Your
height is determined by both your genetics as well as environmental effects.
Although several factors that determine your height are out of your control,
there are a few things you can do to grow to your full potential.
1- Most of
your height will be determined by genetics. Height is a polygeneic trait,
meaning that it's influenced by several different genes. Having two short
parents doesn't necessarily mean you'll be short, just as two tall parents
won't make you a towering giant. However, if most of the people on both sides
of your family are short, odds are that you'll be short, too. Don't be
discouraged, though - the truth is that you can't know how tall you'll be until
you reach full physical adulthood in your mid-20s.
Calculate
your projected height. Working in inches or centimeters, you can try to predict
your height based on the height of your parents. Add up your mom and dad's
heights (in inches or cm).
Add
5 inches (13 cm) if you're a boy; subtract 5 inches (13 cm) if you're a girl.
The
answer is your predicted height, give or take 4 inches. Note that this isn't an
absolute calculation, but it should be pretty close.
2- Avoid
growth-stunting factors. There might not be a lot you can do to increase
your height, but you can take several steps to make sure your natural height
isn't shortened by environmental influences. Drugs and alcohol are both thought
to contribute to stunted growth if they're ingested while you're young, and malnutrition can keep you from reaching
your full height, as well.
3- Get
plenty of sleep.
Research suggests that growing teenagers and pre-teens need between 8.5 and 11
hours of sleep every night. This is because your body grows and regenerates
tissue while you're at rest. Make your sleeping environment as calm as possible,
and try to eliminate loud nosies and unnecessary light. If you have trouble
falling asleep, try taking a warm bath or drinking a hot cup of chamomile tea
before bed.
4- Eat
right.
Ensuring that you're getting all the vitamins and minerals your body requires
will help you grow to your full height. Take a supplement targeted at your age
group with breakfast each morning, and try to incorporate certain foods into
your diet. Here are some specific suggestions:
Get plenty
of calcium
(found in dairy products and green vegetables). Calcium promotes bone growth,
and can help prevent osteoporosis.
Get
sufficient vitamin D
(which can be obtained through eating fish, alfalfa, or mushrooms, or spending
more time in the sun). Vitamin D promotes bone and muscle growth in children,
and a deficiency has been shown to stunt growth and cause weight gain in
teenage girls. If you don't like fish, consider a fish liver oil supplement
(Recent research British Scientist says fish oil supplements don’t work!).
Take in lots
of protein
(from meat, eggs, tofu or legumes). Proteins provide the essential building
blocks your body needs in order to grow. At least one (preferably two) of your
meals each day should include a protein.
Up your zinc
intake
(oysters, chocolate, peanuts, eggs, peas, asparagus and supplements). A zinc
deficiency can cause stunted growth in children. The best way to make sure you
meet your body's daily need is by taking a vitamin or supplement that includes
zinc.
Eat on a
regular schedule.
You should be eating 3 meals a day, with small snacks between breakfast and
lunch, and lunch and dinner. Try to schedule these events at roughly the same
time each day.
5- Keep your
immune system strong.
Some childhood illnesses can stunt your growth. Most of them can be avoided by
the routine immunizations you may have had as a baby, but stay on the safe side
by ingesting plenty of Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits such as oranges,
grapefruits, lemons, parsley and green pepper) and getting plenty of rest as
soon as you notice that you feel sick.
6- Practice
good posture.
Rolling your shoulders or hunching over can actually affect the curvature of
your growing spine (and not in a good way). Keep your shoulders back, chin
high, and hips over your feet. Walk with purpose instead of slouching or
slinking, and try to sit up straight when you're in chairs. Even if you're not
actually getting taller, good posture will make you look taller.
7- Cultivate
confidence.
Being taller might be nice, but it can't make up for a general lack of
confidence. Try to talk yourself into feeling comfortable in your own skin, and
being generally happy with your looks no matter how tall you turn out to be. A
positive attitude will more than make up for any lacking height.
8- Visit a
medical professional.
If you're from a tall family and you're not growing by your mid-teens, or if
your height hasn't changed much from before puberty to during puberty, then
it's a good idea to see a doctor. Conditions that can stunt your growth (such
as human growth hormone deficiency or autoimmune diseases) are fairly rare, but
they do exist. If you're eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest but
you're still not growing, then it's time to consult a doctor.
Consider
seeing a doctor if you're a short adult. Though there are several childhood
conditions (such as rickets) that can result in a short height as an adult, you
should still ask a doctor about it. There may be ways to make sure that your
bones and organs are healthy even though you didn't grow to full height.
