It should be no surprise to anyone that nutrition plays a huge role in how human bodies grow and develop. After all, this is the fuel that runs the engine. Food is the basic building block that powers every cellular process, including what height we attain. To maximize your height potential, you need not only the right foods but the right quality in the right quantity. Here are six areas to focus on:
• Minerals are essential to bone growth so consume a full range, especially calcium and phosphorus.
• Vitamins are necessary for proper growth, but the body doesn’t produce them naturally. Get adequate intake of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, B and K, as well as water solubles found in fruits and vegetables.
• Fat is crucial to your body, but ensure that it's the unsaturated type and makes up no more than 25 to 30 percent of your overall diet.
• Too many carbohydrates can actually stunt your growth. Look to Asia for evidence. Asians regularly consume corn, rice, bread and grains. Focus on foods lower on the glycemic index scale.
• Protein is the foundation of it all. Choose complete protein such as the kind found in eggs, milk, animal meat, fish and cheese.
• Don’t neglect water. It’s the very stuff of life. Aim for half your body weight in ounces consumed per day, and consider that almost everyone is chronically dehydrated.
Certain exercises make it more likely you will reach your full growth potential. One is hanging by your arms and letting your feet dangle. Gravity works against your height every moment of every day by exerting force that compresses your spine. Counteract this by hanging from an exercise bar daily. Try to hang for 20 seconds three times in succession. It’s OK to take a little break in between to let your hands recover.
Another exercise is called the dry land swim, in which you lay on your stomach with arms stretched out in front. Raise your right arm and left leg. Hold the position for four seconds. Then switch to the left arm and right leg and repeat the hold. This stretches the lower part of your spine.
Done consistently and combined with proper diet and nutrition, these exercises are an easy way to increase your height over time.