How to become taller
If you’re an adult and your bones aren’t forming anymore, you probably know there’s not much you can do to get taller, short of limb-lengthening surgeries. However, this is very expensive, troublesome, time-consuming, and dangerous, so I won’t go into it. On the other hand, if you’re still under 23, here’s what I’d do in your shoes to make sure I grow as tall as possible.
The first thing to note is that it can be quite easy to stop your growth without even realizing it. Both alcohol and drug use are most likely holding you back from reaching your full potential. And when I say that, I don’t mean alcohol and drug abuse, I literally mean any degree of alcohol and/or drug use. If you’re a teenager and want to grow as tall as you can, you’ll want to stay away from those things for as long as possible.
You would also have to absolutely make sure that your body has everything it needs to grow properly. After all, growing taller means building more bones, and your body can only do that if you get enough food and rest. Your body uses food to build new muscle and bone, and most of these things happen while you sleep. Make sure you eat a lot (but not enough to make you overweight) and get a minimum of 7.5 hours of sleep a night, although if you need more, take it. Nothing should come between you and a good night’s rest! That’s when all the magic happens.
While we’re on the subject of your diet, you want to make sure it contains plenty of calcium, a vital micronutrient for healthy bone growth. You’ll find tons of calcium in all sorts of dairy products and green vegetables alike. You’ll also need an adequate supply of vitamin D (you’ll get it by eating fish or spending time in the sun), as it’s important for bone and muscle growth alike. Finally, you will need to be very careful to get enough zinc (eggs, chocolate, peanuts). Reduced zinc levels are associated with a drop in testosterone levels, which can negatively affect growth. Generally speaking, I think the best thing to do is take a multivitamin daily, although you should still do your best to eat as much of the things I mentioned above as possible.
Another thing I think you should try is some sort of stretching routine, perhaps Yoga, Pilates, the “Sun Salutations” routine, or any other tried and tested stretching regimen.
The last thing I want you to keep an eye on is your immune system. Getting plenty of vitamin C (fruits, vegetables, and a multivitamin), a fish oil supplement, and plenty of rest will help keep you fit. And don’t forget about regular disease shots too! The reason you want to do this is that certain diseases when contracted in adolescence or very young adulthood can stunt bone growth, which you obviously want to avoid.