What does being an organ donor really mean?
The small red heart on a driver’s license is a symbol of voluntary organ donation after
death, however, it is unclear which organs are being donated.
When registering for a license at a DMV, individuals are asked if they would like to be an
organ donor. It is a simple check box that says, “I want to donate my organs and tissue.”
Many may not be aware of the underlying specifics.
Viable organs for transplant are the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys and intestines
according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). With all of these
combined and taking account for the two lungs and two kidneys, one person can donate up to
eight lifesaving organs.
The variety of tissues that an individual donates after death are vague. There are many
tissues that can be used to save lives, such as the corneas, tendons, heart valves, veins, skin and
bones as specified by the HRSA.
Donated tissues can be utilized for serious medical situations like sight restoration,
circulation repair, burns, ligament repair and bone replacement.
Unlike organs, tissue is not directly transferred from donor to transplant recipient. It can
be retrieved and saved for an extended period of time , according to the HRSA.
The Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) website states, “Thousands of people
die each year before an organ for transplantation becomes available and many more face long
waiting times or less than ideal alternatives for lack of a tissue transplant.”
The MTF says that the variety of tissues recovered from the deceased may be used for
more than saving lives. Some tissues are transferred to cosmetic plastic surgeries rather than
medical reconstructions.
According to Donate Life America (DLA), the idea of donating tissue along with organs
may be a deterrent in registering. DLA says it is essential that prospective donors are informed of
their rights.
The DLA says that all 50 states have passed legislation authorizing recovery agencies to
honor the decision of those who wish to donate. However, 11 states allow individuals to choose
which organs and/or tissue to donate.
For those who do not live in the 11 states, donors may make specific modifications to
their registry.
The DLA has a webpage for every state, including South Carolina’s “Donate Life South
Carolina.”
By visiting a state’s registry website, one may sign up and make restrictions on a
preexisting account. For those who do not wish to donate tissue, but are comfortable with
internal organs only, they can make that provision.
The American Transplant Foundation (ATF) says that approximately 114,000 people in
the United States are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Every 10 minutes another name is
added to the waiting list, while 20 people die each day waiting for a transplant.
Linda Levinson, an organ transplant recipient, described the process as a miracle. She
received a kidney transplant after suffering from polycystic kidney disease.
“Being a mother of two and grandmother of five, my kidney transplant saved me from
missing marriages and graduations,” she said. “We are so blessed to have organ donations in the
United States,” she said.
According to the ATF, 95% of U.S. adults support organ donation but only 58% have
signed up. In 2018, 145 million people over the age of 18 had registered as organ donors, and
36,528 transplants were performed that year.
The ATF website states, “Each year, the number of people on the waiting list continues to
be much larger than both the number of donors and transplants, which grow slowly.”
Anyone can sign up to become an organ donor online by registering through a state’s
Donate Life America website.
Nutrition
Getting the proper nutrients takes more than just protein and vegetables.
According to The Free Dictionary, “There are seven categories of nutrients that the body
needs to acquire from food: protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibers, vitamins, minerals and water.”
Nutrients is defined by The Free Dictionary as, “the science or study that deals with food
and nourishment, especially in humans.”
Proper nutrition provides a healthy energy balance, said Crossfit. Food provides humans
with many of the important elements that the body requires to function properly. Once food has
been consumed it is absorbed into the body, and the body begins to process the nutrients. These
nutrients are used to move, think, digest, maintain life and reproduce life.
According to Medical News Today nutrients can be broken down into two categories,
macronutrients and micronutrients. Micronutrients are only needed in small quantities while
macronutrients are required in larger amounts.
“Not all nutrients provide energy but are still important, such as water and fiber,” said
Medical News Today.
Medical News Today said, micronutrients include all of the vitamins and minerals the
body needs and are essential organic compounds that the human body cannot synthesis.
Medical News Today discusses macronutrients and how they can be split into two
categories, ones that provide energy and ones that provide no nutrients. Water and fiber give the
body no nutrients yet they are important.
Ross Philbeck, assistant director of the Recreation and Wellness Center, said that one of
the important pieces in living a healthier lifestyle is eating whole foods and cooking at home.
Medical News Today said, “a healthy diet should consist of fruits, vegetables and whole
grains, such as whole wheat and brown rice.”
According to Medical News Today when choosing foods for daily consumption one
should choose low- fat and non-fat products. Protein is an important part of living a balanced
lifestyle, thus one must choose proper proteins. Lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans,
legumes and soy products are good options.
Philbeck said it is important to consume the proper amount of calories each day, because
the human body gets its energy from calories. Because each person is different, nutritionists must
take into account age, gender, weight and what the person is trying to accomplish when building
a daily calorie regiment. If a person is seeking to lose weight, the nutritionist will lower the
number of calories to create a calorie deficit. However, if the goal is simply to maintain a healthy
weight and lifestyle then each person’s allotted calories will be based on the aforementioned
items.
According to Heathline, “ Smart nutrition and food choices can help prevent disease.
Eating right foods can help your body cope more successfully with ongoing illness.”
Philbeck said to be successful at eating more balanced meals it is important that
individuals do not have an all or nothing mindset. He said this is a common issue, if an
individual messes up they simply give up and eat whatever. According to Philbeck it is important
to take a lifestyle change like this one step at a time. Drink lots of water and be more
conscientious with eating choices.
Grocery shopping can be a problem as people adjust to more fresh, homecooked meals.
Philbeck suggested shopping the outer edges of the store because that is where the protein and
fresh produce is located. Go into the store with a general plan of what fits into one’s allotted
calorie count for the week. He also suggested mixing things up by trying new things instead of
eating the same old foods every night.
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