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| - Last Updated on August 21, 2024 by Nivedita
Quick Take
A social media post claims that practising a mudra, namely, Shankh mudra, daily for 2 minutes helps increase your height. We fact-checked and found this claim to be Half True. Shankh mudra might help increase your height, as per Yoga practitioners. However, increasing height at any age is not possible.
The Claim
An Instagram post with an image of Shankh mudra reads, “ Want to increase height?”
“Doing this mudra for 2 minutes daily helps in increasing height.”
Fact Check
What is Shankh Mudra?
Shank Mudra is a sacred hand gesture widely practised in Indian culture. It is a yoga hand position which resembles the shape of a ‘conch’ (shankh). The word Shankh refers to the ‘Conch Shell’, and Mudra represents the ‘Hand Gesture’. With this mudra, the pressure of the thumb of one hand falls on the palm of the other hand, and the pressure of the bent fingers of the other hand falls on the thumb of the same hand.
Dr. Ayush Chandra, Corporate Yoga Trainer certified by the Ministry of AYUSH, Consultant Diabetologist, and Founder of Nivaran Health Delhi NCR, elaborates on this by stating, “Shankh mudra is also known as the Conch shell mudra because at the time of practicing this mudra your hand takes a conch shell shape. Regular practice purifies the respiratory system and expands the peaceful feeling and positivity. It is also performed at the start of mediation to clear and purify your inner energy levels.”
What are the health benefits of Shankh mudra?
As per Yoga practitioners, this mudra is helpful in several ways. As it involves chanting of ‘OM’, the vibration created is believed to stimulate the thyroid gland and help in thyroid diseases.
Furthermore, Dr. Chandra enlists the other benefits, such as the following-
- It is useful for voice and respiratory problems like a sore throat.
- It helps in making the nervous system strong.
- It is considered to improve stammering in children. In a fake social media post, it is claimed that keeping a bay leaf under the tongue for a few minutes helps to heal stammering.
- It is effective for skin allergies and rashes.
- Shankh Mudra is effective in improving the functioning of the heart and increasing appetite.
- It also helps to overcome nervousness and anxiety.
- Lastly, this mudra helps to better function the vocal cord and gives quality to your speech and voice by restoring pitch and resonance.
Can Shankh mudra increase height at any age?
Not exactly. There needs to be more research to prove that practicing this mudra would increase height at any age. As per yoga practitioners, shankh mudra might help increase your height, but only if you are in the growing stage. It has been proven by various studies that the practice of Yoga might help in increasing height, but various other factors determine the height. A study by Aligarh Muslim University concluded that with the practice of yoga, a significant difference was found in the experimental group concerning height.
According to a research, the factors which affect human growth include “genes, race, birth weight, hormones, nutrition, and environment.”
The Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism also states that “There are several variables that may influence directly or indirectly pubertal growth spurt including, gender, genetics, nutrition, endocrine regulation, physical activity and ethnicity.”
Physical activity and Yoga might indeed help you in increasing your height, but even regular exercise and a healthy diet are unlikely to influence your height after a certain age. The bone development stops, and then it is not possible to grow anymore. The DNA is responsible for around 80% of your height. Also, a few conditions, such as Down Syndrome, Turner Syndrome and achondroplasia, may cause delayed or stunted growth.
Dr. Chandra puts his view on this question and states, “Shankh mudra might help those who want to increase their height. Practicing this mudra daily helps you to activate the thyroid gland, which further works with growth hormone and helps us to increase the height of your body. Yoga can help you grow taller as it stretches the spine, lengthens the back and leg muscles, and improves posture. It also detoxifies your body, encouraging healthy cell growth. Yoga on a regular and consistent basis reduces stress. As a result, growth hormones are released, naturally increasing height. But, it is very important to note here that there is no evidence that this mudra can increase height as bone development stops after an age. There is no medical evidence that height can increase after a certain age as then bones can’t develop any more.”
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