Your blood vessels have been with you since day one.
They grow with you in every step of your life, that is, they age just as you do.
However, at some point, they start showing their age.
Maybe it’s your legs that cramp after a small walk. Or maybe the doctor said something to you regarding your numbers.
People don’t just wake up at 60 with arteries that have suddenly aged. It’s something that happens little by little over the years
Your vessels lose some of their elasticity. They get a little stiffer. Blood pressure inches up without you really noticing.
By your 40s, most people see small shifts:
That’s just part of getting older. But it doesn’t have to happen faster than it should.
We all know someone who is supposedly invulnerable to health issues. They feast on junk food, avoid visiting the gym, yet the doctors give them a totally clean bill of health.
Then there are those doing all the right things who still end up on medications.
Genetics explain a lot of that. Some people inherit:
You didn’t pick your genes. But they’re not the whole story either.
Here’s where things get interesting. Your lifestyle has an enormous influence over how your vessels age. In some cases, it matters more than genetics.
What speeds up vascular aging:
What slows it down:
The difference between having had those things done and not having had them done is staggering.
We’re talking vessels that can look and act 10 or 15 years younger, or older than they should
You’ve got three forces at work: time passing, the genes you inherited, and how you live your life. They all intersect to determine what’s happening inside your arteries right now.
Think about two people, same age, same family history of vascular problems. One has spent years being active and eating well. The other hasn’t.
Their vessels are in completely different condition. One person might feel great and have clean scans. The other might already be dealing with leg pain, numbness, or wounds that won’t heal.
That’s the intersection. Genetics set the stage. Time moves forward. But lifestyle tips the scale one way or the other.
Your body usually tells you when something’s off. The key is listening. Common early signs include:
These aren’t things to brush off. They’re your circulation asking for attention.
You can’t change your age or rewrite your DNA.
But you can absolutely change what happens from here. Small adjustments add up.
Walking more. Eating a little better. Paying attention when your body sends signals.
All major ways to help avoid the problems and work to reverse those you’re already sensing.
And if you begin manifesting signs and symptoms, that’s when it really matters to get help.
Vascular issues don’t resolve on their own, but they can be managed very effectively if caught before they’ve begun to do damage.
This is just what we do at Heart Vascular & Leg Center.
We specialize in keeping your circulation healthy and treating problems before they become serious. Whether you want to avoid issues from cropping up or are symptomatic, we have working solutions.
Let’s talk about your vascular health.
When should I get preoccupied with vascular aging?
If you have symptoms or a family history, the earlier, the better. But there’s never a bad time to make changes.
Can vascular health ever be improved if it’s already damaged?
Changes in lifestyle and drug treatment very efficiently improve the circulation and functioning.
What’s the single best change to make?
If you’re a smoker, the number one thing to do is quit smoking, and stay as active as possible.
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