A/B: The Enigma
This is a mix between types A and B. Eat seafood, tofu, dairy, beans, and grains. Avoid corn, beef, and chicken.
Type O: The Hunter
Eat a high-protein diet with meat, fish, chicken, and fruits and vegetables. Avoid grains, beans, and dairy.

“I’m covered in red spots and I feel itchy all over.”
Potential Diagnosis: Chicken Pox
“I feel weak and shivery. I’ve got a temperature and I keep sweating.”
Potential Diagnosis: The Flu (Influenza)
“I’ve got a runny nose and I keep sneezing all the time. Whenever I go out in the garden, my eyes become itchy and watery.”
Potential Diagnosis: Seasonal Allergy
“I can’t fall asleep at night. I feel too restless. During the day, I feel irritable and I just can’t focus.”
Potential Diagnosis: Insomnia
“Ever since I got a cold, I’ve been coughing and wheezing. I have a runny nose almost every day.”
Potential Diagnosis: Cat Allergy (or persistent respiratory irritation)
“I’ve got a splitting headache. Every time there is a change in temperature, I feel awful.”
Potential Diagnosis: A Migraine
“Whenever I go up an escalator I start to feel dizzy. Sometimes it’s so bad, I almost feel like fainting.”
Potential Diagnosis: Vertigo or Fear of Heights (Acrophobia)