Your blood consists of more than just the typical blood cells doing the tango inside your veins. Over half of your blood volume is actually a straw-colored, slightly unclear substance called plasma. What is this plasma that you haven’t properly acquainted with, you may ask? It consists predominantly of water but also comes packed with a load of minerals, proteins, and hormones.

Break away from the clichés of heart and blood vessels narratives for a minute and witness the alluring dance of plasma. Instead of turning red like the rest of the so-called blood crew, plasma stays true to its natural straw-color when isolated. It goes with the flow, literally, moving through your heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries as a delightful liquid. It assists the heart in providing oxygen, nutrients, hormones, immune proteins, vitamins, and minerals to all corners of your body.

Say goodbye to your kidney misconceptions. Our kidneys are not just stone-cold, waste material eliminating machines; they also maintain an optimal total amount and ratio of the plasma components. Talk about multitasking!

But plasma isn’t only a hero inside the body. Donated plasma can prevent or treat medical instability caused by rapid or substantial fluid loss, for instance, due to a severe burn or trauma. A plasma transfusion literally fills the vacuum caused due to fluid loss, preventing severe health effects and maintaining healthy functioning cells.

Donating plasma isn’t as complicated as it might sound. You have your blood typed, undergo screening tests, and then a specially trained phlebotomist taps your vein. Through a reasonably painless process, plasma is separated from your blood. Your blood cells are returned to you while your plasma goes on a journey to save or stabilize someone else.

Plasma donation, however, is not a walk in the park; it might leave you feeling tired due to mild anemia and dehydration. Post-donation, it’s crucial to hydrate (beer’s not hydration, champ), grab a bite, and get some rest. Your body is quite the warrior and will replace the lost plasma fairly quickly.

If you ever think about donating blood, give a round of applause to plasma for making you rethink your decision. Your plasma is many things: the straw-colored, silent savior, the hardworking performer, and an evidence-armed soldier against severe fluid loss. Time to give plasma its moment in the spotlight, don't you think?