Before and after donating blood, keep these things in mind: - Before donating blood , read the rules of the Red Cross Society, find out if you are at all eligible to donate blood. The donor should know on his own initiative what kind of diseases a person cannot donate blood with. - Usually the staff of the concerned department comes to collect blood from the government blood bank, but it is better to know before donating blood. If you hear people coming from a landslide private blood bank, it is better to avoid it. - Even if you donate blood in a very trusted and familiar place, make sure that new syringes are not being used before handing out the syringes. And after your blood is taken, make sure that the syringe is being discarded. - You should never go for blood on an empty stomach. Water should be taken well before giving blood and tea-coffee should be avoided as much as possible. - In most of the blood donation camps, some or some food is given after giving blood. Salty foods are usually eaten after blood transfusions. You can eat fruit juice , cookies etc.