A good height is a very desirable characteristic in males as well as females. While most of the factors like Growth hormones, hereditary tendencies etc., that determine a person’s height are not under one’s control, there are certain factors like your food habits, lifestyle and exercise regimen that can play a role in determining your height. Even after you turn 18, there are certain things that you can definitely do to increase your height by 3 to 6 inches but you definitely to put in some extra effort to do that and the results can only be seen after practising the following regularly over a period of several months. There is no quick fix way to increase height.


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1. Diet and Nutrition:

• First and foremost, it is very essential that you consume a well balanced diet that has adequate and proportionate servings of proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals as per your body weight and current height. It is best to consult a nutritionist regarding this.

• For the purpose of increasing height, your diet should be particularly rich in Proteins and calcium. Proteins are also known as body building blocks and help in the formation as well as the development of new tissue in your body, thereby, playing a very crucial role in increasing height. Proteins are in turn made up of Amino acids, many of which are essential in stimulating and maintaining proper levels of Human Growth Hormone in the body. Consume Protein-rich foods like Soya beans, Soy milk, pulses, lentils and Cheese.

• Calcium, on the other hand, gives you stronger bones. All dairy products, eggs, Broccolli etc., are good sources of Calcium.

• You can consult your health care advisor and take his opinion regarding Protein shakes, multivitamin capsules and mineral supplements ( particularly, calcium, zinc, manganese, potassium and phosphorus ) supplements to help increase your height.

2. Work out and Exercise:

You can strengthen your muscles as well as pump up the hormones by indulging in a proper exercise routine each day for at least 30 to 40 minutes.

• Anything from stretching exercises to push-ups to sit-ups can be taken up under a trainer. Stretching is a great way to release and relieve all the built-up tension in your body muscles and has been found useful in those trying to gain some height. Various kinds of stretching exercises are: cobra stretch, twists and basic leg stretches. Swimming and skipping a rope are some great ways to stretch, too. Also, you can take up some hanging exercises, the way kids do on a jungle gym. Alternatively, you may take up kickboxing classes. Below, I am describing certain hanging techniques that you might find helpful:

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• You may use a hanging bar to hang using your hands. Do this for at least 5 minutes daily.  You may then increase the duration as your stamina builds up.  Also, you can enhance the stretch by swinging back and forth from the Bar. In the case of kids, adult supervision is advised to avoid injuries.

• If you are into Yoga, you may also practice Surya namaskar or sun salutations every day. Surya namaskar basically consists of a series of 12 postures done in a rhythm that helps your body muscles to stretch and strengthen all your body muscles. Certain yoga asanas like Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), Reverse triangle asana, Sukhasana, Talasana, Adhomukha Savasana etc., help one gain some height by stretching as well as boosting the production of growth hormones in the body.

• Involve yourself in sports like Badminton, tennis, volleyball and basketball to get active. Such games are fun as well as a natural form of stretching exercise.

• Practice running or sprinting. You must have seen athletes often have very good heights this is because running stimulates the production of growth hormones. Also, sprinting at high speeds causes very small-micro fractures in your long bones. These fractures then heal by virtue of a good diet, rest and the body’s natural tendency to heal itself, causing the bones to undergo remodelling.

3. Lifestyle Changes:

• Avoid late-night parties or late-night Television shows and allow yourself ample time to rest at night. A good night’s sleep of at least 6 to 8 hours in a row is essential to get a good height as well as overall health. During sleep, good doses of growth hormone is released and also the mode of the body switches from defensive to regenerative and repairative.

• Quit unhealthy habits like smoking and consuming alcohol as they have a deleterious effect on your primary growth.

• Sit under the sun for 15 minutes each day, preferably early morning to soak up some vitamin D. In the mornings, the amount of UV rays is minimum.

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• Make it a habit to sit in a proper posture. Sit with your spine straight and shoulders, outstretched. As far as possible, while sitting, keep your thighs parallel to the floor and the base of your feet resting properly on the floor. Keep your neck and head well aligned.

• Break your meals into smaller portions and take 5 to 6 smaller meals instead of three heavy meals. This is essential to boost your metabolism.

• Visit your doctor to rule out growth hormone, pituitary or thyroid dysfunction in the early stages, if you feel that your height is not growing sufficiently during the teenage years.

• Maintain an ideal body weight as extra weight would compress your intervertebral discs causing your stature to appear shorter than it actually should be.

If none of the above work there are many synthetic hormone pills that claim to increase height. However, these often carry many side effects and should be taken only after discussing all the pros and cons with your endocrinologist. Certain forms of bone surgeries might help one increase the height too. Surgery is definitely an expensive and painful procedure but the results achieved are appreciable.

I hope, you found the article useful and will benefit from it.

Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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