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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Kayla Dean
Well, to confirm I'd actually need proof or update on accuracy of the Eldoncard. Most doctors don't approve of it.
Kayla Dean
I'm sorry, but you're not B-. Even the smallest aggulinate still counts. You wonder why the Eldoncard gets its accuracy downrated because you misread your results. By your results you are either AB+ or B+.
Karen
I'm not sure why or how you're qualified to make that definitive call. I actually got my blood officially tested a few weeks later when I gave blood and yes, I am indeed B-. ~ karen!
Brigette
I've been wondering this for so long, but also wasn't willing to make a separate appointment about it. For the price I think it'll be a really fun home experiment even if it is a little tough to read.
PS I've read so many of your book recommendations from previous blog posts lately and really enjoyed each book. I never would have picked up Jurassic Park if it weren't for you!
Carlene
I did one of these years ago. It was 1/2 accurate -- after lab bloodwork a couple years ago, it turns out I'm AB+, and the at-home kit pegged me as AB-. It was a surprising letdown to go from super duper rare to just very rare :)
Melissa Keyser
I have no idea what type I am. I have anemia issues so I can't donate blood, and I asked my mom a while ago and she said she had no idea. Thanks, mom. I suppose that's the type of medical info a 33-year-old is supposed to know herself.
I'm interested to know, not so much about foods, but about the work 'ethic'.
Josephine
I am a super-savor O-, however I don't particularly like manual labor. Is there s subset to blood types? Perhaps I'm A in someway.
I have read that blood type diet book. It's actually very interesting. Even if you just read through your blood type, it's very interesting. Totally explained why DH won't eat veggies and why I happen to love them.
Nancy Blue Moon
That was a hell of a lot of money to spend to find out something you are not really sure of girl...don't you ever get bloodwork done?...Shouldn't it be in your medical records?
Nancy Blue Moon
Oh yeah...I don't need a blood test to tell me I'm lazy! 😸
Karen
:) For most people it would be much more obvious. Even if they do blood work, if the dr. doesn't specifically ask for your blood type to be tested they don't do it. I've never had mine tested and I've never needed blood so nope ... not in my records. ~ karen!
Miss willow glen
So if I am rare B- than what is my son super rare AB-.what is it that we should do to help.
Penny
Become a blood donor, if you're able!
MindyK
Thank heaven I already know my type, because just looking at the photos made me woozy. I'll skip the video, thanks. ;-)
Peg
You could have donated a pint to the red cross. Win/win. You've helped out someone and they will send or tell you your blood. O - here so I do a double red donation 2 pints at once a few times a year. I'll have to check out book, I'm a workhorse I think.
Karen
I am going to take a leap of judgement here and guess that you skimmed the post, lol. Near the beginning I said it was 2 months before there was a blood clinic in my neighbourhood, then in the later part of the post I talk about how I did indeed end up going to a blood donor clinic (with a post on that to follow in the next week or so) ~ karen!
Kelly
I'm an A+ and in school that's as good as it gets, so I guess I'm awesome. The Eat Right for Your Blood Type book I did not find to be awesome. Actually, I dropped it off in the church donation area last week. I have quite a few food intolerances and it recommended that I eat those, which isn't going to happen. I didn't find any of the information to be helpful at all.
Jennie Lee
I'm O-. It's frustrating, now that I'm 64, and have arthritis. I've always wanted to be doing and fixing and creating things, and now there are a lot of things I can't do. All my walls and ceilings need to be painted, and it bugs me! By the way, it's important for girls to know if they're RH negative. If I'd known, MAYBE I could have avoided a miscarriage, long ago.
Alena
Thank you, Karen, for the scientific justification that I am not meant for manual labour. I am the delicate A-type, prone to stress, and there best to recline on a chaise lounge for the major part of the day. Something went wrong though and I ended up in a very stressful job where I feel like the donkey waiting for the last straw to break its (mine) back.
I am not paying $25 to order a kit - I am pretty sure I am type A. I am interested to know, though, what I am supposed to eat to be healthy (I had a huge smoothie (750 ml) for lunch consisting of kale, dandelion, spinach, red beet, strawberries, red and black currant, and a piece of turmeric root (not in love with the last ingredient - that was the first time I tried it). That smoothie must be good for ANY blood type!
Jody
I knew you were special. Only 2% of the population have B- blood type. Canadian Blood Services and people need your blood! It's in you to give.
Linda in Illinois
I have placed an order for the card and the book, I assume you will get credit for it. Thank you Karen, I always wanted to know what my blood type is. The only thing I know about my blood is that I carry the Spinabifida genes and my 41 year old daughter suffers for my bad blood. I have had many tests but no one ever told me type and I always forgot to ask. This will be a good chance to do it in the privacy of my own home.
Kelly H
Congrats on being B-. You are one of the rare few. You should really seriously consider donating your blood. Your blood would be something special, and may actually be very needed.
Most blood banks have mobile units that set up in out of way places, if you live in the boonies. Since you can only donate once every 2 months, it may be worth the drive knowing you are totally going to save a life. If you live closer to town, just make an appointment with your local blood bank.
Sabina
I call BUNK! I'm an A+ and have always loved doing physical labor. My gardens are all planned, dug, installed and maintained by me and that's just a small part of the "physical" stuff I do. I've been a single-mom-homeowner for 23 years now without unlimited funds so you can imagine my days are not unlike yours (which is why I took to your blog immediately and follow religiously)...(the only blog I follow by the way). To pay the bills (and to have money to buy more plants and dig more beds) I have a boring desk job which finds me gazing out the window daydreaming about all the more productive (aka fun) things to do outside of here. Like today... today I opened the email I've been waiting for telling me that peaches are ready to pick! I've got bourbon peach jam to make, I've got peach salsa to make and I've got peaches to can for that longed-for-taste-of-summer in January to savor! Damn desk job...I think I'll leave early...
Jo
Question ... where are you that there are peaches ready? Still frozen here in Ontario Canada. I love peaches.
Sabina
To be fair my reply was from August 2017
jo
Sorry. I thought it was a new post. Not a recycled one.
Karen
See? That's why I rewrite, update and republish older posts. :) ~ karen!
Andrea Lanyi
I read the book 20 yrs ago; if you read the entire thing, its full of discrepancies from blood type to blood type. My Japanese friends really liked the part where type B, (Which most of them are) should not eat soy products. Actually, the 'latest' info is that almost all lectins are bad for humans , so I've decided that it's safer and healthier to not eat.
Joy
No, please, don't fall down the "blood type diet" rabbit hole. Blood type is based on a few (of many) types of proteins on the surfaces of red blood cells. Put the wrong type blood into a transfusion and it's Clot City throughout your circulatory system. Trouble. That's why we want to know blood type. There's no evidence that your blood type determines the best kind of diet for you, or says anything at all about your personality. Here's one analysis of 16 research studies, from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/98/1/99.full But, looking at your results, you are definitely a B negative and by definition, uncommon and valuable.
Mindy Northrop
Ha, I'm diverse and valuable. ;)
How interesting that your blood type would be able to tell you things about yourself. I mean, it makes total sense,the thought had just never crossed my mind. Now, instead of, "What's your sign?", we can all start carrying lancets around in our purses.