HEIGHT:

Height is defined as the measurement taken from the head of the person to the foot while standing straight.

Measurement of the height:

To measure the height accurately we need to stand straight near the wall and our back should be touching the wall, feet, and knees should be close to each other and the person should be looking straight without tilting the head, then another person should place a flat but slightly hard and unbendable object on the head of the person and mark the point on the wall where the object touches the wall.

After that, the length between the point on the wall and the floor should be measured with a measuring tape and it will give the height of the person.

For babies, of less than 2 years height should be measured in the supine position (lying down position) and for babies of more than 2 years standing position is used to measure height.

Factors on which the height of a person depends are:

Age: Since birth, the height of the baby starts increasing and a person can keep growing in height till the age of 18 to 20 years of age.

Genetics: Most genetic studies have shown that if both the parents or any one of the parents is tall then more chances are there that the child will also be tall when starts growing with age

Nutrition: A healthy diet is very important for proper growth of the person and if from childhood the baby gets proper nutrition then more chances are that the growth of the baby till adulthood will be good.

Diseases causing short stature: Any chronic disease, Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, anorexia nervosa, growth hormone deficiency, hydrocephalus, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, and many other endocrines and non-endocrine diseases can lead to short stature.

TIPS TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT:

It should be understood that some factors like genetics and syndromes like Cushing’s syndrome play an irreversible role in the short stature of the person and in these cases increasing the height can be difficult.

PROPER DIET: Eating a healthy and balanced diet is very important for the proper growth of the body. It should include vegetables, fruits, a fiber-rich diet like wheat, and eggs.

LOOSE WEIGHT: Weight reduction helps by improving the overall health of the person and this can lead to improving the secretion of growth hormones in the body.

MILK: It is a good source of calcium and it’s very important that children should drink a minimum of one glass of milk daily as this helps the bones to grow naturally and make them strong too which will ultimately lead to an increase in height.

PROTEIN: These are very important for muscle growth and hence increase the overall health and height of the person. some rich sources of protein include pulses, soybeans, eggs, and chickens.

EXERCISE: Physical activity is very important for the proper growth and development of the body. Any physical activity is good for body growth but some exercises that are effective in increasing the height of the person are :

HANGING: It is very effective, especially in increasing the upper body length of the person. For performing hanging exercises we have to stand below a strong bar mounted in the wall that can hold our weight. It should be on the wall at such a level that we have to jump a little to grab the bar or rod. We can either just keep hanging from the rod for as long as we can and slowly increase our stamina to hang for a long time or we can perform pull-ups by pulling our body upwards and trying to bring our head above the rod and then going down and again repeating it.

SWIMMING: It is considered one of the best whole-body exercises which gives strength to our muscles and helps them grow naturally which leads to good overall development of the body.

MEDICAL ADVICE: If suffering from any chronic disease or any symptoms like a decrease in weight, loss of appetite, weakness, or increase in weight even after eating a healthy diet and leading an active life, then it is important to consult a doctor and get proper treatment as sometimes a person can suffer from stunted growth due to any disease which can be treated under proper medical guidance.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

1. Always consult your doctor before taking any health supplements.
2. Always eat a healthy diet and lead an active lifestyle.

STAY HEALTHY AND FIT.