Soondae Bloody Soondae : Korean Blood Sausage (순대)

What is soondae? The word looks an awful lot like sundae (it’s even commonly transliterated this way), but I can guarantee that most people would be fairly shocked to receive a plate full of plump sausages filled with blood and pig’s snout, rather than the sweet, frozen treat of their dreams. Soondae is a traditional Korean blood sausage similar to black pudding, though the starchy filler used is glutinous (sweet) rice. It’s a true sausage in that it is stuffed inside a casing much like morcilla or boudin noir. The texture is amazing, folks. It’s light, chewy, bouncy – quite reminiscent of mochi due to the sticky rice and pork snouts. It’s something you can become addicted to far too easily..

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IDISCLAIMER

Please be advised that the views and opinions presented within these journal entries are the sole responsibility of their individual authors and may not reflect the stances of The Red Cellar as a collective.

Long Term Blood Storage

Author: Lady CG

I think this topic is too important to too many blood drinkers to keep it to myself while I find time to finish redoing my book, so here it is in article form! Bon Appetit!

A couple of years ago a discussion between myself and another Sang got us working on ways to extend the storage of blood for Sang consumption. Months of research and experimenting ensued. Then.. Eureka! We got it!

New cryogenic research suggested that the answer MIGHT be glucose. [1]

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Insomnia Basics

Author: SphynxCat

DEFINITION OF INSOMNIA

Insomnia is a common problem characterized by a persistent difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep, despite having ample time to do so. This can range from mild to severe, depending on how often and long it happens for. A patient with insomnia may be tired and grumpy during the day, have trouble concentrating, and be prone to falling asleep.

Many people are sleepy during the day just because they went to bed too late the night before – in this case, they don’t have a sleep disorder, they just simply didn’t get enough sleep for when they have to get up the next day.

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Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

Author: SphynxCat

Many people in the vampire community cite “not being a morning person” as a symptom of real vampirism. This often shares the same signs as Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, a circadian rhythm disorder where the person’s normal wake/sleep schedule is shifted 2 or more hours later than what is commonly considered “normal”.

But is it really a vampirism symptom? Well, it’s possible that real vampires are more prone to it than non-vampires, however I doubt it’s specifically a vampire symptom.

Why? Because it is VERY easy for it to be a self-fulfilling prophecy more so than anything else – the sleep schedule of many mundanes often become permanently “shifted” by voluntarily staying up late (college kids and overnight “cramming” study sessions before exams is one good example) or working late shifts, especially for long periods of time. Fortunately, the world in general is increasingly moving towards the concept of the 24-hour workplace, so someone with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome – DSPS – has a wider choice of jobs now than, say, 20 or 30 years ago.

This article will explain more about DSPS and it’s effects on people.

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Amino Acid Requirements, Concentrations, and Functions

Author: Sarasvati

An idea that has been floating around is that the sanguinarian condition is due to an imbalance in amino acids in the body. All well and good, and actually does have possibilities, but most in the community are not very familiar with the concept of amino acids and what they do. Amino acids serve in many functions in the body: building blocks of protein, transport signals in the nervous system, bases for making the bodies energy, and even in making hormones. I am not going to go into the chemistry of amino acids (since that in itself is a three credit course!) but just say that all amino acids can be basic (negative charge) or acidic (positive charge) and that can effect what they do in the body.

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How to Keep Your Donor Safe

Author: Sarasvati

We hope that the sanguine protect their donors as much as we expect our donors to protect us. Some of it is common sense, but these are my “Big Ten” :

1) Don’t feed if you or your donor are feeling ill or run down. The immune system is not up to par and so couldn’t fight off germs it usually could.

2) Clean the area you are going to cut before feeding. This reduces the chance of introducing bacteria or virus on the skin into the wound.

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Explanation of Vampire-Like Symptoms

Author: Sarasvati

Often a subset of sanguinarians will mention/complain about something in themselves, which is then agreed with by others and soon seems to gain recognition as a “symptom” of being a sanguin, when this is most likely not the case. The great variance in the susceptibility, severity, and even occasion of these ills leads me more to believe they are simply part of normal variation in a giving population rather then caused by or a result of blood drinking. The list that follows remains compiled because I feel you need to know that these non-symptoms can, and often do, have other causes that need to be checked out, especially if they arise suddenly and with no discernible cause. That having been checked out and possibly nothing found, then they are still most likely the result of normal population variation and does NOT mean you are a sanguin just because you poses a certain number of these grievances.

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Prions, Kuru, Cannibals and Sanguinarians

Author: Sarasvati

Prion diseases are scary. In the bluntest terms, they are fatal within a year of symptoms developing. In humans, the symptoms are depression, memory loss, loss of coordination and fine motor control, eventually leading to inability to move and death. The thing that causes the disease is called a “Prion”. It is a little protein in the brain, all brains. The part that causes the problem is a mutant form of this little protein. The mutant form, when it encounters a healthy form, mutates the prion. Eventually, the mutant prions work their way through the brain, causing little fatty spots and holes in the brain, destroying brain function.

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Animal Blood

Author: Sarasvati

Animal blood. The very mention to some conjures up thoughts of disgust. But, sometimes, its all you can get, and though not great, its better then nothing at all. Like all blood, though, there are risks involved, and that what I want to address here. The most common types of animal blood are cow, sheep, chicken, pig, goose, and deer. This is because these are the most common types of animals taken to slaughter. As you will see, most of the disease result from poor slaughter technique allowing for contamination of the meat. However, as we tend to eat undercook or raw meat, and of course raw blood, these disease become more of an issue for us. The “Affected Species” includes those we are most likely to come into contact with, but is not a complete list of carriers of the diseases.

Aside from the zoonotic diseases (any disease which can be passed from a non-human animal to a human) associated with each, however, there are also legal issues. Not all states or countries allow the sale of blood for human consumption, so you will have to check in your area if you can or not.

If you worry about seeming too odd, you can always Take a Recipie With You

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Hypovolemia / Hemorrhagic Shock

Author: SphynxCat

WHAT IS HYPOVOLEMIA?

Hypovolemia basically means low blood volume. “Hypo” means low, “vol” is for volume, and “emia” refers to blood. The reduction of blood volume in hypovolemia means there is a reduction of oxygen carrying capcity. Thus, symptoms of hypovolemia may include cold hands and feet, light headedness, infrequent urination, increased heart rate, and weakness.

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Other Blood-Drinking Risks

Author: Sarasvati

Besides the obvious (I hope) risk of becoming infected with a Bloodborne Disease there are other risks involved as well both mental and physical to your and your donor that you definitely should be aware of. Those wishing to be “turned” especially should take note of these two pages.

To get the blood you need there are pretty much only three ways to do so: Cut another human being (donor), via menstruated blood, or via blood from a slaughter house. And the physical risks vary with each as well. The common factor being there is no way to procure and drink blood that is completely risk-free. What goes for sex applies here to, the only true safety is to abstain. But, that aside, what are the risks behind each one?

Warning! The information below is not pretty nor glamorous, and I would not recommend eating anything while reading. It is, however, the truth which you as drinker, donor, or interested party should very much be aware of.

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