Seize the golden period for height growth: Traditional Chinese medicine doctors recommend two winter dietary therapies to strengthen the spleen and kidneys during puberty.

Parents are most concerned about their children's growth spurt during adolescence, as this is the golden period for height increase. Being tall has its advantages. In addition to good sleep, a balanced diet, and exercise, young people can also benefit from traditional Chinese medicine by consuming medicinal soups that help strengthen the spleen and kidneys, thus contributing to healthy height and physique development.

Registered Chinese Medicine practitioner Wong Ching-ching points out that girls typically develop earlier than boys, usually starting between 9 and 12 years old; boys, on the other hand, typically begin puberty between 10 and 14 years old. She says the timing of puberty is related to factors such as nutrition, genetics, and living environment, and varies from person to person. If parents notice their child is underweight, overweight compared to their peers, or unusually short, they recommend seeking medical attention promptly to rule out any pathological factors affecting development. "Both parents and children should start measuring height and weight at least every three months from age 10; they will generally grow 1-1.5 cm."

Adolescence is the period when a child's kidney energy begins to be abundant and plentiful. The kidneys govern the bones and reproduction. Dr. Huang said that nourishing kidney energy during adolescence is crucial for a child's future healthy reproductive function and physical development. Winter is the best time to nourish the kidneys. Properly nourishing the kidneys in winter will help children grow taller faster during the golden growth period in spring and not fall behind their peers.

Two soup recommendations

Dr. Huang recommends two winter-based soups for strengthening the spleen and kidneys during adolescence, suitable for both men and women.

Lotus root and five-seed soup

Ingredients: 1 section of lotus root, 20g black beans, 5 walnuts, 8-10 lotus seeds, 10g white lentils, 5 chestnuts, 20g Chinese yam, half a piece of dried tangerine peel, 3 slices of ginger, and 500g of chicken feet or pork bones with lean meat.

Cooking method: Wash all ingredients. Blanch the meat, then put all ingredients into a soup pot, add 1,500mL of water, bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes, then simmer over low heat for 60 minutes. Add a little salt to taste before serving.

Analysis: This soup contains five kinds of plant fruits and seeds. Seeds gather the essence of plants and have the effect of replenishing qi and nourishing the kidneys. Black beans, walnuts, and chestnuts are common ingredients that can replenish kidney qi, making them very suitable for winter consumption. Chinese yam and lotus seeds nourish the spleen, lungs, and kidneys, which can help enhance children's resistance after winter. Lotus seeds can also help nourish the heart and calm the mind. White hyacinth beans, dried tangerine peel, and lotus root can strengthen the spleen and stomach. For children to develop well during puberty rather than develop early, the digestive system is very important. Parents are also advised to often add dried tangerine peel when making soup, as it can strengthen the spleen and dry dampness. It is a good medicine to make children's appetite more appealing without making them gain weight.

Note: This soup is suitable for all body types. For those who are overweight, it is recommended to add only a small amount of lean meat. Dr. Huang suggests that parents can make this soup 1-2 times a week for the whole family to enjoy.

Qi-boosting, kidney-tonifying, and mind-calming soup

Ingredients: 10 grams each of Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Rehmannia glutinosa, Morinda officinalis, Polygonatum sibiricum, Coix lacryma-jobi, and Polygala tenuifolia; half a dried tangerine peel.

Cooking method: After washing all the ingredients, put them into a soup pot, add 1,000mL of water, bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes, then simmer over low heat for 60 minutes. Add a little salt to taste before serving.

Analysis: This recipe is more suitable for children who are thin and short, and can be cooked once a week. Codonopsis pilosula and Atractylodes macrocephala invigorate the spleen and replenish qi, which can enhance immunity. Rehmannia glutinosa, Morinda officinalis, and Polygonatum sibiricum can nourish blood, kidneys, and replenish essence, which is suitable for children with congenital kidney essence deficiency. However, it is not recommended to make too much each time, because thin children generally have poor digestive function, and too much food can put a burden on the spleen and stomach.

Poria and Polygala have a calming and soothing effect, making them especially suitable for teenagers who are currently burdened with heavy academic workloads and have poor sleep quality. Coix seed and Poria can remove dampness and promote urination, while tangerine peel strengthens the spleen and dries dampness. The combination of these three ingredients prevents Rehmannia and Polygonatum from being too cloying.

Note: Everyone's constitution is different. If you have any questions about the soup or children's constitution, it is recommended to consult a professional Chinese medicine doctor first.

Children should not take excessive supplements.

Dr. Huang reminds parents that children's kidney tonification differs from adults'. They should not be over-tonified or consume excessively warming and drying medicinal diets such as mutton stew or ginseng chicken soup. Overly potent and tonifying Chinese herbs, such as deer antler, snow frog, ginseng, Korean ginseng, and royal jelly, may cause precocious puberty in children, hindering their growth and development. Additionally, sticky and warming foods such as fish maw, sea cucumber, seahorse, and cordyceps are also not recommended for children to consume in large quantities.

---------------------------------

Acupuncture helps increase height

In addition to dietary therapy, Dr. Huang said that acupuncture can also help teenagers grow taller, but acupuncture for height increase is more suitable for teenagers aged 12 or above who are more physically robust.

"Acupoints along the Bladder Meridian of the spine and near the knees, such as Weizhong and Yanglingquan, are often used to help children grow taller during puberty. Acupuncture stimulation of the muscles on both sides of the spine can improve developmental problems caused by scoliosis and hunchback in adolescents, and can also relieve pressure between the vertebrae, thus helping children have better space for growth and development."

However, most teenagers have never tried acupuncture and are inevitably afraid of it. Dr. Huang said that the acupuncture process is not painful and many children can gradually accept it after one acupuncture session.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, nourishing kidney qi is crucial for children's future healthy reproductive function and physical development.

Some people say that once girls start menstruating, they find it difficult to grow taller. Registered Chinese medicine practitioner Huang Jingjing explains: "After a girl's first menstruation, the growth plates in her bones do indeed begin to close more quickly due to the influence of hormones, slowing down the growth rate. However, there is still room for growth in the 2-3 years after menarche. As long as you make good use of this period and work hard on your diet and lifestyle, there is still hope for increasing your height."

Black beans, walnuts, and chestnuts are common ingredients that can nourish kidney qi, making them very suitable for consumption in winter.

====================================

Images: iStock, provided by the interviewee

Author and Editor: Zhou Meihua