After a few days of floating around in space, an extraordinary phenomenon begins to happen to astronauts - they begin to grow taller. Actually, what is taking place cannot be accurately described as, "growing" but the end result is that they are taller.
The reason behind this interesting and somewhat coveted parlor trick is the lack of gravity they are experiencing. Simply put, there is no gravity in space to "pull down" on the astronauts so their spines are relieved of the strain of the weight of their bodies.
While this phenomenon was anticipated, the extent of laxity that astronaut's spines displayed shocked even the most hardened NASA physicians when the astronauts were examined post-flight in NASA's early years.
Quite frankly, they weren't supposed to be as tall as they were. Some growth was expected, but certainly not the three inches or more that they were exhibiting.
The effects proved to be temporary, however, as the astronauts returned to Earth and the motherly embrace of Earth's gravity it only took a week or two for them to return to their pre-flight height.
However, physiologists were inspired by the sheer magnitude of unexpected lengthening of the spine and were soon conducting research into just how magnificently capable the human spine is at adaptation in foreign environments.
As it turns out, the human body is extremely adaptable and this means that concentrated, yet safe techniques have been proven to not only allow people on Earth to experience similar effects to become taller, but with persistence the effects can be permanent.
The most important aspect to remember throughout the process is to always remain safe while performing any exercise or stretch and to never bend or stretch the spine in an unnatural position.
Your posture also comes into play. While most people's posture is fine, many people can appear up to an inch or even more shorter than they really are due to an unnaturally acute forward curve of the upper portion of the spine.
Proper diet is crucial as well, since any elongation of the spine will not stay permanently because the space left between the vertebrae are not completely filled by the supporting discs that separate them. These spongy discs can, however, be strengthened and bolstered with the help of ample daily supplementation of calcium and other joint-support elements. These include chondroiton, glucosamine, and MSM.
