What are the Factors in Determining an Individuals Height?

There are various factors that determine an individual's vertical growth potential. Here are some of which:

1. Person's Ethnicity

    A person's height also depends on his or her race. One example is, people from South East Asia are generally shorter than the people residing in Western Europe.

2. Lifestyle

    An individuals lifestyle generally affects his or her height. One factor is the amount of sleep one gets. We should get at least 6 hours of sleep a day for higher chances of adding an inch or two to your height.

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Sleep Problems Affecting Your Height

We had already discussed about the link between sleep and growing taller. Now, let's tackle these common sleeping problems that are somehow considered growth stunting factors.

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1. Insomnia. This happens when a person is having difficulty sleeping. This is often caused by stress, anxiety, jet lag and depression.

    

2. Sleep Apnea. This type of sleeping problem is often deadly since this happens when the breathing stops suddenly due to the blockage of the upper airways.

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Natural Ways of Growing Taller

Genetics, diet and exercises are three the factors that determine a person's height. Genetics may not have what it needs to reach your desired height, so you have to resort to diet and exercise to possess the height that your desire.

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Discover How Sleep Affects your Height

There are various factor affecting growth; genes, nutrition and an individual's over-all health. When your genes fails to give your desired height, you can still resort to nutrition as a boosting factor to maximize your growth potential. And of course, there will always be 'sleep', to help out too. Does sleeping really affects our growth? Yes, certainly, sleeping is a good way of adding an inch or two to your current height. 

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Ways to Stimulate the Release of the Body's Growth Hormones

When people say that genetics is the only thing determining your overall height, they're obviously wrong – it is only a factor, not the answer to the equation, meaning you can actually make yourself grow taller. The things you eat, along with your overall lifestyle plays a major role. Your current habits will highly determine your overall height in the long run. Anyway, the main reason why people grow taller is because of the release of the human growth hormone, or HGH which has the function of influencing the growth, development and repair of body tissues and organs.  It is important to make the body release sufficient amounts of this hormone, given its function and importance. How can you make the body do so?

Consumption of vitamin B3 or niacin

If you wish to grow taller, then try to incorporate food that is rich in vitamin B3 into your diet. Also called niacin, this organic compound stimulates the release of the human growth hormone, thus playing a direct role when it comes to growth. Children need at least two to 12 milligrams of the vitamin, while adult men need 16 and adult women require 14, four more if pregnant and breastfeeding. Lack of niacin will result to nutrient deficiency pellagra, a condition characterized by skin lesions, hyperpigmentation of the skin, fatigue, irritability and restlessness. 

In order to prevent pellagra and get enough vitamin B3, simply eat food that is rich in it. These include the following:

• Animal liver, heart and kidneys, which contain nine to 15 mg per 100 grams.
• Fishes like tuna, salmon and halibut, which contain 2.5-13 mg per 100 grams. 
• Beef, especially those of the lean variety contains five to six mg. 
• Chicken, specifically the meaty breast part contains 6.5mg 
• Venison, or deer meat, is one of the leanest, healthiest and protein rich meats out there, and it has a niacin content of 8.4 mg. 

Getting enough sleep

When you were a kid, you must have hated taking a nap during afternoons, skulking at your parents even if they say that it makes you grow taller. Anyway, as you grow old, you'll miss those times: naps will be a rarity as you grow old, and you'll wish that you took those naps as a child. Anyway, how does getting eight to 10 hours of sleep everyday contribute to overall growth? Well, whenever you sleep, it's when the body releases  the growth hormone. Basically, get enough sleep and you'll get enough HGH. Don't get enough, and your overall growth will be stunted. 

Now that you know how to stimulate HGH, what are some of its contributions to your health, aside from helping you grow taller?

• It increases calcium retention, thus contributing to bone strength, growth and development. 
• It increases muscle mass, making it important if you want to bulk up.
• It enhances the body's ability to process and absorb protein. 
• Stimulates and strengthens the immune system, enabling you to fight off diseases. 
• Contributes to the growth of all the internal organs, except the brain. 

Remember, if you want to grow taller or become a renowned athlete , get enough sleep and eat food rich in niacin. Also, try to avoid HGH supplements and injections, since they have harmful side effects!

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Pros and Cons of Being Tall in Popular Team Sports

Every time you encounter an aspiring young athlete, you'll see him wanting to increase height, mainly because it is a common belief that being tall gives better athletic capabilities. They undergo healthy eating habits just to get the nutrients they need in order to support body development and growth. It's definitely true that the taller you are, the more athletically gifted you will be. However, this isn't always the case as seen in professional team sports. Height could be more of a burden than a benefit in certain sports and situations. 

Basketball – height is a boon and a folly

Although it's not the most popular sport in the world, it is being played worldwide: from Dr. James Naismith's home in Lawrence, Kansas, to the streets of Lithuania, to the deserts of Africa and finally, in the Philippine archipelago. If you're a fan of the game, be sure to enjoy the FIBA World Cup in Spain this August! It is dubbed as the tall man's game, but contrary to popular belief, height isn't everything in this sport. 

Pros: You do have to be fairly tall if you are aspiring to be a basketball player. You need to be at least six feet in order to succeed in the big leagues, unless if your abilities are in the league of Spudd Webb and Mugsy Bogues. Being tall means having long limbs, and if you're a viciously tall center, the opposing team will find it hard to score in the paint. 

Cons: Basketball involves dribbling, and when you dribble, there are several milliseconds wherein the ball isn't on your hands. The taller you are, the longer this lapse is. This is the primary problem of really tall players, and the reason why ball handling isn't their strength. This is one of the reasons why you don't see 6'10 and above point guards. Aside from which, being tall is always associated with being slow: Chris Paul isn't known for his speed, but he can certainly get past Pau Gasol in any day. 

Also remember that depending on your height, the appropriate position and training will be given to you. You can't play as a six foot three center in the NBA – you'll get to be a point or a shooting guard. 

Football/Soccer – the most popular sport in the world

With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, football's popularity is currently sky high. Everyone's excited for the event – even casual observers are looking forward to it. Although it's not really a tall man's game, height plays a major role, although it has its pros and cons as well. 

Pros: Football isn't only played on the ground: it's also played in the air. Loose, high balls are always headed clear or past the goal posts. This is why you always see tall central defenders like John Terry and Per Mertesacker bravely jumping up during corners, high crosses and free kicks. As mentioned earlier, being tall means having longer limbs, so most teams have really tall goalkeepers manning the posts. 

Cons: The main disadvantage of being a tall striker is the fact that you're slow (ahem Peter Crouch). The ideal strikers are always average in height, like Lionel Messi and Neymar, two of the most prolific strikers that will be playing in the World Cup. Being average in height means that they are speedier than than taller defenders, although they won't be as strong as they are. Seeing a tall striker is somehow a rarity nowadays, unless if you're a Paris St. Germain fan. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, standing 6'3 is a Swedish striker and a player that will be missed in the World Cup. What he lacks in speed (although he's still fast), he makes up for trickery, strength and aerial prowess. 

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Needed Nutrients and Supplements to Grow Taller

Currently, there are a lot of ways to grow taller, including stretching exercises which if done at an early age, will surely bear fruit in the future. However, these are not enough – a proper and a healthy lifestyle must be observed in order to avoid sicknesses and complications that may hamper growth. That said, there are certain supplements and nutrients that can help out in avoiding these complications – taking them at an early age is needed in order maximize their full effects. First off however, let's clear up what food supplements are:

Food supplements

Also called dietary supplements, taking them in is another natural way to grow taller, unless if their components include synthetic yet processed and safe materials. They may be taken from animals, herbs and even things like coal tar. They provide enough nutrients to meet our daily needs but they should not be considered as substitutes to real food and are not a method of treating diseases or complications. That said, what are certain food supplements that you may want to consider taking in, especially if there's still a window of opportunity for you to grow?

• Vitamin C supplements – supplements that contain Vitamin C are essential in boosting the body's immune system, thus preventing infections and diseases. How can this help in growing taller? Well, avoiding illnesses like common cold and bacterial infections are pretty important – experiencing these for a lot of times at such an early age can stunt growth, which is why supplements like these are highly important.

• Muscle growth supplements – these supplements include antler velvet and protein pills, shakes and powders. Though they may be used as body building supplements, they develop muscles which in turn support bone development and growth. Antler velvet contains Insulin Growth Factor-1, a hormone that promotes growth and works with the Human Growth Hormone in doing so. Aside from boosting muscle growth, they help out in developing body tissue and organs as well.

• Calcium and Phosphorous– if your child is currently taking in calcium supplements alone, then you're throwing money down the drain – the body needs an ample amount of phosphorous in order for it to absorb the bone strengthening mineral. Calcium is needed in order to promote bone growth and strength, pairing it up with phosphorous will certainly make the individual taking them in grow taller.

• Zinc – mostly taken from oysters, clams and seafood, Zinc is an important trace mineral  - meaning, trace amounts of it is necessary for human health. Being deficient in this mineral will result into stunted growth and diarrhea, making it pretty much important. Aside from which, it is also used to treat common colds, skin infections and even asthma. 

The above mentioned supplements and the nutrients that they provide will ensure that the individual taking them in will definitely grow taller than average. Remember though, you may need to consult the services of your doctor or physician before doing so especially if you have underlying health conditions and currently taking in medicine.

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