Cover image via Fidias edited by SAYSIf you were 'vertically challenged' as a kid, there's a good chance your mum followed some unusual beliefs to help you grow taller
While some beliefs are rooted in truth, we wanted to know if these old wives' tales are actually fact or fiction!
Image via Buzzfeed
Here are 9 things Malaysian mums told us so we would grow taller – are they fact or fiction?
1. "Sit up straight!"
Image via JustKiddingFilms/YouTube edited by SAYS
While you may see slight growth in your height when you correct your posture, the actual length of your spine and bones don't actually grow more by sitting up straight.
Even so, it's still great advice from our mums to sit up straight and not slouch! There are loads of benefits to having good posture, such as keeping your bones and joints in the correct alignment, decreasing abnormal wearing of joint surfaces, and decreasing the stress on ligaments.
Verdict: Fiction – but you should totally look after your posture!
2. "Stand up against the wall"
Image via iStock edited by SAYS
Having bad posture or slouching harms your height potential. Similar to sitting up straight, it's important to keep good posture to ensure height growth, but it's not going to make you a supermodel overnight 😉
Verdict: Fiction – but it helps.
3. "Just hang from the monkey bars lah"
Image via Amazon edited by SAYS
The force of gravity pulling your body down as you hang from a monkey bar actually helps straighten your spine, but it is entirely temporary. That being said, playing on monkey bars are a great way to strengthen your back muscles and improve posture, which is great.
Verdict: Fiction – still fun to hang upside down though!
4. "Play basketball"
Image via Gfycat
5. "Go play skipping rope"
Image via Sora News 24
The belief that skipping helps you grow taller actually has some truth in it! Skipping helps your muscles and ligaments stretch and contract, causing them to be more elastic. Also, because your body is straight when you skip, it stretches your spine and back muscles too.
But will you actually grow 10cm more by skipping? Probably not 🙁
Verdict: Fiction – although there are still loads of health benefits to skipping!
6. "Just jump lor"
Image via Buzzfeed
Similar to skipping, jumping can be good exercise, which can lead to you reaching your full height potential. However, jumping in particular will not make you taller. Exercise in general, though, is always a great way to help your body grow.
Verdict: Fiction – plus when you fall down and hurt yourself, your mum will totally blame and scold you… huhuhu.
7. "Eat more kacang panjang"
Image via Intan Rastini edited by SAYS
*Kacang panjang* or long beans supposedly help you grow taller because they are… long. Lol. But actually, they do help!
Your diet needs to provide enough calories, protein, and vitamins and minerals for normal growth as a child. As long as you have a balanced diet of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats, you're good to go. But eating extra portions of long beans won't really make a difference.
Verdict: Fiction – however, beans are packed with protein, which make new cells for growth.
8. "Come, I pull your legs for you"
Hahahaha!
Verdict: Fiction.
Image via Carlina Zeeman/YouTube
9. "Sleep early and you'll be taller in the morning"
Image via Riffsy
The truth is, there's no secret to growing taller!
The most important thing you can do for your child is to ensure they have all the nutritional needs they need to be healthy and happy.
Here are three things your child needs to grow:
- Enough sleep: Most children need an average of 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. This helps their bodies get the rest they need to continue growing healthily.
- Complete and balanced nutrition: Your child needs a complete and balanced diet that is full of essential vitamins and minerals to help them reach their growth potential.
- Regular exercise: Whether it's skipping, basketball, or any fun physical activity, your kid will benefit from exercise. Good health and fitness will not only improve their growth, it will also maintain a healthy weight.
Check out the video below to see the myths versus the truth of growing taller:
Give your child the best nutritional boost with PediaSure Complete.
Formulated with Sure3 System, PediaSure Complete formula provides complete nutrition for children aged 1-10 years to help catch up on growth. This is especially important for picky eaters who:
– Eat very little
– Accept/eat only a few types of food
– Eat few fruits and vegetables
– Refuse to try new fruits
– Prolong meal times
With PediaSure, you can help your picky eater close nutritional gaps:
– See improvement in growth in 8 weeks
– Reduce the number of sick days by 74%
– Scientifically formulated complete nutrition for optimal growth
*Huynh DT et al. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2015;28:623-35. Complete nutrition with high protein, calcium, vitamin D, iron & source of zinc. As part of daily diet. Individual results may vary.
Get a free sample from PediaSure to try it yourself!
Image via PediaSure
Complete nutrition is the key to supporting your child's optimal growth. Give them the right nutritional foundation with PediaSure. Get a free sample here!
Image via PediaSure
