Over the weekend, there was another mass shooting, this time in Orlando. As we watched the news in sadness and horror, there were repeated urges to give blood. As we all know, donating blood can save a life, but did you know giving blood also has quite a few health benefits for the donor?

Burns calories. University of California researchers estimate that for every pint of blood a person donates, the body burns about 650 calories trying to replace it.

Reduce iron overload. Donating blood can also reduce the risk of heart attacks and liver ailments caused by iron overload in the body. An iron-rich diet may increase iron levels in the body, and extra iron gets stored in the heart, liver and pancreas. This could increase the risk of cirrhosis, hemochromatosis, liver failure and other issues. Blood donation helps to maintain iron levels and reduce the risk of these ailments and others, including a decreased risk of getting cancer.

Increase production of red blood cells. After donating blood, the body works to replenish the blood loss. This stimulates the production of new blood cells, which in turn helps maintain good health.

Decrease risk of heart attack. An interesting statistic from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that blood donors are 88 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. The reason for this is unknown, but one theory is that repeated blood donations may help the blood flow in ways that are less damaging to the linings of the blood vessels and could result in fewer arterial blockages.

Donated blood is divided into various components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Each individual component can be given to treat different patients, so one donor can help up to four people. Blood donations tend to help the following people:

• 67 percent of blood donations used to treat anemia, cancer and blood disorders
• 27 percent of blood donations are used in surgery
• 6 percent of blood donations used to treat blood loss after childbirth

For those who are hesitant about giving blood, this little bit of info may prompt you to donate. World Blood Donor Day is today, June 14. Give blood. You'll save lives and improve the quality of your own at the same time.