MERS Virus

MERS Coronavirus image





What is a MERS virus disease?

Commonly know as Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome virus has few remarkable features:

1- It was found to be closely related to SARS virus. First discovered in year 2012 in Egypt.

2- It is Coronavirus type. This is wide group of virus causing severe repiratory illness from common cold to SARS in humans.

3- Relatively milder transmissable virus.

4- No known vaccine has been developed so far to combat this disease.

5- It has been effecting camels for last 20 years and is commonly transmitted from animals to humans.

6- It has so far spread to Malaysia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

7- There have been more than 70 cases diagnosed positive for MERS virus disease this year.

8- Younger camels are effected mostly and also responsible for infecting humans. Recently human-to-human transmission have been reported.

9- Its a pneumonia like respiratory disease with cough and other associated respiratory symptoms.

How to treat MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome)?

1- Immediate isolation of effected individual to AIIR( airborn infection isolation room).

2- Use of face mask, gloves, gowns and eye protection for nursing and other medical personel involve in MERS affected patient's care.

3- There is no known specific treatment for MERS infection, other than supportive and preventive measures for patients and caring individuals.

4- If you have visited or live in location harboring virus effected person/persons, meticulous hygeine is must. Washing hands for 20-30 seconds. Also mouth,nose and eyes washing is mandatory as these are common routes for infection.

5- Avoid any close contact with effected person. Do not share utensil and keep door knobs and table surfaces cleaned by anti-bacterial liquids.

Urban Spring At Bloom

                                           

   

Obesity and Weight Problems

Most of modern day medicine's efforts are focused on growing menace of Obesity, weight for height imbalance and their associated metabolic disorders. Diabetes, Hypertension are couple of major disorders growing into epidemic propotion all around the globe as secondary outcome of  Obesity and overweight.

It has always been the toughest to give up on your favorite food, even if it is hurting your desires to reduce weight!.....but remember losing weight not only prevents build-up of life threatening metabolic ailments, it will make you more closer to be a Celebrity. Now with so much awareness among population to workout their way for controlling weight gain and even bringing it down to most desirable parameters. This has motivated the nutritionist and dietician to come up with recipes and meals that would not only help in controlling calorie counts/meal,but keep all meals attarctive and palatable.

Why its just the food you eat?

Remember one basic rule of thumb...eat what you can burn! That alone explains so much of what and how much one should be consuming per meal, keeping in mind their physical activities each day. Weight gain as well weight loss spans over weeks and months. If you have a chronic habit of eating food comprising of greater % of calories,and instead of burning with more active lifestyle you live sedentary routine life, you will end up fat!

The excess calories intake prevents fat mobilizations from stored deposits resulting in creating an increase in your body bulk. Instead you adopt meal patterns with few calories and have an active lifestyle, it will utilize calories at brisk rate. With continued physical movements of daily routine, your fat will be utilized for energy/calories provision for all the physical action done. It clearly points out the main culprit blocking your efforts....its your own platter!

Which foods contain more calories?

The answer to this is as simple as sugar!. The food items comprising readily metabolized carbohydrates to glucose, which is the first fuel provider for your physical and mental activities are termed simple sugars. The more you have such simple sugar/glucose containing foods in your meals, the lesser you loose weight and conversely become fat to obese.

Take for example:

1-Nuts are high in calories but good as healthy fat, since they constitute mono-unsaturated fats. But if you are getting in habit of a handfull too much, you are not doing good at all to achieve weight controlling ambitions.

2- Banana is well proven for its minerals and vitamin content, but its calorie value for obese individual or person on weight watch regime is undesirable. One medium size banana has 100cals in it.

3- Peanut butter spread is equally good for healthy fats, but be careful when making thick layer sandwitch!..just a teaspoon gives 62cals and some extra can provide energy for whole day.

4-Fruit juices can easily hamper your efforts to get slim.Just have one glass/200mls with breakfast and keep away from the extras you tend to enjoy. A glass full of will provide 93cals.

5-Certain fruits like coconut, raisins(dried grapes),dried fig, dates and avocado are few of the high calorie fruits. Consuming in quantity in excess to needs result in depositions of fats in your body particularly waistline and hips.

6- French fries consumption exceeding your daily requirements of fats is one major reason of your speedy weight gain. An average portion of fries may give you 550 cals with consequent 229gms of fats, and this is staggering!

7-An astonishing revealation...those diet foods, claiming to be checking your weight,are, in actuality increasing fat in your body!..like those healthy cereal bars and diet drinks you are so impressed.

What is the whole idea?

Now all this and many more facts are here to put in your mind the enormous advantages and health benifits you can have, when and if you keep a good check on what you eat/meal. Not only it should just look good to eyes but must be body friendly!

Your aim should be to consume more from natuaral food items rather than processed. For an active daily routine with running around long corridors need more calorie providing foods. But with jobs of sitting nature for even longer hours low calorie items should be chosen. This one basic rule will ensure an immaculate balance between your body's need, physical structure and mental alertness.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer

 Introduction

Urinary bladder, commonly known as bladder, is located inside your pelvic cavity, in the lower region of your abdomen. It serves the purpose of collecting urine via ureters from kidneys and stores it. After receiving micturation reflex it discharges the liquid waste, urine to outside through your urethra.

The organ is the seat of abnormal overgrowth of cells inside lining of your urinary bladder. The mechanism that set cancer growth lies in the change in your bladder lining cells DNA structure. The result is the development of tumor, which spread within your balloon shaped organ. Although it is a cancer that is diagnosed at early stages as compared to cancers of other parts ,but keep it in mind that, it has greater tendency for recurrences . Like any other cancer or malignant growth, your bladder cancer too, spreads to adjacent organs and via blood circulation to distant parts like liver, lungs, bones.

The different types of cells lining your bladder can develop into cancerous growth. The types of bladder cancer encountered are broadly grouped into  following two sub types depending upon their invasive nature;

1)                Superficial or non-invasive bladder cancer  :  This bladder cancer variety remains confined within the inner lining of mucosa and lamina, and does not go deep into muscular lining wall. According to cell type these commonly are called, urothelial or transitional cell carcinoma. This type of bladder cancer comprises of more then 90% of bladder malignancies across the globe. The statistics reveal this variety to be the most commonly  occurring cancer of bladder in US. On rough estimates 7 out of 10 bladder carcinomas are of this variety and they are generally of less serious nature. Deaths rarely occur with this type of bladder cancer.

2)                 Deep seated or invasive  bladder cancer         :  When your bladder cancer has invaded or penetrated the surrounding muscular lining of your bladder they may become severe in symptoms and lethal at times. They are least common type of bladder carcinomas, but they have tendency to spread to neighboring structures and distant locations of your body. The invasive types are subdivide into;

Ÿ                       Squamous cell carcinoma of bladder   :  Sometimes constant irritation or inflammation as it happens in bladder stones or certain parasite infection, may result in formation of  squamous cells growth and development of bladder cancer over a period of months or years. About 4-8% of bladder cancers are of squamous cell type.

                      Adenocarcinomas of bladder               : This cancerous growth is in mucous secreting glands of your bladder wall. Like the squamous cell variant, it also develops into abnormal cell growth because of long standing inflammation/irritation in your bladder wall. Metaplasia of bladder cell takes place, which spreads into deeper muscular lining of your bladder wall. These account for 2% of bladder malignancy.

       

 Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer         

Ÿ                               Blood in urine               :       The first and most common symptom of your bladder cancer is macroscopic( visible to naked eye) hematuria(blood in urine). Although ,sometimes it becomes necessary to analyze your urine under microscope to confirm for hematuria.

                      

Ÿ                            Frequency of urination       :              Unlike normal period of interval in passing urine ,you may feel going for urination after very short interval. You pass very small amount each time.

Ÿ                             Pain during passing urine    :        formation of blood clots in passage of your urine may cause pain when you urinate. There may be sense of burning during passing urine(dysuria).

Ÿ                            Urgency of urination                   :   You feel you may soil your cloth, as the intense desire to void or empty the cancerous bladder gets beyond your control. But you will feel the output does not match the desire you felt, hence this cycle may be repeated.

Ÿ                             Incontinence of urine              :  It is one extreme of urgency ,when you are unable to control or hold urine from leaking out of your urethra. Either it keeps leaking from time to time or there is complete emptying of your cancerous organ, without warning.

Ÿ                          Weight loss                                  :    loss of appetite and consequent loss of your weight is one of features of your bladder cancer. Sometimes you will find it hard to cope with ,even you are eating well you are loosing weight. This may warrant seeing your doctor for evaluation.

Ÿ                          Pelvic pain                                        :  Although it is rare , but the pain in your pelvic region may be a symptom of bladder cancer, due to tumor growth and nerve stretching in bladder lining.

Ÿ                              Legs swelling                                    : In some of you with bladder cancer, legs become swollen as result of pressure of growth on venous drainage or spread of tumor to other parts of urinary system.

2.0 Causes and Risk factors

The definitive etiology of your bladder cancer is still not brought to light. The uncontrolled or abnormal growth which takes place during development of you tumor has been attributed to following significant factors ;

Ÿ          Cigarette smoking :  The most common variety of bladder cancers, urolethial carcinoma is caused by cigarette smoking. Half of bladder cancers in men and nearly thirty percent in women are caused by years of smoking. The risk with smoking and your developing a bladder carcinoma increases with frequency and duration of your smoking. Even if you are a passive or second hand smoker, you may develop bladder cancer over years of exposure. It is believed and proved in studies that, cigarette smoke has carcinogens( cancer causing substances),getting expose to smoke results in your bladder cancer. The carcinogen travel through blood and cause cell damage of bladder wall.

Ÿ           Herbal substance :   A herb used in Chinese medicine supplement for loosing weight, called Aristolochia fangchi has been implicated for causing your bladder cancer. This herb has certain chemical that starts process of abnormal cell growth leading to your bladder cancer.

Ÿ            Chemical exposure:  Aromatic amines have great association of bladder cancer growth. If you are involved in plastic industry, detergent manufacturing,  pharmaceutical chemicals, leather, dye, rubber and paint manufacturing. You may develop bladder cancer, as these all involve aromatic phenol amines exposure .

Ÿ            Schistosomia parasite: There has been proved link between your bladder cancer and Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection of urinary bladder. This is because of production of cancer causing substance by Schistosomia parasite inside your bladder wall excites cancer cell growth. This has been attributed to production of N- nitrosamines by Schistosomia parasite inside your bladder. This chemical is a strong carcinogen. Another mode given is , the damage caused by schistosomia larvae to your bladder wall lining,resulting in met plastic(cancer) changes.

Risk factors      :There are a number of risk factors which may increase your chances of developing bladder cancer like;

Ÿ            Aging                 : With some other associated factors your advancing age makes you more susceptible for developing bladder cancer. It is found more after the 65 years, commonly in male  population.

Ÿ          Occupational  hazard :  Working in certain occupation like in chemical industries dealing in textile dyes, rubber, plastic, crude oil and pharmaceuticals will increase your risk of bladder cancer .

   

Ÿ         Sex                               :  If you are a male, then you have three times at more risk of developing bladder cancer ,compared to your female counterpart in same age group. A female under 40 years rarely develops bladder cancer.

Ÿ          Agricultural farmers        :  The parasite Schistosomia is a water habitat. It infects and travels via blood circulation to reach your bladder. It is a common source of chronic irritation and inflammation in your bladder. Particularly  so if you are living in some African country and engaged in agricultural farming.

Ÿ            Race                           :  White colored individual are more prone to have bladder cancer than other colored races.

Ÿ              Exposure to radiotherapy   : If you have been treated in past with radiotherapy for prostatic cancer or (in case female) for cervical cancer, you are exposed to much greater risk of developing bladder cancer in future. Even   chemotherapy,(cyclophosphamide) has been found to increase risk for bladder cancer development.

Ÿ              Long term catheterization    :  If there is paralysis effecting bladder control, you may be catheterized for long duration which can be a constant irritation to your bladder and source of infection. This itself increases your chances of developing bladder cancer.

Ÿ             Genetic predisposition            : Having any family member with bladder cancer puts you at more risk of bladder cancer growth compared to normal population.

            

Ÿ               Viral infection                        :  Human papilloma, herpes simplex group and polyomaviruses have been found in non-invasive urothelial bladder cancer . Human papilloma virus is more associated with  urothelial or transitional cell bladder cancer. Their link with bladder cancer is more marked in smokers( or passive smokers) than non-smokers. 

Stomach Cancer

Introduction

Where ever in your body cells grow old they die and are replaced by new generation of normal cells. When you develop cancer in any part of your body, the cells instead of dying keep multiplying in abnormal fashion and structure. They also acquire a tendency of invading or spreading to different organ or parts of your body. Similarly your stomach, the major organ of storing food and initiating its metabolism also grows into cancerous mass. It is a muscular sac like organ located in mid and upper part of your abdominal cavity. It receives food from esophagus, meeting stomach at junction just below your diaphragm.

Cancer of stomach starts in inner lining of your stomach and later progresses into severely malignant growth penetrating the deeper outer layers. Usually sequence of growth of your stomach cancer is slow precancerous cellular changes. This hardly manifest any symptoms and remains undetected. Stomach cancer ,if not detected and dealt in initial stages may spread to surrounding and distant organs of your body.

-           Incidence of stomach cancer is more encountered when you reach 65 years of age. Males are effected more than females. Although it has been the second most common cause of death worldwide, its occurrence has decline over past few decades. In most of western regions or developed countries change in dietary habits, use of refrigeration , and reduction of salt intake have played a positive role in achieving that decline.

-           The stomach cancer is ninth and fourteenth most common cause of cancer in males and females respectively in UK. An estimated nearly 22000 new cases of stomach cancer have been reported in US this year. The number of deaths reported from stomach cancer also know as gastric cancer have been 10,000.

-           worldwide figure stands at almost 1000,000 individuals with cancer at different regions in year 2008, two thirds of those are in developing countries with 800,000 deaths/year (American Cancer Society).

Causes and risk factors

How you have developed cancer of stomach is still not clear. But there is one thing quite clear about your gastric or stomach cancer that, it is initiated as result some damage to DNA present in certain cells of your stomach lining. These cells with damaged DNA, instead of dying start multiplying in abnormal way with damaged DNA. This DNA is a major coding message system. It effects cells of your body, by dictating its functions. There are many factors which can be regarded as risk or causative factors for development of your stomach cancer. These risk factors may have damaged the DNA. A damaged DNA cell can be inherited from your parents. 

Risk factors

The environmental and acquired factors which influence your chances of cancer of any type are called the risks for your cancer development. There are some risk factors which are fixed like age, sex, genetic and regional risk factors. But some risk are self acquired and hence can be modified or removed altogether. For your stomach cancer following factors can pose a risk ;

Ÿ  Age for your gastric/stomach cancer is directly related. The older you grow the more risk you have developed for stomach cancer growth. This is also associated with other co-risk factors.

Ÿ  Race makes you more susceptible for gastric cancer if you are from Asian or south American countries. In US, gastric cancer is more common in African and Hispanic whites. It is even commoner in immigrants of Asian and Pacific Island origin. Gastric cancer is found to be least common in non-Hispanic whites(American Cancer Society).

Ÿ  Gender male is more susceptible than female in development of stomach cancer. If you are male your life style and the environment will put you on greater risk of stomach cancer than your female counterpart.

Ÿ  Geography also influences risk of stomach cancer. Living in China, Japan, Southern and East Europe residents have greater stomach cancer risk. Conversely, the risk is less marked in  South Central Asian, North American, West African inhabitants(American cancer Society).

Ÿ  Tobacco smoking is one of the major risk factor for your stomach cancer. You will increase your risk for stomach cancer if you are a smoker as compared to non-smoker in your age group. Smoking has more significant role in development of cancer of upper part of your stomach. Stomach cancer in smokers have been studied to reach up to 22% in one UK study. Men are more effected than women smokers, due to higher number of smoker males. The carcinogen(cancer causing agent) in your smoke is believed to be Nitrosamines. Chewing tobacco has greater risk as shown in one Swedish study.

Ÿ  Helicobacter pylori or H.pylori infection of stomach has been studied and proved to be an important risk for stomach cancer. H.pylori infection causes severe chronic atropic gastritis. Chronic atropic gastritis is considered to be pre-cancerous(cellular changes leading to cancer formation). Your normal stomach mucosal lining later changes into adenocarcinoma with other associated factors. Helicobacter pylori infection is more common in underdeveloped countries. It is being related to poor hygiene, overcrowding and lower economic strata.

Ÿ  Alcohol in heavy volumes has definite risk for your gastric/stomach cancer. If you are a smoker and habitual binge drinker, you have greater risk of developing stomach cancer than a non-smoker alcoholic.

Ÿ  Diet which has more salt content in it has greater risk for your gastric cancer. In one Japanese study the risk of high salt in diet and stomach cancer is three folds. High salt intake in smoked fish, pickled vegetables is shown to increase carcinogenic influence of H.pylori with atropic gastritis. Meat which is processed has nitrates and nitrites. H.pylori acts on these elements and converts them into cancer initiating substances( animal study, American Cancer Society). Individuals who consume less fruits and vegetables have greater risk of stomach cancer ( UK Cancer Research published in 2011). If you eat more of meat in your regular meals you will put yourself more at risk of developing stomach cancer( British Journal publish 2009 July, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, UK).

Ÿ  Family history of cancer of stomach increases your chances of same condition by as much 1 ½ fold. This applies only when your first degree relative such as your parents, brother or sister is effected by gastric carcinoma. It may be related either to common risk factors or some genetic mutation resulting in abnormal gastric cells proliferation. Being a blood group A individual will put more risk for cancer in your stomach, which may be linked to genetic inheritance.

Ÿ  Obesity has also some weak link as for risk of your stomach cancer. This have more to do with gastric cancer of most upper part of stomach called cardia. It can be due to gastric reflux disease close to your esophagus. Adenocarcinoma is the variety encountered when you are overweight obese. Individual whose body mass index(BMI) is found to be above 25 have shown prevalence of adenocarcinoma of carida(the top part of stomach) of  stomach.

Ÿ  Your risk for stomach cancer will increase if you are suffering from GERD. This is a condition of gastric acid reflux from stomach to esophagus. It will make your chances of stomach cancer to twice as compared to individual without this condition. Adenocaricnoma of stomach is associated more commonly with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Suffering from stomach/gastric ulcers will enhance your chances for cancer of stomach. Vitamin B12 deficiency due to intrinsic factor will cause you pernicious anemia. This condition of reduced red blood cells production increases your vulnerability for stomach cancer also. In almost all these situation metaplasia( transformation of normal cell type into cancer forming cells) of stomach lining takes place.

Ÿ  Hereditary cancers like, non-polyposis colorectal cancer, condition such as familial adenomatous polyposis increases your risk for stomach cancer.

Ÿ  Epstein-Barr virus infection is quite common all over the world. It is causative agent in infectious mononucleosis. In some strange way, still not understood, it has been linked and found in lymphoma(immune cells) variety of stomach cancer.

Ÿ  If you are engaged in occupation which exposes you to coal fumes and dust, metal and rubber industry, you have greater risk of developing gastric cancer.

Side-effects of persistent use of cleaning chemicals by household workers

Let us begin discussing the hazardous side-effects of various cleaning products that can be found in our homes.

First off all, are the disinfectant i.e. floor and surface cleaner and bleach. These common household cleaning agents contains toxic substances which not only kill the harmful bacteria but also the bacteria that is good for our body and environment. The over use of these chemicals have also led to the birth of certain chemical-resistant bacteria which won’t stop growing, no matter how much you clean your house. The abuse of disinfectant is also linked with chronic illnesses such as hormone imbalance, immune system problems and asthma.

Another cleaning agent that is ordinarily found in our homes is liquid bleach. This is used for removing stains mainly from laundry and sometimes from surfaces. In formulation, it is basically a pesticide and is acidic in nature. Its contact with your eyes and skin can cause irritation, eye blindness and skin problems. Poisonous gases released from bleach can also cause serious breathing problems.

A good number house hold cleaning liquids and products are formulated with ammonia. This apparently hygienic element can be lethal if produced in combination with bleach.

Laundry detergent soaps are no less evil than the aforementioned two. Loaded with petroleum distillates, which are linked to cancer, lung damage and mucous membrane damage, they are far from user-friendly.

Then come toilet bowl cleaners. Acutely dangerous and acidic in nature, toilet bowl cleaners exude toxic gases which damage the lungs, disrupt regular hormones and impair long-term health in general. Most toilet cleaning agent companies try to hide this by adding fragrances to their products. It should also be noted that the spray from this substance can severely irritate and even burn skin.

The shocking side-effects of cleaning chemicals used by household workers go as far causing male birth defects and breast cancer. They do this by disrupting the hormones and meddling with the body’s natural chemicals.

Since household workers cannot avoid using these products, precautionary measures are no doubt necessary - and luckily simple. Wear a clean room suit over your clothes, complete with rubber gloves, boots and a face mask while going about your daily cleaning duties. This one-step precaution is often overlooked by house-help but after reading about the many dangers of cleaning agents mentioned in this article, you can be sure that it goes a long way to safeguarding health.

Astrology: Sun Sign Taurus

If you were born when the sun was in Taurus, then you are likely to be strong-willed, persevering and steadfast. The symbol for Taurus is the bull, and when you are determined you are like a bull, and in a charge, nothing can stop you. You may appear fairly calm and relaxed, but when something gets you going, then other people had better watch out.

You are practical and grounded and show a great deal of discipline. You can be cooperative, artistic and even idealistic.

The persistence of Taurus, compared with Aries, is strong and fixed. Whereas the Arians are quick to take action and follow their passion, the Taurians are slow to get started, but once they have built up their momentum, they are much more persistent in chasing their goals. The difference between Aries and Taurus here, is that Arians are quick to get started, whereas Taurians are slow. Taurians are concerned with practical and realistic ideas as they relate to their personal resources and wealth. Arians act in relation to motivations and enthusiasm, whereas Taurians are much more thoughtful in a practical way. They are cautious and careful in what they do.

As a Taurian, you are idealistic in a practical way. You may dream of building something which is real and can be visualised - something tangible; whereas Arianss, for example, are idealistic about an idea that fills them with passion and motivation. The idealism of Aries is fiery, whereas the idealism of Taurus is down-to-earth.

Taurians are well known for their concern with personal resources and wealth and Taurus's greatest fear is loss and poverty. For this reason they tend to be thrifty, and others might see this as being stingy or miserly. They see it as prudence and carefulness.

Taurians are steady,composed, courteous and even charming. They can appear as slow to other signs. They are dependable and loyal and seek to conserve what they have. They are scrupulous and honest in what they do, although this is a practical kind of honesty.

Taurians are productive. They can be charming, affectionate and sometimes generous. They are calm and thoughtful in a practical way.

Taurians, because they don't like change, can be seen as bigotted, unbudgeable, and somnetines addictive. Taurians can be fascistic - Adolf Hitler was a Taurian!

Where the other signs do not have the Taurian qualities, they may be wasteful, neglect their personal property and fail to complete what they have started.

Body Parts

Taurus rules the neck, the ears, palate, larynx, tonsils, thyroid gland, lower jaw, occipital region, cerebellum, atlas, and cervical vertebrae, vocal chords, carotid arteries, jugular vein, and the pharynx.

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And this is me!

Its just fun to read all this now at " 56"!!!!....more so strange...no...Coincidently....not even that...whatever....yes..stubborn...in a good way....never grudge holding, hate is not my vocabulary, dissociate is more proper, adventures I am thrilled with....about being cautious is dominating feature, being kind, caring and tender have so far been the strongest......just can't decide on whether its been sensitive or over, guess both are ok in their own way....carry positive symbol....

creative, looking for something fresh and exciting to work on. and best of all being initiative. its easy though you ought be honest for this one...just do it approach....

strong believer in one...for future..there is none exists, truly a fantasy....weakness once was not having patience, guess with age have overcome on that....a bit. ......

sometimes it freaks me...number 7....has been chasing me for quite long....

and about being intutive...got that in me pretty well established...read it somewhere...goes with thinking so much...best I enjoy.

How to Grow Taller

The height reflects and affects any person’s looks and makes him/her attractive. You are all on the hunt for methods and means to find most appropriate ways to know how to grow taller than your present height. Technically, considering that you are a teenager or young adult and worried about how tall you may grow at later ages of your life, your height can easily be predicted. By taking into account the height of both of your parents and adopting the following formula, you can anticipate how tall you may grow at a mature age. It works like this:

Taking your father’s height + your mother’s height, divide the sum height by two. Adding 3” (7.62cm) to the figure will give a probable height in inches if you are a boy or male adult. In case of girls or female adults, deduct 2” (5.08cm) from the added figure to reach a possible future height in inches. This method of determining how taller you can get is formulated by research endocrinologists.

Why is it your concern as an adult to find how tall you can grow or if there are ways on how to grow taller? Although there are known standard ages for each bone responsible for your height building, one must keep in mind variations do exist from childhood, teenage and adulthood. These flexible parameters provide you options on how to grow taller if you are shorter than your peers. As you look around, you may find individuals taller than yourself. That should not be a worry. There are combination of steps on how to grow taller and to attain improved height and a more impressive personality.

Growth Rate Throughout The Years

How fast or slow we grow from our birth till our adulthood is something that varies from individual to individual but a general set of rules for it can be drawn out. 

During the first year, a baby grows 25-8cm a year, in declining order. Between the first and second year, he/she grows four inches a year. From 2-4 years, a toddler’s height grows an average of three inches a year. During the ages of 4-10, a child grows an average of 2.2 inches a year. Following this trend, preteen girls grow 2.2 inches a year whereas the boys grow 1.9 inches/year. After puberty, girls grow 3.33 inches/year whereas boys’ height shoots up to an average of 3.75 inches per year. By the time women reach their early 20s and men their mid 20s, the increase in height stops.

As we settle well into adulthood, our height also starts shrinking. Research shows that men lose an inch, and women two inches, as early as the age of 30 till the age of 70. It is likely that they might lose yet another inch of their after post-80. The causes for this are shown to be sarcopenia (decrease in muscle mass) and osteoporosis.

Bones That Determine How to Grow Taller

The two major bones responsible for making you taller are femur and tibia, present in your lower limbs. The ends of both these bones (epiphysis) are soft cartilages (elastic tissues in bones) which grow in center to give more length to each long bone. As the cartilage becomes harder, the bone elongates and makes you taller. This increase in length in both long bones and most of the other bones completes and stops between ages of 17-25. Their speed of maturity determines how taller you grow. Generally the end of femur becomes solid bone from plastic cartilage tissue between age 18-22 years in both males and females. Similarly tibia or the shin bone stops growing between ages of 18-23 years. This data provides options for taking all measures on how to grow taller.

Your vertebral column keeps growing till after limbs stop growing. The first peak of spinal vertebral length increase takes place at 8.5 years. In male it is 61mm, whereas in females it is 63mm. It further gains length of 42mm (for males) and 31mm (females) at 12.5 and 11.5 years respectively (research on Taiwanese population). Howell et.al indicated 14mm of increase in spinal length even after skeletal maturity.

Your 22 skull bones grow in circumference by adding one layer on the outer layer. Meanwhile there is resorption of inner layers in the skull cranium. This enables the skull cavity to accommodate a growing brain.

All the bones of your skeletal structure mature by 22 years. But most young male and female adults reach peak bone mass till the age of 30 years, where peak bone mass is the maximum bone size and strength. During the growth spurt this happens at the speediest rate of height development.

Organ System Monitoring on How to Grow Taller

The primary influences on your height and general growth build-up are following:

Growth hormone, which is secreted from the pituitary gland located in your brain. The pituitary gland produces GH when it gets the stimulus from adjacent brain. The mechanism of its release is found to be influenced by sudden lowering of sugar level in blood. Major functions of GH are building protein in muscles and enhancing osteoblast and chondrocyte formation in your bones, thereby playing major role in how to grow taller. GH also helps retaining calcium in bones, which is important for increase in their strength and length.

Thyroid hormone is produced by thyroid glands located in your neck. Its main roles are to increase metabolic rate, induce protein synthesis and enhance the growth of long bones along with GH.

Sex hormones are very important for stimulating your bones as to how to grow taller. Testosterone, from testis brings major changes in male organ, skin of face, bones and cartilage in your body, particularly of shoulders. Female hormone estrogen secreted from ovaries, enhances breast, vaginal and uterine growth. It also stimulates hip bones development. The phase of rapid bone development in females, called growth spurt, is influenced by androgen secreted by adrenal glands. It acts in same way for both male and female.

Parathyroid hormone produced by parathyroid glands in your neck helps in regulating deposition of calcium in bone matrix, thereby giving strength. It is also a key substance in converting inactive vitamin D to its active form.

Physical Adaptation to Different Conditions

When we speak about how to grow taller, broken bone repair is also a vital issue. There is an inflammatory reaction followed by soft callus formation during the initial two weeks. With this, the gap between two broken ends is filled which later gives place to hard callus formation. The hard callus formation with restoration of original woven bone structure completes in 12 weeks. The primary bone developing cells, which are laid at the damaged area, are osteoblasts.

There are also the chondroblasts, which form new cartilage. So when a bone breaks, your body has already started repairing it naturally with the help of these cells. This healing process is influenced by the parathyroid hormone.

Physician’s Guidance on How to Grow Taller

Your healthcare provider may have plenty answers on height issues. The history and physical examination he conducts can reveal the speed and rate of your bone growth. If it is found that your short stature is associated with some defects in the major bones of your body (such as arms and lower limbs), a number of lab tests should be undertaken.

X-ray of bones, usually of left arm and wrist to reveal any disparity in your chronological age and bone age.

Complete blood count may point towards your anemic state. Low serum calcium may occur in glucocorticoid deficiency. ESR for excluding Crohn’s disease and Juvenile arthritis.

Most important indicator in your quest of how to grow taller is GH (growth hormone) profile. In conjunction, glucagon hormone check may be done as a confirmatory test for GH. Other hormones such as thyroid stimulating hormone, testosterone, follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin will evaluate functions of target organs responsible for your skeletal growth and overall development.

Bone-mass index or bone density test will clearly indicate an adult or teenager having chronic nutritional deficiency, puberty delay, stunting growth.

LH and FSH(luteinizing hormone/follicular stimulating hormones) level may indicate primary ovarian failure in female or secondary to mumps or testicular trauma.

Major Concerns on How to Grow Taller

Your height determines so many issues in your life. From attending school and college to career and matrimony, how tall you grow and look when reaching at maturity of growth has significant bearing. Sex, genes, general health status, nutrition, necessary vitamins and physical activities all play a role. With having consulted your healthcare provider, the conclusion will lead to steps on how to grow taller.

Genetics can easily predict how to grow taller to almost 70% accuracy, after you reach puberty. If both of your parents are taller than average, your chances of growing are 95%. That leaves variables which are affected by co-factors. Even if your parents are of shorter than average for height, you may still have better than fair chances of increasing your height. You can consider searching and applying methods and procedure as to how to grow taller.

Your nutrition during teenage and growing to adulthood plays a crucial role how to grow taller  The puberty or growth spurt period is the best time to attain peak bone mass. You should be aware that fresh fruit and vegetable intake goes a long way in maintaining optimum health and ideal growth level. Avoid sweets and fatty food during your quest on how to grow taller. An ample amount of protein is vital during bone growing years. Taking lean meat, egg white, fish oil and cheese on regular basis will assist in growth hormone functions. 

Physical Training, Key for How to Grow Taller

Walking, running and stretching exercises will make sure you attain maximum height during puberty and at later growing age. These are weight-bearing, which result in the increase in bone size and strength. Young teens and adults who indulge in team sports like soccer and basketball during their peak development ages can achieve better than average height. Maintain a good posture during sitting. Keeping your spinal column straight assists in lengthening vertebral bodies and gaining further height. They are all positive efforts on how to grow taller. Here, it is of some interest to mention the aggressive manual cervical vertebral lengthening done by women of Burmese tribes. They place brass rings in concentric pattern on their necks. It results in increasing cervical length to as much as 15-20”!

Hanging over a chin-up bar will greatly help you grow taller. Stretching your legs up and laterally will also boost your efforts. These exercises stretch your spine and joints to further lengths.

Sleeping well is an excellent way to grow taller. It not only improves circulation in your skeleton but enhances release of growth hormone.

Yoga exercises have marked effects for speedy height gain. Stretching and adopting different postures during yoga can play significant role in making you grow taller.

Swimming minimizes gravity compression on your spine, improves your circulation for growth hormone and thyroid hormone production. Both of these hormones are major substances in increasing your peak bone mass and size.

Factors Blocking Efforts of How to Grow Taller

Smoking is a negative influence, not only for lungs and heart, but for growing bones. A teenager smoking will have very low bone density than a non-smoker of similar age group.

Alcohol acts as a toxic substance for growing bones. It not only hampers nutrition but depletes calcium supply.

Caffeine in excess of more than three cups results in loss of bones. It also causes calcium loss in urine.

Vitamins and mineral keep you on path of how to grow taller
                             

Calcium: Ensures strong bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. This in turn lessens strain on the joints and saves them from inflammation. In the form of milk, its regular intake helps building important bones in your body. These strong bones will grow significantly and enhance your height to desired level.

Vitamin D: Also important for healthy bones and joints is vitamin D. It helps in calcium absorption and can be obtained naturally through sunlight exposure. Fortified cereals, mushrooms, fruit juices, salmon and mackerel are also good sources for this vitamin.

Vitamin K: Found in green leafy vegetables, it is fat-soluble and is used to convert bone protein matrix 'osteocalcin' from its inactive to its active form. It safeguards us from osteoarthritis by preventing the bones and cartilage from mineralization. Vitamin K also repairs damage caused by arthritis.

Vitamin C: Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is crucial for the structural integrity of bones, tendons, blood vessels and ligaments. It forms collagen, which slows down the wear and tear of joints. Citrus fruits are high sources of vitamin C. Broccoli, strawberries, raspberries and red pepper also contain good amounts of this vitamin.

Vitamin B: Found in eggs, wheat germ, almonds, cottage cheese, bananas, soybeans, lean meats and fish, vitamin B is prerequisite for the proper functioning of joint.

Word of Advice on How to Grow Taller

Your personality is greatly influenced by your appearance. In that context, your height has major barring. You should keep one thing clear in your mind that even if odds of genes are against you, you still can gain height by adopting and altering certain environmental factors and lifestyle changes. Unless your healthcare provider finds some pathological reason or physiological imbalance in your hormones and nutritional values, rest assure you have an excellent chance of elevating your overall height.