How a Healthy Lifestyle Can Reduce Your Risk for ED

Your lifestyle habits play a significant role in your sexual health — and that means you might have more control over your risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) than you realize. Positive changes to your daily routines can help you lower your ED risk and improve your quality of life. 

At Urology Specialists of Cypress, Dr. James Stocks, a foremost specialist in erectile dysfunction, emphasizes the importance of lifestyle choices in preventing ED. 

Known for his empathetic bedside manner, Dr. Stocks provides caring, personalized care to help men maintain their sexual health. Today’s blog covers some of our favorite lifestyle tips to prevent ED.

Exercise and ED

Regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of ED. Exercise helps improve your cardiovascular health, which is essential for proper blood flow to all areas of the body, including the penis. 

Any exercise is good, but it’s particularly important to implement aerobic exercise regularly. Multiple studies show that 40 minutes of moderate or heavy-intensity aerobic exercise, four times weekly, reduces the risk of ED. Exercise is most effective as a preventive measure in men who struggle with issues like extra weight, high blood pressure, and poor heart health. 

Strength training can also help prevent ED. After strength training sessions, testosterone levels increase for a short time. With consistent strength training over time, this regular increase in testosterone could potentially help to prevent ED. 

Nutrition and ED

Did you know that high blood pressure significantly raises the risk of ED? Diet is often one of the biggest contributors to high blood pressure, so taking steps to control your diet can have a big impact on your ED risk. 

European studies show that men who follow a Mediterranean diet experience improvements in ED. Eating a diet rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can improve your circulatory system health and fight inflammation. 

When you reduce or eliminate processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats at the same time, you can lower your risk of ED by promoting improved heart health. 

Mental health and ED

Mental health can play a big role in erectile dysfunction. ED is about five times more common in men with depression, for example. Other mental health struggles, like anxiety and chronic stress, can also contribute to ED.

Managing your mental health proactively can help you prevent ED. Some lifestyle changes that may help improve your mental health include stress reduction practices, sticking to a strict sleep schedule, and eating regular well-balanced meals. 

Smoking and alcohol and ED

Poor choices like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can combine with other factors, like a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, to increase your risk for ED by impacting blood flow and hormone levels. 

Quitting smoking and drinking may have major positive impacts on your circulatory and hormone health, leading to lowered risk of ED.

Help with lifestyle changes for natural ED support

By making simple lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your risk of erectile dysfunction and improve your overall health. At Urology Specialists of Cypress, we’re here to help. Call us at 281-304-2521 to schedule your appointment today.