You want people to look up to you, literally and figuratively, don't you? Well, that is what everyone wants because tall people form a minuscule part of the global population and we all want to be a member of the exclusive club.
When you stand head and shoulders above the rest, thanks to your above average height, you draw envious as well as admirable looks from the rest of the crowd. Deep down inside, there is a feeling of satisfaction and pride that you feel, because frankly, you enjoy the attention and the odd question of, "How tall are you?"
Being tall is not just a physical advantage, it opens a lot of doors for you. Whether it is your social life or your professional life, women find tall men more attractive in most cases and are more likely to date them. Tall men also look for tall women to date. Take any sphere ranging from sports to the corporate world, your height is your trump card. From athletics to basketball, the average height is well above 6 feet. Swimming sensation Michael Phelps is 6 feet 4 inches tall. The average basketball player is 6 foot 6 inches tall. The average height of a tennis player is not far behind at 6 feet 4 inches, a far cry from the earlier era where the average height for players was between 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches.
If we consider the corporate world, it could be noticed that many CEOs are over 6 feet tall. Corporate heads who are tall command more attention and respect compared to others. So how can you join the elite club? There is no straight answer to that. Though being tall in most cases is the result of your genes, with your height more or less being determined by the height of your parents or grandparents, there is hope for those who are not born of tall parents.
The answer lies in proper diet and exercise. You need to incorporate the right kind of foods in your diet at an early age and ensure there is no deviation from that. The same goes for the right kind of exercise. There are certain exercises which help in increasing your height by a couple of inches and you need to do these under trained supervision as you wouldn't want to injure yourself. The combination of a proper diet and the right kind of exercise will yield results in the long run if followed in a disciplined manner.
Health Insurance is also as important as your exercises
A good height is a head turner. You draw the attention of people as you stand out in the crowd. Being tall can spell numerous advantages for you. Given the same level of competence, your height will get you the job you want or the promotion you are looking for if the particular job demands a person with tall stature. Here are the advantages you will enjoy if you have a good height.
When you are tall, people of average height tend to respect you more, perhaps out of intimidation. You are also likely to be chosen over shorter candidates with the same qualifications when it comes to getting a promotion or when applying for a top-level job in arole that requires taller candidates specifically. The entertainment profession also prefers taller actors and actresses and you will find various opportunities if you are tall.
Being tall beyond a certain height will make it difficult to find clothes in normal stores. You will need to find custom-made clothes that fit you. This will certainly set you apart from people of average height as they can wear off the shelf clothing. You might be wondering how it could be of an advantage. Well, come to think of it, almost all the clothes you wear are tailored for you. You would be having a small but enviable collection of clothes that almost no one else has.
There are certain sports like basketball where you must be tall to qualify. When you are taller than others, you have a better reach and you can cover more ground. Of course, you need to have the talent for the sport to excel at it. Take any sport ranging from athletics to swimming, and the taller you are, the more chances you have of performing comparatively better than others.
Your weight distribution is directly proportional to your height. This means that if you have the same weight for a height of over 6 feet and say 5 and a half feet, you would clearly look toned and healthy in the former case but would be labelled overweight in the latter case.
You can gain height the natural way by the right combination of exercise and proper diet at the right time. Your muscles are toned and strengthened by the right kind of exercise and this results in the release of growth hormones which could help you gain height. Hormones are kept fresh as well as active with the right diet and this also helps them rebuild themselves.
Even though genes have a major role as far as height is concerned, diet and exercise can lend you a hand as far as increasing your height is concerned. The onset of puberty ends the growth phase in most cases with the fusion of the long bones in the body. In some cases, though, growth does continue between the ages of 22 and 25. So, you could increase your height by a few inches with certain exercises.
It is important to note that these exercises should be done on a regular basis two to three times a week for achieving the best results. As in the case of any other exercise regimen, you should not go overboard as you could run the risk of being injured and your body might have a difficult time recovering from it.
These are the exercises that have been known to have beneficial effects when it comes to height:
You need to start swimming at an early age for maximum benefits. Even if you start swimming later, there will be significant benefits.
Gravity has an adverse impact on your height as there is compression of the joints and spine. This results in squeezing and thinning of the cartilage and makes you appear short.
A vertical bar is a simple solution to this problem. The spine is stretched due to the weight of the lower torso when you hang, and the pull on the vertebra also decreases. Over a period of time, you will gain an inch or two.
For these exercises, use a horizontal bar and place it at a point where the body can extend to its full height without touching the ground. If the bar cannot be set high enough, your knees could be bent a bit so that you can freely hang from the bar. Your palms should face outwards when you grasp the bar. You need to relax your arms, hips, and shoulders while hanging so that the gravity pulls your body down further.
Ankle weights will give you greater benefits. You need to stay in this position for 20 seconds and take a break in between. Repeat this three times. This is an effective way to increase your height.
This is a yoga exercise meant to stretch the spine so that it becomes supple as well as flexible. Your height in the vertical posture increases as this exercise results in cartilaginous growth in between the vertebrae. To start, you need to lie on the ground, face down with your palms facing down and positioned below your shoulders. You need to arch your spine upwards to the point of your chin so that an elevated angle is formed. Try to arch the back to the farthest extent possible.
For best results do 3 to 4 reps with each rep 5 to 30 seconds in duration.
This exercise helps stretch your spine and hips. Start by lying on your back. Your shoulders and arms should be in contact with the floor. Pull your feet as close to the buttocks as you can by bending the knees.
Your pelvis should be pushed upwards by arching your back. You must stay in this position for approximately 20 to 30 seconds. Your front hips become more flexible as you are able to stretch more.
When you skip, the body assumes an erect position as the back and spine muscles are stretched. The calf muscles expand vertically due to the continuous bending of the knees while skipping. Skipping also helps the bone mass to increase leading to an increase in height by a couple of inches.
Also known as the alternate kick, this exercise is really good for your lower back. Lie down flat on your stomach. Ensure that you keep your body fully extended. Your arms should be in front and your palms should be facing the floor. Raise your left arm at a higher level compared to the right arm. With both legs in a straight position, you need to raise your right leg above the ground as much as possible. You need to stay in this position for about 20 seconds and then alternately move your left leg and right arm. For best results, use weights on your ankle as well as your wrist. This will help in toning the muscles of your back and increasing its resistance.
You need to start by sitting on a mat with your back straight and your feet should be in front. Your legs should be in line with your shoulders and your feet flexed. Inhale while extending your arms towards your toes. You should bend forward when doing this and attempt to touch the toe tips. If you are successful in touching the tips of your toes, then you can go a step ahead and stretch your flexed spine to the maximum possible extent.
Initially, this could be a bit challenging, but with practice, it will get better.
To start the exercise, lie down on your stomach keeping your hands behind the neck. One of your legs should be raised to the highest extent possible. Your leg should be completely straight when stretching. The duration of each repetition should be 3 to 5 seconds. Now repeat this process with your other leg.
This exercise resembles swimming although it is not done in a pool. Your lower back is targeted here so that it becomes stronger and firmer which helps you stand taller. You need a surface which is flat and firm and then lie down on your stomach. Your body should be stretched to the maximum extent possible. With your chin resting on the floor, your arms should be stretched in front of the face and your palms should be facing the floor. You should begin in this position.
The right arm should be raised a few inches from the ground while lifting your left leg off the ground without bending the knee. Stay in this position for a couple of seconds and then get back to the original position. Reverse the position using the left arm and right leg. Your lower back will be toned and stronger which will make you look taller.
A healthy diet does help in increasing height. Your height is determined primarily by the pituitary gland. The human growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland which is responsible for increasing your height. There are many foods which can stimulate the human growth hormone so that you can achieve the maximum height possible during the growing phase.
There is a direct correlation between the growth of children and food and it is important for you to understand which nutrient can help in the growth of your child as well as the foods which are rich in those nutrients. The nutrients which help a child in reaching their optimum height are proteins, minerals, and vitamins.
Proteins should be part of the diet for any child to achieve their maximum possible height. The building, development, and maintenance of muscles and tissues in the body are dependent on proteins. If there is a deficiency of protein, it could result in abnormal or stunted growth along with low muscle mass. So, it is important to include sufficient proteins to balance a child's diet. Minerals are also responsible to a large extent when it comes to the height of a child. Foods that aid in the growth of children, as well as teenagers, have a high content of fluoride, manganese, iodine, phosphorous, magnesium as well as iron. Calcium is indispensable as not only does it support growth but it results in stronger bones.
Vitamins play an equally important role when it comes to the achievement of optimal height. Vitamin D is extremely important for bone health as well as height. This vitamin is responsible for helping the body absorb calcium. Vitamin D deficiency leads to the bones being weak as well as growth being stunted along with an adverse impact on height. Other vitamins which are essential for growth are vitamin F, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, and vitamin A. These vitamins can be found in certain fruits and vegetables and should be an important part of every meal.
Carbohydrates are also essential when it comes to achieving the optimal height. Carbohydrates provide energy to children in their growing years. It is, however, important to choose healthy carbohydrates in the diet. Healthy carbohydrates can be found in whole grain foods such as cereals and wheat. Besides the above nutrients, your diet needs to be rich in Omega-3 as well as Omega-6 fatty acids for optimal health as well as height.
Curd, cottage cheese as well as milk are dairy products which have a high content of essential minerals such as calcium and vitamins A, D, B and E. Milk is a rich source of protein and is important for the growth of cells in the body. Yoghurt is also a great source of protein.
Eggs are a rich source of calcium, proteins, riboflavin, as well as vitamin B12 and are effective as far as increasing height is concerned. The white portion of the egg, which is known as albumin, is full of protein. So, if you want to avoid fat, then you should only have egg whites and stay away from the yolk. The wonderful thing about eggs is that they can be prepared in a variety of ways from boiled eggs to sumptuous pancakes and this would provide an incentive to have them.
When it comes to proteins, chicken is a food rich in protein when it comes to animal sources of protein. Chicken helps in the growth of muscles as well as tissues which are responsible for the development of a person's height.
When it comes to a protein-rich vegetable source, soybean is a great alternative. Fibre, carbohydrates, vitamins, folate as well as proteins are found in abundance in soybean. A healthy alternative is tofu, which is made from soybean as far as aiding growth is concerned.
Bananas are rich in calcium, manganese as well as potassium. Making it a part of your diet contributes to achieving the maximum possible height.
When it comes to healthy breakfast options, oatmeal is at the top of the list and this does not come as a surprise. Being rich in proteins, it is extremely beneficial for increasing your height.
As far as nutrients for increasing height are concerned, nuts and seeds are an excellent choice. Nuts and seeds are abundant in vitamins as well as essential minerals along with amino acids and healthy fats which are extremely vital for growth. They can be added to breakfast cereals or other foods for breakfast as a tasty and healthy snack.
Leafy green vegetables such as brussels sprouts, okra, peas, spinach as well as broccoli have a high mineral, fibre and vitamin content. So, when it comes to overall growth including height, it is imperative that leafy green vegetables are included in the diet.
If you are looking for a food which is a rich source of proteins as well as Vitamin D, then fish is a good non-vegetarian option. Fish is essential for the development of muscles as well as bones.
Your dream of being taller can come true provided you follow the recommended diet and exercise regimen in a disciplined manner. Make sure that you consult a medical practitioner before embarking on an exercise regime to find out the dos and don'ts. Remember that with hard work and motivation anything can be achieved, including a taller stature.
So, are you ready to reach new heights?
Disclaimer: The tips & exercises suggested are the personal opinions of the writer. Kindly consult a licensed physician/dietitian/practitioner before implementing the same."
