Between 60 and 80% of the height, growth is passed down from parents. The rest is environmental factors that include nutrition. The implication of this is that you may not exceed the height of your parents. However, you can fail to reach your height potential if the environmental factors are not favorable.
The following are four easy ways that you can grow taller.
Taking vitamins
The food you eat pretty much determines how far you can get with your height. Play around with your diet, and you will get what’s coming to you, a short stature.
A proper diet includes vegetables, grains, proteins, and fruits. Lean meat, on the other hand, contains amino acids that are the building blocks of body tissues. Without proteins, it is impossible to grow tall.
For strong bones, and muscles to support your growing body, your food must have vitamin D. A recent study links vitamin D deficiency to stunted growth. You can get the vitamin directly from sunlight and food such as fortified cereals, seafood, and mushrooms.
Include minerals and lean meat in your diet
Lamb, spinach, and seafood are good sources of zinc, which is also an essential mineral in your body. And while the mineral may not single-handedly cause height growth, zinc ensures that the body does not stop growing.
Calcium is another crucial component of the bones, and it’s inclusion in the diet enhancers bone growth and strength. Teenagers should take at least three glasses of milk or other dairy products such as yogurt to supply the body with the right amount of calcium.
For vegetarians, leafy greens, canned fish and soybean are good sources of calcium.
Exercising and Sleeping Enough
It is quite understandable if the time for sleep seems to get shorter and shorter. The demands of contemporary life are significant. However, you should take time to exercise and sleep if you want to grow healthy and taller.
Within the first few hours of sleep, your brain produces the human growth hormone that plays a critical role in height growth. Exercising is also essential as it helps remove tension in various parts of the body and enhance height growth. Another vital exercise routine is stretching.
Stretching exercises such as the cobra pose and hanging on a bar help remove tension in the muscles and decompress the bones to allow space for growth. Stretching also improves blood flow, and the various nutrients can reach different parts of the body.
Improve your posture and avoid growth stunting habits
You may be surprised how much how bad posture can affect height growth. A slight bending of the shoulder can have adverse effects on cartilage growth. Train to walk straight with your gaze straight in front of you, confidently. Ensure that you sit straight and avoid slouching the back when you work on your desk.
You can take some time to stretch after every few hours, and it will do you some good.
Apart from slouching, other growth stunting habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, and taking of illegal drugs can affect efficient absorption of essential minerals such as calcium. Keep away from the substances, and you will experience height growth within a short period.
