Blood is a matter of life and death.
It keeps you alive, every second of every day, delivering vital nutrients, oxygen, and other chemicals to all of your organs. It also washes away wastes. What’s more, flowing blood can cool you down or warm you up, when necessary. Blood is also your best defense against germs and other hostile invaders. Your bloodstream creates microscopic defenders called antibodies, which coat germs. That makes it possible for white blood cells in the bloodstream to kill the invaders.
However, the very liquid that keeps you alive can also kill you. Within hours, blood can spread poisons and other harmful elements all over your body. Deadly diseases travel from one body to another via the bloodstream. Your blood may not have the right kinds of defenders or enough defenders to protect you.
To find out how blood can both give life and take it away, read this “life-and-death” issue!
