Lowering your risk

None of this guarantees anything — genetics, medications, and underlying conditions still play a role. But of the risk you can influence, these are the changes with the strongest evidence behind them.

Habits worth building

• Move regularly. About 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week — even brisk walking — measurably improves blood flow over time.
• Eat for your blood vessels. A Mediterranean-style pattern — more vegetables, fish, whole grains, and healthy fats, less processed and red meat — is consistently linked to better outcomes.
• Get ahead of diabetes and high blood pressure. Regular checkups catch these early, when they're easiest to manage.
• Reconsider smoking and heavy drinking. Smoking narrows blood vessels directly; heavy alcohol use disrupts hormones and nerve signaling. Cutting back helps at any age.
• Prioritize sleep. Poor sleep, and untreated sleep apnea especially, is linked to lower testosterone and higher risk.
• Manage stress deliberately. Chronic stress keeps blood vessels constricted and feeds anxiety cycles. Exercise, therapy, and basic relaxation practices all help.
• Review medications with a doctor. Certain blood pressure drugs and antidepressants can contribute. Never stop a prescription on your own — but it's a fair question to bring to an appointment.
• Keep up with checkups. A yearly physical is often what catches declining cardiovascular or hormonal health before it becomes noticeable.

What prevention can't fix on its own

Lifestyle changes lower risk and support treatment, but they don't replace a diagnosis. If difficulties persist despite healthy habits, that's a signal to talk to a doctor rather than a sign you haven't tried hard enough.