Even mention the word “blood,” and a lot of people get really uncomfortable. Squirming. Fainting. Vomiting. You have likely seen it or maybe even experienced it yourself.

Visions of vampire bats and Dracula — and, far worse yet, pain and suffering and death — come to mind. The term “bad blood” is even known to most of us. Just ask Neil Sedaka and Elton John. Why would something that is essential for life be viewed in such a negative fashion?

In a 2015 Fox News interview, Steven Lamm, medical director of the Tisch Center for Men’s Health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said a physical response to the sight of blood is natural. Seeing blood usually means you or another person is in pain, he says. By reacting, a person “shows empathy, which is a good trait.” He says feeling queasy is a physiological response to fear, and the related mental and physical cues are likely part of the evolutionary “fight-or-flight” survival mechanism.

Blood was once quite common in sports, and competition was not stopped to clean it up like it is today. Bleeding and high school wrestling went hand in hand, and referees did not halt matches for blood unless it was absolutely necessary. Today, matches are stopped immediately, clean-up is completed by a trainer wearing disposable gloves, the wrestling mat is disinfected in the affected area, and all blood is cleaned up on the wrestlers.

The change came about with AIDS awareness in the mid-1980s when we were told we were all highly susceptible to the disease and should avoid blood at all costs. Most everyone took note. The COVID pandemic revisited the concern, expanding our fears beyond blood to saliva and even mist in the air.

As a child, I watched “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” when John Adams and his Native American friend Nakoma sliced their palms with a hunting knife and tied their hands together to become blood brothers. My friends and I tried to duplicate this with needle pricks on our fingers.

Members of the rock band KISS put vials of their blood in the ink used to print comic books featuring them. Bass player Gene Simmons even spit mass amounts of blood (albeit fake) on stage as part of his demon gimmick.

Even more unbelievable, we can find cases in our history when human blood was considered a medical cure. At the end of the 15th Century, according to the BBC, Pope Innocent VIII’s physician allegedly bled three young men to death and fed their warm blood to him with the hope it might pass on their youthful vitality. Later on, the BBC says, blood was used to treat epilepsy. The afflicted were encouraged to gather around the gallows and collect the warm blood dripping from recently executed criminals.

Bad blood? Nah. Needless to say, our views on blood have changed drastically, and rightfully so. But as uncomfortable as the sight of blood can be, we now know how donating it can positively impact the lives of many. Just don’t do it like Grizzly Adams did.

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

See Shane Goodman's past columns here.

FILM REVIEW
‘Red One’ misses the holiday film spirit

By David Rowley

Despite its star-studded cast and ambitious premise, “Red One” feels like a movie caught in an identity crisis, relying too heavily on generic action formulas while missing the spirit that makes holiday films memorable.

The story revolves around the Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority (MORA), a secretive organization tasked with (you guessed it) overseeing mythical figures. When Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped, MORA launches a rescue mission. Dwayne Johnson plays Callum Drift, Santa’s steadfast head of security, while Chris Evans stars as Jack O’Malley, a cynical freelance tracker with a murky past. Together, they embark on a globe-trotting mission to save Christmas. While the premise is pleasing on paper, “Red One” falters in execution, taking itself too seriously to fully embrace its campy potential.

Driven to serve
Dahm makes a difference in Grimes.

By Lindsey Giardino

Rachel Dahm has called Grimes home since 2010, when she and her husband moved to town with their then-6-month-old daughter. Today, they’re raising three daughters in the community, and Dahm has become a familiar face through her extensive volunteer work. From church activities to school events, she’s a dedicated volunteer who believes that loving her community means showing up and making a difference.

Dahm is a substitute teacher for Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, and she often uses her days off to help in other ways, like assisting with show choir costume fittings, volunteering at swim meets and more.

Happy birthday Jeff Lorenz!

These celebrities were born on this date: Kenneth Branagh, Bobby Flay, Raven-Symoné, Teyana Taylor, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Ana Gabriel, Arden Myrin, Evelyn Lozada, Fionnula Flanagan

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to the last riddle: What did the battery say on his dating profile? I'm very energetic and positive, but I also have a negative side. - Gail Tomlinson. Or He was a take charge type. - Rex Post. Or I am fully charged up! - Debbie Heldt, William Snyder, Carolyn Rogers. Or Highly charged individual seeking trickled partner. - Sharon Hill Watkins.

Today's riddle: How do you change tires on a duck?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Ankeny, Altoona or Bondurant  Living magazines, contact:

Angela Ossian
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 307
Mobile: 515-979-5585
angela@iowalivingmagazines.com

©Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., all rights reserved.
www.biggreenumbrellamedia.com.

Add webmaster@dmcityview.com to your address book to ensure delivery. 

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Click here to get it delivered to your inbox for FREE!