Height is important for our physique and it comes with a lot of determinants, like it builds our confidence, helps in our career, makes us look better, etc. 18 is the average age by when both girls and boys stop growing taller. Thus, 17 is the perfect age to assume the height you have been blessed with.
On the other hand, there are some exceptional cases, and there are people who have followed some strict practices and grown taller till the age of 21-25. If you want to grow taller, this is definitely the right time. Follow some regular practices in order to help you have a better height.
How teenagers can grow taller naturally?
Ensure that you are on a balanced diet
One of the key factors that retards the growth during teenage is malnutrition. Hence, if you don’t want to retard the natural growth, you need to ensure that your diet is balanced and includes all the necessary nutrients. In this regard, you need to emphasize on the supply of protein, vitamin D, and other minerals like Zinc and calcium. These foods will promote the development of muscles, and add more strength to the bones, ensuring that the growth is healthy and optimum. It is for this reason that especially during the teenage time, you should not get into a crash diet that will take the body to a starvation mode, affecting the supply of the necessary nutrients, and retarding the usual growth.
Ensure that you are sleeping well
Research suggests that the Human Growth Hormone gets produced naturally during the phase of deep sleep. Hence, if you have to grow taller, it is very important that you are sleeping well. Ideally, under the age of 20 years, 9 to 11 hours of sleep is absolutely a must, if you have to grow to the full potential and keep healthy. You should maximize the physical efforts and lead an active lifestyle that will help you to sleep tight at night. Don’t be late to go to sleep and take care that the bed is comfortable enough for you to have a sound sleep. Refrain from sleeping on those beds that shrinks from the center, interrupting the quality of the sleep.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle
It is equally important that you are adopting a healthy lifestyle, that will enable you to escape stress, strain, anxieties, and depressions. These factors can negatively influence the hormones and thaw the natural growth.
Avoid consumption of Alcohol and drugs
These lethal habits can damage your general health, that, in turn, prevents the usual growth of the body. In addition, these habits also produce stress and strain that are other factors to stop the body growth and development.
Refrain from the consumption of unhealthy gain-height supplements
As these formulations can trigger adverse health effects. Such products, in the majority of the instances, don’t produce the outcome you want, but, will surely trigger the unwanted complications and challenges to your health and well being.
What determines our height?
- The physical growth of our body is almost done by the time of puberty. But, if an adult eats, sleeps and exercises regularly, he might have a chance to increase his height by 3 inches.
- Height is primarily a genetic factor, followed with proper nutrition and overall wellness of health. If you’re parents are tall, it is likely for you to be taller too. However, if other individuals in either sides of your family are short, their height can also determine yours.
- The length of bones like femur, fibular or tibia can determine how tall someone can be. There are ‘growth plates’ at the end of these bones which can bring an elongation in the body. When the plates close, the bones have had reached the maximum length.
Since you are 17, you still have some time till your growth plate close. Read further to follow some effective tips and grow taller with rapidity.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking minimum eight glasses of water helps in elimination of a plethora of diseases and flushes out toxins from your body. Scientists recommend that teenagers and growing adults must consume as much water as possible to maintain ideal water content which smoothens functioning o the body parts and help in enhancing the immunity too. Our body is made up of 70% of water, and every cell and tissue requires this quintessential liquid to process food and in turn produce energy which is vital to stay active and agile.
Maintain ideal body weight
This is the most important factor in growth and development of a teenager. Ensure that your child is maintaining an ideal body weight and keep a check on their diet. A balanced diet compromises of frequent meals at regular intervals of time which must include proteins, Vitamin C, minerals, potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium. Never skip your breakfast and always try to avoid the junk food for it accumulates fat inside your body due to which your bones become heavy. The surplus of body weight can lead to excessive pressure on joints and bones along with the inter-vertebrae that squeezes gravity which can lead to disastrous results. This will only lead to stunted growth and therefore, your posture will be deformed and you won’t be able to stand straight.
Basketball
Fancy Michael Jordan in the court? Channel your inner sportsman as you indulge in basketball which will exert pressure on your body and stress your muscles every single time you would try to score a basket. The pulling and stretching of joints and muscles will elongate your flexibility and also result in a better height. Since your body is already in motion while playing the sport, this will help in stretching and enabling elasticity.
Swimming
This is indeed one of the most healthy and efficient ways to grow taller and healthier. Swimming helps in increasing elasticity of bones and enhances the length naturally. Breastroke swimming involves exerting pressure on the midriff and the stress gradually distributes throughout the body which further helps teenagers to grow taller.
Rope skipping
The balancing act of your feet tested by this incredible exercise rope skipping is a great way of increasing your height. You must start your mornings with a glass of lemon and honey in lukewarm water and practise rope skipping. It will help you shape and tone your muscles defining your joints and making them light and strong. Mostly, models and actors practise rope skipping to maintain a good posture, elongate height and stay fit.
Pilates roll over
Pilates is the new trend in fitness and workout and it immensely helps in keeping you fit and healthy. Although the exercises must be performed in the presence of a certified Pilates trainer, you can always watch tutorials and try your bit. All you need for a Pilates roll over is to lie down on a mat, point the toes upward as you lie down on your back and open your hit stance. Then, lift your legs overhead, zip them together and flex the heels of your leg and slowly resist the spine into your mat.
The bow down exercise
This is a simple, flexible enhancing exercise which you shall practice daily for a toned and healthy body. Stretch your body upwards as you raise your heels and touch your palms overheads. Now, take a deep breath and touch your feet as your body entirely bend forward and lean in a way that it stays straight, and your feet is touched. Repeat at least 5 times every morning.
Proper sleep for height
- Analysis advises that growing teens need to sleep for 8 to 11 hours.
- You have to make your sleeping routine calm and undisturbed, as that’s the first step to growing taller. Reduce disturbances like lights and noises, and concentrate on having sound sleep.
- If you have sleep disorders, take a bath or drink herbal tea and then go to bed.
- Our growth hormone produces naturally, during our sleep, in the pituitary gland. Getting proper sleep promotes the production of HGH.
- Researchers have conducted studies where they have found that HGH treatments improve height. These treatments are costly, and need proper authorization and licensing from physicians. Avoid anything you get over the internet or opting for pills and injections. Follow some healthy rules like proper sleep along with more tipsyou’d read below.
Improve height with nutrition
Providing your body with necessary nutrients can improve height. Make sure you consume calories which energize your body and makes you grow. Add supplements to diet and get adequate minerals and vitamins. Some essentialities have been listed below:
- Calcium: Helps our bones to grow and prevents osteoporosis. Consume green veggies and dairy products.
- Vitamin D: Improve bone and muscle growth. Thus, deficiency can stunt the growth. Consume fishes, mushrooms and spend some time under the sun! Have purified fish supplements if you aren’t a fish eater.
- Proteins: 1 or 2 meals should include proteins like eggs, meat, beans, tofu, etc. Proteins are building blocks for the body.
- Zinc: Chocolates, eggs, peanuts and peas could be some great source for zinc. Deficiency is zinc retards growth in teens.
Exercises for growing taller
If you’re growth plates have already closed, these exercises won’t be of help you to grow taller. If you are almost at that peak stage, then some regular exercising and proper diet could help you grow taller.
There are some exercises noted below, which include different postures and can improve your height. Along with these you can continue with regular exercises like you do. You could also include cycling, swimming or other sport activates.
Cobra exercise
Lie straight on the ground and put your face down. Place your palms of the ground and under your shoulders. Lift the spinal column high and lead along your chin. Lift your back as much as you can. Every repetition should last for 5 to 30 seconds.
Hanging exercise for height increase
You have to suspend yourself from a bar. This exercise helps you straighten your spine. If you hang for half an hour every week, your body will elongate and your shoulders would become wider. Use a wide grip as those are harder to hold on and is more effective.
Good posture
Hunching can affect the curvature of a growing spine – of course not in a good way. Don’t slink and slouch while walking. If you sit on a chair, make sure you sit upright. These are good postures which keeps a healthier body even if they have no direct effect on making you tall.
Avoid things which stunt growth
There are some factors which can hinder growth and overall health. Getting addicted to drugs and alcohol during teenage can leave a bad medical condition like hypothyroidism, childhood arthritis, growth hormone abnormalities, etc. These can be some congenital problems as well. What you drink also determines your height.
- Coffee: coffee is been misunderstood to stunt growth, but that’s not true. Coffee contents caffeine which can disrupt sleep, which is an indirect way of hindering your growth process. At this stage, proper sleep, exercising and diet can help you grow taller. It is advisable to lessen the consumption of coffee, especially during off hours.
- Smoking: young people are prone to smoking be it active or passive. After a study, it was found that an average of shorter teenagers is directly exposed to smoking, especially passive smoking. Excuse yourself in these situations and of course stop smoking if you do.
- Steroids: steroids are known to lower sperm count, elevate blood pressure and increase possibility of heart diseases. Teens that suffer from asthma and depend on steroid-based inhalers are shorter in height compared to others.
Consult doctor
If you belong to a family of tall people and your height hasn’t adequately increased by now, you might want to consult a physician. Some conditions which can stunt growth would include autoimmune diseases or growth hormone deficiency. Though these are rare, they can exist. If you eat right and take adequate sleep, try to include the exercises mentioned as well. If nothing yet works out on your favor, you must get in touch with a doctor.
How to cope up with your height at present
- Your height doesn’t determine the person that you are. At first, you have to remind yourself that you are much more than just a scale which determines how tall you are.
- There are numerous things people are insecure of, but they tend to forget that those are the things which make them unique. None of us are born in a way to look similar to each other, and the definition of beauty is what we have incorporated from what we have heard. It is better to look beyond and accept the natural gift we have been given.
- There are going to be people who might tease you or bully you. You need to remember that you are beyond anything that they say. Sometimes laugh at the joke they make and be happy they then need something as bad as teasing to entertain themselves with!
- Talk to someone elder and ask them what they have to say about your height. Mature people will tell you how minute factors like these are, and how somebody’s height can never affect their lives, unless they opt for jobs which require so.
- The confidence that you have to carry comes from within and is not determined by the fact of how you weigh or how tall you are. Confidence is the key to every situation where you think you lack somewhere. In other words, it just makes up and you tend to give in more of you than what the disadvantage tries to take away.
- Finally, it is advisable to start off with the remedies so that you don’t miss out on the chances to get a little taller. It is most crucial age when you need to start, work hard and make it happen, before it is too late!
FAQs
Exercises such as stretching, hanging, swimming, cycling, and skipping can help 17 year old boys increase their height.
Eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein is important for helping 15 year old girls grow taller. Foods that are particularly beneficial for growth include dairy products, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, getting enough sleep and staying active can help with natural growth as well.
Foods that are rich in calcium, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and dark green leafy vegetables, should be included in a 17 year old boy’s diet, as calcium helps promote bone growth and can help increase height. Protein-rich foods, such as lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans, are also important for growth and development.
Yes, certain dietary and herbal supplements may help 17 year old boys grow taller. It is important to consult a doctor before taking any supplements, as some may have side effects.
Yes, there are several tips and tricks that can help 17 year old boys grow taller. These include getting adequate rest, eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and drinking.
Making healthy lifestyle choices such as eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise can help 15 year old girls reach their full height potential.
In females, the height normally grows by age 14, while in males height progresses rapidly by age 18. After 21 years, the growth slows down.
You should exercise regularly, eat proper meals with height-boosting components, and control levels of stress. Take any supplements only after proper consultation with your doctor. He can advise about the quantity to consume as well as what will work best for you.
Yes, stress can have adverse effects on your overall growth.
