Is there anything specific I should do in prep for giving blood?

I will be giving blood tomorrow. I am approx 137lbs. Is there anything *specific* I should do in preparation for giving? I've been told to drink a lot of water as well as eat a good breakfast. Truth, Myth, or what?

P.S.-This will also be my first time giving so any tips[or advice] is extremely appreciated...

Answers:
great question, and, thanks, by the way, for being so responsible as to give blood.
It is a good idea to drink a lot of fluids over the twelve to twentyfour hours before you give blood. A full breakfast is also a good idea, but avoid fatty foods, like bacon and fried eggs, as that fat will end up in the blood for several hours, and makes the blood a little less attractive to the recipient (it ends up looking like milk has been mixed in with the red cells.) The process, itself, is not terribly uncomfortable, except for the initial needle stick, which is like getting stuck with a needle (duh...) Then you lay for about ten or fifteen minutes while a pint of blood is taken. Some people (usually the ones who didn't eat and drink prior to the process) get a little light headed after giving the blood. There will be someone who walks you from the donor chair over to a lunch table, and you can eat your fill of cookies, snadwiches, and juice. About a half hour later, or when you are sure your legs are not wobbly, you head off, feeling good for having done what is right! Good on ya!
eat a good meal and drink lots of fluids..
dont SMOKE... learned that the hard way.
Definitely drink a lot of water. Try to have some protein for breakfast - like eggs.

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