We can give money to charitable causes, and we can volunteer and give our time.  But even if money is in short supply and demands on our time are high, there something else we can give: blood.  Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood.  Yet only 5% of the eligible US population donates blood in any given year.  For nearly 5 million people who receive blood transfusions every year, each donation makes a difference.  And now there is evidence that giving blood is beneficial for the person who donates as well.  Preliminary studies from the American Medical Association show that we can lower the risk of heart disease by giving blood every six months or so.  This is because many people take in too much iron, mostly from eating red meat.  Excess iron can create free radicals in the body, speeding aging and raising the risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.  So donating blood is good for our local community blood supply, but it can also be good for our bodies as well!  The American Red Cross has more information.