Bones stop growing after the age of 25, so it is difficult to increase height. Although some surgeries or growth hormone medications promise a height increase, the complications might be unsafe.
If you are looking for ways to increase your height (almost 1 inch) in one week, here are some tricks and tips you can try.
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Consume a balanced diet
A proper diet and good nutrition are necessary to increase your height naturally. If you are still growing, a well-balanced diet aids in building strong bones and muscles. In case you have stopped growing, eating the right foods will keep you lean, making you look taller.
- Consume more lean protein like soy, beans, and nuts to support muscle growth and healthy bones. Keep away from simple carbohydrates like soda, sweets, pizza, and cakes.
- Consume more calcium, found in dairy, fortified foods, and leafy greens (like kale, spinach, and broccoli), to encourage healthy bones.
- Get enough vitamin D. This vitamin is helpful to boost muscle and bone growth. And the best way to absorb more vitamin D is from sunlight exposure. Spending about 5-15 minutes in the sun might ensure you get enough vitamin D.
- Get enough zinc. A zinc deficiency has been shown to stunt growth in boys [1]. Hence, you need to consume more wheat germ, peanuts, pumpkin and squash seeds, good sources of zinc.
Stretch and do exercises regularly
If you truly want to improve your height in a week, you should do exercises regularly. Stretching your body parts in the morning and before going to bed will enhance muscle strength and help you become more upright such as wake-up stretch, toe touches, cobra stretch, or bridge stretch.
Besides, performing workout sessions plays a vital role in stretching your muscles to boost your height. Here are some exercises you should add to your routine to help you grow taller in one week.
- Hanging on the bar helps stretch your spine and arms.
- Swimming is an ideal choice because it stretches out your whole body.
- Cycling makes you slim.
- Jumping or skipping is an effective way to increase height.
It is recommended to do about 30 minutes to an hour of exercise a day to be healthy and get taller.
Get enough sleep
When you sleep, your body grows and regenerates tissues. And when you are in a deep sleep, your body produces HGH, which importantly increases height. If you are between 13 and 18 years old, make sure to get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night to give your body more time to grow.
But if you find some issues going to sleep, you should change your routine, take a warm bath to relax, or drink a cup of chamomile tea.
Drink plenty of water
Water is an important factor to maintain your body’s health. That is why doctors always advise us to drink as much water as possible.
Yes, water aids in absorbing different vitamins and minerals, allowing your body to work better. Also, water effectively promotes the absorption process by enhancing cell function. Overall, drinking a lot of water helps enhance your height naturally.
Stay away from growth-stunting factors
Do you know that soda and junk foods are common growth-stunting factors? Also, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes are thought to contribute to stunted growth if you often ingest them while you are young.
- Does coffee stunt growth? The truth is, caffeine in coffee does not stunt growth. But it has a higher chance of keeping you awake for hours. While children and teens need proper sleep to grow, caffeine might be hard for them to get good sleep.
- Does smoking stunt growth? Although the answer to this question is still inconclusive, some available research shows that children who smoke or are supposed to be second-hand smokers are often shorter than those who do not smoke [2].
- Do steroids stunt growth? Yes, because anabolic steroids prevent bone growth in children and teens.
Expose yourself to sunlight
Vitamin D plays a vital role in promoting bone strength and health. Instead of looking for foods rich in this vitamin, all you just do is expose yourself to sunlight to get enough vitamin D.
The UVB (sun’s ultraviolet B) rays hit cholesterol in your skin cells and give energy for vitamin D synthesis to happen. It is recommended to expose around 1/3 of the area of your skin to the sun and at least 10-30 minutes three times per week during summer [3]. It’s also fine to wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your eyes and head while exposing other parts of your body. It is because the head only produces a small amount of vitamin D.
Clear your mind with worries
No matter how old you are, stress is always harmful. But during puberty, extended stress might weaken the pituitary gland and make it produce fewer growth hormones needed for height growth. Therefore, parental support and advice during this time are important to help young children deal with stress and grow into healthy and happy adults.
Adjust your posture
The truth is, bad posture affects your overall height. Stand straight instead of bending your body forward and pulling your shoulders back and slightly together. Also, try getting into the habit of sitting straight and focusing on contracting your abdomen muscles to help. Be aware of your posture, and soon you will be surprised by the real effect on your height.
Keep a healthy body weight
Aside from maintaining good nutrition, you need to keep your weight in check. Although there is no ideal weight for different ages, gaining much weight during growing years might make you shorter and possibly lead to related health problems. Also, there is a relationship between weak bone health and obesity.
So, when losing weight does not help you get taller, maintaining a healthy body weight might prevent losing a few inches in height.
Consider height growth supplements
Last but not least, do not miss some so-called height growth supplements. They work by giving lots of bone-nourishing components that promote body health and growth. Besides, they encourage the production of HGH naturally. If you are going to let your children use these supplements, make sure you research carefully and pick the popular ones that are used and loved by many customers worldwide. And always encourage them to take it alongside the above advice to boost their height effectively.
Valerie Aubree is an expert in the field of health, currently the admin of the website Supplementchoices.com. I enjoy listening to music, watching movies and participating in community health activities.
