How to Grow Taller Fast and Naturally

When it comes to becoming taller, bogus claims of miraculous remedies that promise to work within a short time period can be found almost everywhere. If you haven’t come into this world blessed with a good height, chances are you’ve already tried such remedies at some point.

Being tall has long been associated with being smart, successful and generally agreeable. While there is no correlation between being tall and being smart, statistics show that a tall person has better chances of being successful in life.

Growth in height occurs when the bones grow at the growth plates, which are essentially areas of growing tissues at each end of the long bones in children and adolescents. A growth hormone secreted by the pituitary gland stimulates the growth plates.

Other hormones, such as thyroid hormones or sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, also contribute to growth-plate stimulation, bringing about an increase in height. These growth plates mature and close after puberty. But in some cases, height growth may be observed for up to a couple of years after puberty.

Your genetic makeup determines your height to a great extent, between 60 and 80 percent. The remaining 20 to 40 percent is determined by nutrition. But this doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no other way to make a positive impact on your height.

Exercises and stretches, including sports like basketball, allow blood flow to reach the growth plates. This brings the growth plates, even if they’ve gone dormant, in contact with growth hormones that reactivate the growth plates, thus positively affecting one’s height. Some work by decompressing the cartilage in the vertebral column that elongates the spine, thus increasing one’s height.

But for any of these methods to show promising results, you need to commit to such activities and give them a permanent place in your lifestyle. While you won’t be shooting through the roof anytime soon, you’re sure to observe noticeable changes over a period of time.

Here are five methods that you can use to grow taller fast and naturally.

Method 1: Through Stretching Exercises

Stretching and exercising are one of the major factors that effectively supplement the growth of height. Most stretching exercises help increase blood supply to the bones, increasing the bone density and resulting in an increase in height.

Gravity adversely affects your height. Due to gravity, your body weight can put pressure on the cartilage, compressing your spine and joints. It may be difficult to believe, but this can take your height down a few notches. Stretching exercises work on stretching the spine, joints and muscles and give a boost to your height.

Bar hanging is one of the best ways you can reverse the effects of gravity on your height. The bar should be placed at a comfortable height, allowing you to hang comfortably without touching the ground. If the bar is low, you may bend your knees to get your body in a free-hanging position.

• Grab the bar with your palms facing outward.
• Let your body hang free, relaxing every muscle.
• Hold the position as long as possible before letting go.

Repeat the hanging for 5 to 10 minutes initially. You may increase the time gradually as your endurance builds.

Other efficient stretching exercises include spot jumping, rope skipping, vertical stretches and full-body stretches.

Method 2: Using Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, or Indian ginseng, can be taken as a height growth supplement. Ashwagandha can assist in overall body development. Its regular consumption can stimulate an increase in weight, height and energy. You can get it online or from an herbal store near you.

Ashwagandha packs various minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, cobalt and iron that can increase bone density and broaden bone structure. Stronger bones lead to maximization of height according to one’s stature, regardless of age. In children and adolescents, it can significantly boost height growth.

Things you’ll need:

• Ashwagandha root powder – 2 tablespoons
• Cow’s milk, warm – 1 cup
• Honey – 1 tablespoon

Mix ashwagandha powder and honey into milk

• Add 2 tablespoons of ashwagandha powder to 1 cup of warm cow’s milk.
• Add in 1 tablespoon of honey as well. Honey not only sweetens the drink but also lends some benefits of its own.
• Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Consume this drink daily, a little before bedtime at night. Continue consuming this drink for at least 45 days to notice a positive difference in your height.

Method 3: By Engaging in Sports Activity

Sports activities can have a positive effect on your height as well. It is one of the recreational methods to increase your height growth. Engaging in regular sports can have a similar effect on your body as doing stretching exercises.

Playing sports that give the entire body a workout, and more specifically those that involve stretching, are the most effective. Basketball, volleyball, football, gymnastics, skipping or rope jumping, and swimming are some sports that help the body reach its full height potential. Sports, especially basketball, can help stretch the joints and increase blood flow to the growth plates, supplying them with growth hormones.

Engaging in such sports during the normal growth period produces the most optimum results. However, if made a steady part of one’s lifestyle, sports may have a positive effect on an adult’s height as well.

Method 4: Through Yoga

Yoga, not unlike stretching exercises and sporting activities, can have a positive impact on height growth. You may start observing some change after several months into your yoga routine. The immediate effect of yoga on height results from elongation of the spine and may be temporary, but including yoga stretches in your lifestyle may yield more permanent results.

There are more than a couple of yoga postures that you can include in your stretching routine to focus on height growth.

A. The Palm Tree Pose (Tadasana)

The Palm Tree pose is probably one of the most beneficial yoga stretches when it comes to height growth. It is especially recommended for children in growth age and, if done regularly, it can be beneficial to people of other ages as well.

• Stand straight on an even ground with your feet together, positioned in a way that your second toes are parallel.
• Your palms and biceps should face forward and your weight should be evenly distributed across both your feet.
• Inhaling, slowly reach up with your hands. Keeping the arms straight, join your palms over your head. While doing this, try to evenly lift your rib cage up from the pelvis.
• Hold the position for several seconds, as long as comfortable.
• Exhale while slowly drawing back to the initial position.

Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds for starters. Increase the time gradually as your body finds balance. For longer periods of time, take a break every 30 or 60 seconds.

B. The Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

The Tree pose is a little bit similar to the Palm Tree pose in technique and will be easier to do once you’ve mastered the latter.

• Start from the evenly footed, straight posture of the Palm Tree pose.
• Shift your weight to your left foot.
• Balancing your body, lift your right foot. Clasping your right foot by the ankle, place it over the left thigh. The sole of your right foot should firmly press against the upper thigh, toes pointing downward.
• Bring your palms together in front of your heart, focus on a point 4 to 5 feet ahead in the line of your sight and achieve balance in your body. Inhaling, slowly raise your enjoined palms above your head, keeping your arms straight.
• Another variation is to reach up with your hands, holding them straight above your head like in the Palm Tree pose.
• Hold the position as long as you comfortably can.
• Exhale as you slowly draw back to the starting position.

As this pose requires balance, you’ll need to invest some time in it. Use the help of a wall, if needed, to gain balance. Gradually, try to hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds at a time.

C. The Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

The Triangle pose is great for stretching your vertebral column, thighs, hamstrings and calves. However, those with back conditions or a spine injury should either not attempt this pose, or do it under the guidance of a trained yoga instructor after consulting with a doctor.

• Stand with your feet parallel to each other and legs 3 to 4 feet apart, with your weight evenly distributed across both your feet. Stretch your arms out to the sides so that they remain parallel to the floor.
• Turn your left foot 90 degrees outward and your right foot 45 degrees inward.
• Take a deep breath and exhaling slowly, bend toward your left foot so that you can clasp your left foot with your left hand while your right arm stretches straight upward.
• Draw back to the initial position on the inhale.
• Repeat the pose alternating the sides, bending toward the right foot this time on the exhale. Inhaling slowly, retract to the initial position.

D. The Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara)

The Sun Salutation is a 12-step cycle, with eight yoga postures. It stretches the entire body and focuses on stretching the muscles and making them more flexible. This yoga pose promotes all-around body growth, including an increase in height.

1. Prayer Pose. Stand on the edge of your yoga mat with your spine erect, body relaxed and body weight evenly distributed across both your feet. Bring your palms together in front of your chest in a prayer position.
2. Raised Arms Pose. On the inhale, lift your arms up and reach back, bending your body a little. Focus more on reaching back with your fingers than on bending.
3. Hand to Foot Pose. Exhaling, bend your body forward, folding it at the waist. Keep your spine straight and place your hands beside each foot. You may also clasp your feet while bending the knees a little.
4. Equestrian Pose. Inhale and bring the left knee up to your chest with the left foot touching the floor and push the right leg out as far as possible.
5. Stick Pose. Breathing in, push the left foot back as well, resting the toes of both your feet on the floor. Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor.
6. Salute with Eight Points. Breathing out, bring your knees to the floor. Your chest and chin should touch the ground and the hips should arch upward.
7. Cobra Pose. Slide your body forward on the inhale, raising your chest and facing upward. The rest of your body– belly and down– should be flush against the floor. You may bend your elbows for this pose.
8. Mountain Pose. Exhaling, lift your body up to an inverted ‘V’ position (/\).
9. Equestrian Pose. Breathing in repeat the Equestrian pose, but with right knee this time, pushing back the left leg.
10. Hand to Foot Pose. Repeat the Hand to Foot pose on the exhale.
11. Raised Arms Pose. Breathing in, unfold yourself into Raised Arms pose.
12. Prayer Pose. Exhale and finish the cycle on the Prayer pose.

Beginners should go through the entire cycle once or twice. An additional cycle may be added every week or so as the endurance builds. Once your endurance builds, you may do up to 12 cycles in a session.

Method 5: Through Nutrition and Diet

Nutrition and diet are another one of the most important factors in determining a person’s overall growth, including height. Eating a good diet with necessary nutrition from an early age allows the body to reach its full growth potential. For small, pre-pubescent and adolescent children, monitoring nutrition and diet shows the best results.

Your body needs ample vitamins and minerals along with various other nutrients for an overall balanced growth. Ensuring that you eat certain foods in order to get the right nutrition can help achieve height growth.

• Calcium and vitamin D are two of the most important nutrients when it comes to height growth. Calcium promotes stronger bone density and vitamin D is essential in absorption of calcium. Eggs and dairy products can help you get both. Spending at least 10 minutes daily in mid-day sun, without any sunscreen, can also provide you with sufficient vitamin D. You can also get calcium through green veggies and sardines.
• Zinc is another mineral crucial to body growth. Its deficiency can cause stunted development in children. Oysters, asparagus, eggs, peas and even dark chocolates are considered good sources of zinc.
• The above nutrients should be accompanied by a balanced diet constituting all the major nutritional aspects like proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.
• Proteins help build and repair muscle mass and the tissues in the body. Good sources of proteins and amino acids are soybeans and its products, meat, oatmeal and fish.
• Eating a handful of nuts like almonds or peanuts regularly can provide your body with essential minerals, healthy fats and amino acids. Seeds like flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds provide similar nutrition.
• Last but not least, the food group of leafy green vegetables comes packed with vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and dietary fibers that help stimulate growth hormones in the body. Spinach, green peas, okra, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens and Brussels sprouts should be regularly included in the diet.

Additional Tips

• You can use jaggery instead of honey to sweeten the ashwagandha-milk. In a pinch, sugar can be used to sweeten the drink.
• Sports and stretching exercises should be combined with a nutritious diet and adequate rest to promote maximum growth in an individual.
• Smoking, drugs and alcohol are considered growth-stunting factors. Steering clear of them, especially during growth periods like adolescence and pre-puberty, can have drastically positive effects on height growth.