Write an article based on this "Determine if you are eligible. Make an appointment. Eat iron-rich foods. Hydrate yourself. Get a good night's rest. Eat 1-3 hours before your donation. Collect proper ID cards. Avoid certain activities."

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Each country's blood service has different requirements in place to be eligible to donate blood. These can range from blood disease concerns, to past travel locations, to age and weight. In general, you will be able to give blood if you meet certain criteria.  Check out the Mayo Clinic's comprehensive guide to blood donation  You have to be healthy, fit, and not suffering from a current illness. Avoid donating blood if you have a cold, a cold sore, a cough, a virus, or an upset stomach. Certain prescribed medications, such as antibiotics, can make you ineligible to donate blood. You must weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kg. You have to be old enough. In many jurisdictions, parental permission is required for the ages 16–17 to give blood. Check the blood organization in your area if you are around this age. You can only donate blood every 56 days if you are male, and 84 if you are female (to ensure iron levels are high enough after menstrual cycles). If you have donated blood more recently than that, then you are not eligible again, until that period is over.  Do not give blood if you have had simple dental work done within 24 hours or major dental work in the past month. Dental work in general can place one at risk for dislodging bacteria. This bacteria can get into the blood stream and cause systemic infection. Wait 6-12 months to give blood after getting any new body piercings or tattoos. There are many blood donation centers across many countries. Since these centers need time to prepare for you to give blood, you should make an appointment. This also gives you time to ensure all the eligibility requirements are met for that particular date. You can also look for a blood drive if you don't want to make an appointment. Check local advertisements for blood drives in your area. Since blood production requires iron, you should eat iron-rich foods for two weeks before your appointment. This will help you have strong blood for donation and help you better recuperate after your donation. Iron-rich foods include spinach, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, organ meat, eggs, and beef. Having good levels of vitamin C will also help to increase iron absorption. Try to consume citrus fruit, juices, or vitamin C supplements. To prepare your body for the loss of blood, you need to drink plenty of water or fruit juice the night and morning before you donate. The leading cause of faintness and dizziness when you give blood is a drop in blood pressure or blood sugar. The risk of this is greatly reduced if you are well-hydrated when you visit the donation center.  It is recommended you drink a lot in the 24 hours leading to the donation time, especially when it's warm. This includes drinking four good sized glasses of water or juice during the three hours leading up to your donation.  If you are donating plasma or platelets, drink four to six 8-ounce glasses of fluids two to three hours before your appointment. Before you donate blood, you should have proper sleep. This will help you feel better and more alert when you give blood, which will help reduce the risk of any adverse reactions to the process. This means you should get a full night's sleep (7-9 hours for adults) before you donate blood. Never give blood if you have not eaten that day. Eating will keep your blood sugar levels stable, which will help you feel better after you have donated blood. Having food in your system helps to ward off lightheadedness and fainting. You should eat something healthy that fills you up but doesn't make you feel stuffed.  If you are donating early, eat something like eggs and toast, or something else to increase your iron levels, salt levels, and water levels. If you are giving blood near the middle of the day, have lunch, such as a sandwich and piece of fruit. Don't be too full, but make sure you eat enough to keep your blood pressure high enough for donation. Don't eat immediately before your appointment to lessen the risk of being nauseated during your donation. Avoid fatty foods for 24 hours before you donate. Increased fat in your blood stream might make it impossible to get accurate readings on mandatory screening tests conducted on your blood after you donate.  If the center can't run all the tests, they may have to discard your donation. The requirements for each blood donation center may differ, but you will always need at least one form of ID for your visit. This generally includes your driver's license, your blood donor card, or two alternate forms of ID, such as your passport and social security card. Make sure you take these on the day of your appointment. A blood donor card is a card you get from the blood donation center that registers you within their system. You can order one of these online, go by the center to order one, or ask about them when you donate the first time, so you have one for subsequent donation visits. In the hours leading up to your appointment, you need to avoid certain activities that may hurt your chances of donating or contaminate your blood. You should not smoke within the hour leading up to your appointment. You should also avoid alcoholic beverages in the 24 hours before you donate.  Chewing gum or candy makes the temperature in your mouth go up, which could make it seem like you have a fever and make you ineligible to give blood. However, these effects wear off in 5 minutes.  If you are giving platelets, you should avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs for two days before you donate.