1-2-3-4-5 Ways to Make Someone’s High Five Day Extra Special

High five, 3-Dayers! Today is National High Five Day, and while high fives happen all the time on the 3-Day, we don’t always spread that kind of love and support daily. But why shouldn’t we? Why shouldn’t that feeling of the 3-Day Bubble be one we spread every single day? It should be! So, in the spirit of 3-Day high fives and smiles, we are sharing five simple ways to make someone’s day better today.

Write someone an actual letter: No, not an email. Not a text or a call. Write a note on paper and mail it with a stamp. Snail mail is slowly (and sadly) becoming a thing of the past, so it’s even more exciting to get mail nowadays. Bonus points if you want to throw a 3-Day fundraising or teambuilding message in there too. ?
Send coffee (or wine): Thanks to e-gift cards or money transfer apps, you can send a sweet gift to your friends and family, even from a distance. Or bring it over in person! Take a break from your phones and computer, and just enjoy time together. Then, high five it out and get back to that to do list with renewed enthusiasm! It’s all about taking time to celebrate those little wins. ?
Ask them to join you for a walk! Aside from being a great way to recruit people to your 3-Day team (hint hint), this is just a great idea now that spring is here. Getting outside is always a nice change of pace, and it will allow you and your friends to spend quality time together. Feel free to high five strangers that you pass on the trail or street, too!
Volunteer: Pick your favorite local charity and give your time! Maybe it’s your local Susan G. Komen Affiliate or another nonprofit in your hometown. No effort is too small! You’ll be doing good for a whole lot of people and making that difference won’t cost you a dime. The more good we do, the more that good will spread.
Give someone an actual high five: This one should be super simple…and super obvious for this holiday! People don’t give high fives enough anymore and we are trying to bring back this simple show of support. High fives are exchanged left and right on the 3-Day, and it’s something our walkers and Crew bring up frequently. They miss all those high fives and cheers when they’re back at work on Monday! So, spread some cheer and give a high five today. ?

How do you show support in your day-to-day life? Has someone done something kind for you lately? Tell us in the comments! We want to keep that feeling of the 3-Day Bubble going all year long!

Healthy Living: Preparing Your Mind, Body and Bones for the 3-Day

Thanks to the support of Amgen and working in partnership with American Bone Health we are excited to provide you with a special series of emails, blogs and additional resources that will help prepare you for this life-changing event, as well as year-round health.

Why calcium is important and how you can incorporate it into your diet

Special Guest Contributor: Shirin Hooshmand PhD, RD

Whenever I speak with people about bone health, they always have the most questions about calcium.

Calcium is one of the most important and plentiful minerals in the body. When calcium combines with phosphate, it becomes the material that makes the bones and teeth strong. We also need calcium for transmitting nerve impulses, contracting muscles and clotting blood.

The body regulates the calcium that is circulating in the blood and tissues. Calcium is absorbed in the intestines and either reclaimed or excreted by the kidneys. If the blood level of calcium falls, glands in the body signal the bones to release calcium into the blood. Over time, if that calcium isn’t replenished, bone loss could occur. That is why it is important to get enough calcium, preferably through food.

Vitamin D and calcium work together. When calcium works its way through the stomach and into the intestines, vitamin D helps with absorption of calcium into the blood stream. Without sufficient vitamin D, you will absorb less calcium from your diet.

Child r en need the most calcium while their bones are growing. For women, after peak bone mass is obtained, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium goes down and then goes up again around the age of menopause, when women start to lose bone mass because of declines in estrogen levels. As we age, calcium metabolism is harder to maintain and the RDA stays the same.

Life stage group	Calcium RDA	Calcium rich servings	Vitamin D RDA
9–18 years old	1,300	4	600
19–50 years old	1,000	3	600
MEN: 51–70 years old	1,000	3	600
WOMEN: 51–70 years old	1,200	4	600
71+ years old	1,200	4	800

Sometimes it’s easier to think about calcium in terms of servings of food. Getting calcium from food is the best option since your body is better able to put it to use. The best sources of dietary calcium are foods that have 200 or more milligrams per serving. This includes dairy or calcium-fortified foods such as milk, cheese, fortified juices and cereals, and you will see on the labels that they contain anywhere from 200 to 400 milligrams per serving. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds have smaller amounts of calcium, and the calcium in fruits and vegetables attaches to fiber and passes through the body.

Try to find three or four sources of high amounts of calcium that work for you each day. You can also think about how to have one source of a high amount of calcium at every meal.

HIGH CALCIUM FOODS (contain 200+ mg)	MODERATE CALCIUM FOODS (contain 50-200 mg)	LOW CALCIUM FOODS (contain <50 mg)
Dairy Foods	Almonds	Nuts and seeds
Sardines	Beans	Broccoli
Fortified cereals	Canned salmon	Cabbage
Fortified soy milk	Green vegetables	Fruits
Fortified tofu	Breads

What if I’m lactose intolerant?

People who are lactose intolerant are at risk of not getting enough calcium. There is no cure for lactose intolerance, but here are some things you can do to reduce symptoms.

Try to reduce the amount of lactose per serving rather than avoiding it. Some studies show people with lactose intolerance can eat at least 12?grams of lactose (equivalent to 1 cup of milk) with minor or no symptoms. When lactose is taken with other foods, some people can tolerate up to 18?grams.

Shop for lactose-free milk. Milk that has been treated with lactase is widely available and often well tolerated by people with lactose intolerance.

Think about hard cheeses. Hard cheeses, such as most cheddars, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Romano, do not have lactose since their lactose is changed into lactic acid as the cheese ages.

Try soy-based beverages that are fortified with calcium. Soy-based beverages are the only plant-based option listed on MyP l ate. Other plant- and nut-based beverages, such as rice and almond beverages, may not have the same nutritional value as soy. It’s important to read food labels carefully.

Most importantly, try to get a balanced diet with 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. With a balanced diet, you are sure to get all of the additional vitamins and minerals you need for strong bones.

About Dr. Hooshmand

Shirin Hooshmand, PhD, RD, is a member of the American Bone Health Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Hooshmand is Associate Professor of Nutrition at the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University. She received her PhD at Florida State University working in the area of nutrition, bone, and cartilage. Her current research interests include bone and calcium metabolism, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, and functional foods. She has published 45 original articles in peer reviewed journals and presented more than 90 abstracts in national and international symposiums.

Why to Love 3-Day Camp with Coach Gayla

The 3-Day camp is an experience like no other. Imagine a slumber party with hundreds of your favorite people, complete with dance party, delicious food, games and shopping…all under the stars. It’s a fun time to say the least! Our walkers in Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego will get to experience that magic first-hand this year. If you’re a first-time camper, Coach Gayla is here to get you excited for that experience. There is so much to love about the 3-Day camp, and she’s breaking it all down for you…

First and foremost, tent camping gives you the extra excuse to ask for a large donation as you are fundraising! You’re giving up your comfy bed for two nights. A big commitment deserves a big donation. Just remind potential donors that you’ll be showering in a semi-truck, and that should motivate them to support your goals ?
The camp environment gives you a chance to do something different than what we do at home every day. I mean, other than the 3-Day, when was the last time you went camping?!

At camp, you’ll have access to the dining hall, camp lounge, massages and Remembrance Tent, all within a short distance of your tent. It also makes it easy to be right on hand at the finish line to cheer other walkers in! I love this part, and it’s something my pals from Team STEPS (Hi Dana and Sheryl!) brought up when I talked with them about this, too.
You can easily meet new friends as you wander around camp. Sheryl and Dana summed it up perfectly, saying, “Even a trip to the port-o-potty or shower will often provide a smiling face on the way, a high five with a 3-Day legend, an opportunity to thank a volunteer, or a special random act of kindness.” We love making those connections!
Picture yourself sitting in the entry of your tent at the end of the day reading your camp mail, rehydrating, and waving and smiling as people come in from the walk route. There’s nothing like that feeling of accomplishment!
The joy and inspiration of the 3-Day is heightened by having just the sounds of nature and your 3-Day family around you. No sounds of TV, or doors creating barriers between you and all the fun!

In general, camaraderie is at an all-time high when hanging out with your friends in and around your tents. You can even personally check in on all your tentmates before you turn in for the night…just by giving them a holler!
Then, as the night goes on, and you’re all cozy in your sleeping bag, you really will appreciate the great outdoors where you can see the stars at night and breathe in the fresh air. You become one with nature.
It really helps you escape the daily grind of life and decompress – no phones, tv, radio. It will do your mind some good! As Sheryl and Dana said, “you get to unplug and be perfectly present in the moment.” It will give you time and space to truly appreciate the 3-Day in a whole new way.
And then, sitting in your tent as the sun comes up and a new day begins…it’s just so exciting and inspiring. Plus, Sheryl and Dana reminded me about “waking up to the smell of coffee and bacon,” which is never a bad thing.

Bonus! Remember, it’s GLAMPING, not really CAMPING after all ?

What else do you love about the 3-Day camp experience? Tell us in the comments!