Red vs. White Blood Cells: My Health Wake-Up Call and Tips to Thrive
Red vs. White Blood Cells: My Health Wake-Up Call and Tips to Thrive Red vs. White Blood Cells: My Health Wake-Up Call and Tips to Thrive In early 2024, at 29, I dragged myself to the doctor after 2 weeks of feeling like I’d run a marathon without moving. I was pale, dizzy 3 times daily, and caught a cold that lingered for 10 days. A $80 blood test revealed my red blood cells (RBCs) were low at 4.0 million/µL (normal: 4.5–5.9) and my white blood cells (WBCs) were high at 12,000/µL (normal: 4,000–11,000). That scare taught me what these cells do and why they matter. Here’s my story, with numbers, tables, and tips to keep your blood cells—and you—healthy. Red Blood Cells: The Oxygen Heroes RBCs carry oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body, thanks to hemoglobin. Each RBC lives about 120 days, and your body makes 2 million per second. My low RBC count (4.0 million/µL) meant less oxygen, causing dizziness 3 times...