How Do You Become Taller?

The best way to influence height is to take care of the body during its early years. Before the age of 8, a child should be supplied with all of the vitamins and nutrients that he or she needs. In addition, there should be plenty of calcium in the diet. The health of a child within the younger years is going to be one of the biggest factors for whether or not the child will suffer from stunted growth.

Stunted growth will keep a child from reaching his or her genetically predetermined height during pubescent years. While this is generally unlikely in developed countries, it can and will occur. Even though height is usually predetermined, many believe that there are ways to trick the body into becoming a little bit taller. While these recommendations are not backed by medical studies, and nor do we recommend them, they are ways that many believe will enhance one's height. The question, "How do you become tall?" might be hard to answer with solid medical facts, but folklore seems to have many answers! If you seem to have had any luck with any method not mentioned here, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this entry.

Calcium is the building block of bones; bones make up the skeletal system, the framework of the human and animal body. Without a skeleton, the body has no frame to follow. The health of the bones within the body helps to determine height. If the bones do not grow correctly early in life, the afflicted individual will likely be much shorter than they are intended to be. Calcium has a recommended dosage based on age. However, the daily requirement for calcium is not meant to be ingested in one sitting. Small amount of calcium should be ingested several times per day; this is because the body uses very small amounts at a time, and it will not store the calcium for later use. In order for the body to process and use calcium, Vitamin D must be included in the diet.

Believe it or not, bad posture can shave several inches off of an individual's height, making him or her appear shorter. Bad posture will damage and deform the skeletal system over time, making it very difficult to fix posture without medical devices and surgery. A good posture must be adopted during the earlier years and maintained throughout adulthood to prevent a slouched posture. If one has assumed a bad posture for several years, it may be very difficult and uncomfortable to adjust it; but it can be done within time. The body must be accustomed to the new changes over time.

With the right pair of shoes, an individual can gain anywhere from 1" to 4" or more of height. This is easily achieved by women, as they have access to high heels and platform shoes. For men, this can be a bit trickier. There are shoes on the market that add height secretly, allowing men to gain a little bit of height without it being obvious that the shoes are to thank. For men who are interested in vintage fashion, platform shoes are considered acceptable; resulting in a win-win situation.

Believe it or not, there are surgeries that help people to become taller. The most common surgery involves fracturing the femur. Metal pins and plates are inserted into the leg, and the bone begins to heal over the fracture. As more fractures are made, the bone continues to heal over the breaks. Over a long period of time, some individuals can gain just a few inches of height; but it cannot possibly be worth all of the pain.

If all else fails, everyone can always turn to their hair to add a few inches. One inch is generally acceptable; this is much less noticeable than "big hair", and it does not seem obvious. However, big hair can add serious height if one loves the attention that it will grab. There are hundreds of hairstyles out there for virtually any texture, length, color, and thickness of hair.