Wondering if it's possible to test your blood type without leaving home because the only thing you're willing to leave home for nowadays is taking a walk at night so you can see into your neighbour's houses? Well breathe a sigh of relief because, yep, it is possible thanks to a handy little blood type kit that you can order online.
Skip right to the tutorial on how to use the at home kit.
My whole life I haven't known my blood type and I've always kind of wondered about it. Was I a glamorous and rare AB-? A diverse and valuable O- ? Or just an O+, the most common blood type. The kind of blood type someone who eats toast for breakfast would have?
The reason my blood type was a mystery is because in high school when we were all testing our blood in Science class, my friend fainted, and I took her to the bathroom to recuperate. By the time we got back to class, the testing was done and I never learned if I was A, B, AB or O. I did however learn that when you faint it's possible you'll pee a little in your pants and your contact lenses might pop right out of your head and land in a puddle of fainting urine on the floor.
When (at the garden one day) a friend suggested he thought I was an O blood type based on my love of back breaking manual labour I started to become curious about both my blood type and his willingness to label me a type O based on how much I like to dig dirt.
Apparently, according the book Eat Right For Your Blood Type, people who have type O blood are workhorses. They love manual labour and their bodies thrive on it.
Was my insatiable desire to constantly be doing stuff bred into me by my blood?? I needed to read this book my friend was referring to. So I did. Thats a WHOLE other post though, so if you want to learn more about how your blood type dictates what kind of food you should eat, read that post here.
After the comment from my fellow gardener I REALLY wanted to know my blood type. This set me on a mission to figure out the easiest way to find out your blood type.
My first plan was to give blood because they must have to determine your blood type if you do that. I mean that'd be the professional thing to do, right? Well they do, but it turned out there wasn't a blood clinic happening near my house for another couple of months.
Plan 2. Go to the doctor and have her schedule an appointment to have my blood tested at a clinic. This seemed like a pain. It involved making an actual phone call like some sort of person from the 1980's and taking up her time on something that probably wasn't life threatening. At least at this point I didn't think continuing to eat wrong for my blood type was life threatening.
I ended up going with Plan 3. An at home blood type test
How can I find out my blood type?
It turns out there are kits you can buy online for testing your blood type at home. The kit includes everything you need like teeny tiny little sticks, an eyedropper, a finger poker, and the most important thing, the Eldoncard.
An Eldoncard is a piece of paper that has been manufactured to react in certain ways to your blood. You just drip your blood on it, swirl it around and voila. You know which of the blood groups you're in. Kind of.
The test kit costs a Canadian $25 on Amazon, but if you're in America, you of course, get it for about ⅓ the price. $6.
So you want to test your blood type at home because you're curious and a DIYer and you love poking yourself with sharp things. Perfect. You've come to the right post.
HOW TO USE A BLOOD TYPE TEST AT HOME
- Lay out all the components of the kit in front of you.Add a drop of water to each circle on the Eldoncard.
- Sterilize your finger with the alcohol wipe and then prick your finger with the lancet.
- Squeeze the tip of your finger to get a big drop of blood. Using one of the plastic tools included in the kit, transfer a drop of blood to one of the card circles.Do this for each circle.
- Swirl the blood and water droplet together in each circle using the same plastic stick you used for gathering the blood.Tilt the card in each direction for 10 seconds.
- Now compare your circles of blood to determine which blood type you have.
A note about the lancet. It doesn't hurt at all so don't sit there for 10 minutes putting it to your finger then taking it away, then putting it to your finger then taking it away. Then getting a drink of water. Then coming back and putting it to your finger then taking it away.
Don't worry. It hurts so little you might not even be sure if it worked.
Keep your hand down if you can. This helps the blood rush to your fingertip if you have trouble massaging enough blood out.
Anyone pass out yet? Are your contact lenses still in?
Remember to lay your plastic sticks with the same circle you used so you don't cross contaminate once you have to swirl the blood and water together.
If I'm being perfectly honest with you, which I try to at least appear to be at most times, I screwed up my first kit. I didn't swirl the mixture around enough and I didn't use enough blood. Not to be beaten by a stupid paper card with circles on it, I ordered another kit and did it again with much better results.
Here's a handy video of me making myself bleed so you can get a better idea of how to do this.
The only trouble is, after doing this at home blood type test ... twice ... I still wasn't really sure about what my blood type was. I thought it looked like a B-. Or it could be O. But probably a B-. Certain people have weak antigens or pathogens or anglicans or something, which would make my "Anti-B" circle hard to read. Actually I think the word is Agglutinate.
This is the card they give you for reading your results so you can determine which type you are and whether you're positive or negative.
Blood is tested most commonly for two groups. ABO blood type (whether you're A, B, or O type of blood) and the Rh factor (whether you're positive or negative, also known as Rh positive or Rh negative)
I was pretty sure I was a B- but the results are moderately ambiguous.
Are home blood type kits accurate?
Yes! At home blood type kids can be a bit tricky to interpret but are indeed accurate.
A selfless visit to a blood donor clinic a few weeks later CONFIRMED I am indeed a B- and the test kit was correct. I also almost messed my pants while giving blood literally. If you like to read about the unfortunate and embarrassing experiences of others (and who doesn't) you should read that post immediately.
I'm not sure I NEED to tell you this, but I will ... this is only to be used on human blood. Not dogs, cats or parakeets.
Wanna learn your blood type?
Click here if you're in America.
Click here if you're in Canada.
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Darlene Meyers
I am so surprised that so many do not know their blood type...
Katie C.
So I'm B+. What does being a B mean for our personalities?
Alice
Nothing.
Doreen
I just discovered this blog! Author is funny and you readers are even more hilarious!
Karen
I have a bit more information on that in a post coming up Katie C. :) ~ karen!
marilyn meagher
You can skip the ad 5 seconds into it ...I'm b+ which matches my approach to life in general and I have 54 blood donations under my belt . Our family all donated regularly and some still do, inspired by our parents who donated all their lives ..it's such a simple thing to do but saves so many lives. There is a chronic shortage so if you can donate please do!!
Katie C.
My ad didn't let me skip! :'(
Elaine
Hi Katie: I find that some ads let you hit "Skip Ad" while others don't. It all varies but as Karen said in a Reply to me (see above) ... she has no control over the ads.
Paula Clark
I am A- and was the work horse type person until I worked my entire back into a frenzy and have had to cut back on most work horse activities. I had 65 good working years so cutting back wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. So no, the book is not accurate for me. My husband is an O person and truth be told, he can be lazy. Very lazy.
Kelly
Oh, that's funny! My mother-in-law is definitely an A-something and I know I'm a common O+. I'd rather lift rocks than sit around and drink beer. It-all-makes-sense-now. 😉
Debbie D
Knew you had to be a B (my blood type although I am B*). I too am a workhorse in the garden, creative, love to plan things for my home, a doer. Yup. You are definately a B! Oh, and modest too!
BTW, the medical industry will never take your word that you are a certain blood type. Each time you are hospitalized, give blood, etc., you will be typed again, just to make sure.
Karen
I'm O.K. with the medical industry doing that. That's probably for the best. ;) ~ karen!
Beth
I was thinking the same thing. I'm B- and a workhorse in the garden and at home plus love to do crafty things and cook/bake.
Debbie D
Ah, twins separated at birth!!!
Barb
I would not rely on this to determine how to best live. I am an A+ and I work my butt off at work, in the gym, and gardening. My ex-bestie is an O. And she is absolutely the most lazy self-centered person I have ever met. For that matter, the other 'O' I know is too. It's all exercise and diet to be healthy, the magic formula is eat more vegies less junk, and we know it.
Karen
You'd have to take a look at the book and read the examples. It isn't a "diet" its about how people with different blood types are more prone to various diseases/conditions etc. I'm not fully endorsing it as a miracle plan but scientifically it made sense. ~ k!
dana
Thats a cool at home kit. I have dealt w Crohns for 37 years since age 9. Theres been surgeries, many blood draws, and blood transfusions. Last October during a transfusion I finally found out Im A+. Thats probably tge only A+ I have ever received. ☺
Lynn
My husband & I followed the suggestions in the Eat Right For Your Type book for quite awhile--a few years ago. He is A--I am O--a mixed marriage. Turns out, it isn't that difficult to put together meals that worked for both of us. And we both felt better when we followed the eating plan--even lost a bit of weight. I am not sure why we stopped--probably some Christmas related chocolate binge that threw us off course. We are so easily tempted by the wrong things!! And I love to grub in the dirt and create things--so maybe the blood type thing really is a thing!
Sharon Dore
Ask family members if they know their blood type - some are genetically dominant so if you know your parents or siblings, it will give you a clue
Leticia
People still do blood tests in school in Canada and the US?
Here in Brazil when it was time for me to take the test, around mid 80's, HIV was already a thing and the schools stopped doing it. I was told it was too risky having kids messing around with blood, fear of contamination and such.
I recently had a test done, I asked my doctor to include it in a batch of blood tests. I am A- and I am certainly lazy. Binge watching netflix is totally me.
Sherri
Scientifically Lazy. Yeah, that's about right. A-
Brenda
But A+ that's excellent if you're going to school hi5
Patti
I always say that my blood is A positive because I get an A +in life!
MrsChrisSA
Mmmmmmm - I am A+ so that makes me lazy..................................
think my body is confused and not working in line with my blood!!
Elaine
I just clicked on the video - haven't watched you yet, Karen - but thought I'd let you know the ad (Airwick) that I saw was about 29 seconds.
Karen
Thanks for letting me know Elaine. I actually have no control over those ads, they're supplied by a company. Just like with Youtube. Sometimes they're short, sometimes they're long. ~ karen!
TucsonPatty
And...I had to go back and watch the video, and I had no ad. on my iPad. Wonder if that is why? Different devices? I also am a "lazy A", but to make up for it, I donate platelets every two weeks. When my daughter was born, I was so proud of her being an "A+" baby! It took me a minute to realize she had the same blood type as I! I still laugh when I think of it.
Karen
No, it just depends. :) Sometimes the ad space is filled and sometimes it isn't, that's all. Sometimes a long ad, sometimes a short one. :) ~ k!
Alberta Karen
Just go give blood. Helps lots' of people. Finding out your own blood type is just an extra reward. (Besides the juice!)
ronda
and the cookies. can't forget the cookies!
Susan
You took the words right out of my mouth!
Katie C.
Juice and cookies really never taste as good as they do after giving blood.
Patti
For real. And if you almost pass out (like my pesky self is prone to do), they give you EXTRA cookies and a COKE!
Fudgeeos for the win!
Jan in Waterdown
And my husband got a free t-shirt when he started bleeding like a stuck pig afterwards, lol. He was in the car ready to drive home and realized his shirt was wet with blood so he went back in to the clinic to inquire if that was supposed to happen. He sure got a lot of attention!
Laura
She did go give blood. It's on her instagram. She got a lot of cookies and juice.
Tina
Are you aware that there's a THREE MINUTE LONG ad before your video? I didn't watch it. I hope you get paid for it anyway. I might watch a 15 second ad or even a 30 second ad. But THREE MINUTES? Wow.
Anyway, I don't know my blood type. I guess I could look at my last blood work but I decided I really don't care that much. And actually I could do that in less than the 3 minute ad!
But love you anyway!
Katie C.
I was really annoyed by that too! I was going to make a similar comment, but you beat me to it.
Karen
I have no control over those ad lengths Tina. :) Sometimes they might be 15 seconds, sometimes 3 minutes. Just like when you're watching YouTube. ~ k!
Jennie Lee
??? There was no ad at all, for me!?
VooduChile36
Me either...
Fonda
I never considered myself lazy, but my mom, and subsequently my sister, called me that. It didn't feel very good. Instead, I think I'm a contemplater — one who is a thinker. I may not be especially active, but there is much activity going on that one doesn't see. I also proved my blood type A wrong. I was a manager in a retail store, and this required plenty of lifting, moving and thinking. I unloaded plenty of stuff from a semi truck in below-freezing temperatures. I was more physical then, but I've always been a thinker and had things on my mind. So, I'd rather not be called lazy, because that is only an outward appearance and has nothing to do with what is going on in the mind.
Robert
Oh! Karen!
Carmen
I AM TOTALY SCIENTIFICALLY LAZY and to celebrate, I am gonna go eat my (ordered in) pizza in front of the tv instead of getting stuff done like I'd (not really) hoped to do. Thanks Karen for justifying this choice from now until forever.