We’ve all been there, feeling a little down about our height. Whether you feel too tall and gangly or too short and stumpy, being insecure about your height is a real concern. You might believe that there’s nothing you can do, but you would be mistaken.
Did you know that activities like yoga can actually improve your height? Your height isn’t as fixed as you might think. In fact, there is a lot of misinformation about height increase out there.
Let’s ‘cut short’ some of the top myths about height increase.
Table of Contents
Myth #1 – Your Genes Determine Your Height
There is some truth to this one. Genetics are vital in determining your height, and your genes do limit you to some extent. You can’t go front 5’4” to 6’7”! However, there are things you can do to change your height a little bit.
So, next time you feel insecure about how short you are, lift your chin up – there are some things you can do.
Myth #2 – You Stop Growing at Puberty
It’s a common misconception that you stop growing after puberty, in your late teens. This myth is more prevalent in girls and women, who often believe that they will stop growing after their first period. Some girls reach puberty at 11-years-old, so it can be a scary thing to believe you have reached your full height potential!
In actual fact, girls may grow a further three inches following puberty, or more if they were younger when they began menstruating.
The same is true of men. Luckily, we don’t stop growing this early, so you don’t have to worry about your short height if you’re still young!
Myth #3 – Drinking Milk Will Increase Your Height
Cow’s milk is rich in calcium, which promotes bone health. It’s easy to see where this myth came from; ingest calcium, grow your bones, and your skeleton gets taller – right? Wrong!
In actual fact, milk will not increase your height. Calcium can help you grow a little bit, especially if you’re young. But you should be ingesting calcium anyway to promote overall bone health. Plus, calcium isn’t only found in milk.
So don’t worry, you don’t need to chug a carton of milk everyday. Just lead a healthy lifestyle and maintain a healthy diet.
Myth #4 – Exercise Can’t Help You Grow
Even people in fitness circles mistakenly believe that exercise can’t change your height. It’s an erroneous belief that exercise can only increase your posture but won’t affect your height. In truth, changing your posture can influence your height!
Correct posture will make you taller than you might think. Plus, the right posture is good for a variety of other therapeutic reasons, so it’s crucial to work on it. The increase in height is an added bonus for having a healthy body.
Final Thoughts on Height Myths
There are lots of common misconceptions about height increase. Don’t worry, though, most of these supposed ‘facts’ are not true; you can increase your height a little by being healthy and having good posture.