Heart doctor avoids five things at all costs after doing 8,000 operations

There is no one way that you can guarantee your heart will stay strong and healthy forever, but one cardiologist reckons there are several things we can do to improve our chances.

Heart disease is one of the biggest killers across the entire world, while issues such as cardiac arrest and myopericarditis can also seemingly strike at any time.

It's long been thought that poor diet and lack of exercise are among the main contributors when it comes to heart disease, but those are just two of the health factors that Dr Jeremy London warns of.

Speaking on his TikTok page, the US cardiovascular surgeon revealed the five things that he aims to avoid after completing more than 8,000 heart operations during his career.

Any type of smoking

He said: "Number one, smoking all types - cigarettes, vaping, marijuana.

"Our lungs have one function. Air in, air out. This isn't it."

According to the British Heart Foundation, smoking causes around 15,000 to 20,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease in the UK each year.

Smoking is, of course, linked to several other serious health issues and while vaping was once seen as an alternative for nicotine addicts, the uniformity in which people smoke them means they are now proving to be almost as damaging as cigarettes.

Ultra processed foods

The doctor also pointed out one of the most discussed health threats right now, which is ultra-processed foods.

He said: "Ultra processed foods. Most of the items you find in the grocery store.

"Edible food product, not real food. Eat whole foods. These are the building blocks for every cell in your body."

Ultra-processed foods have been linked with serious illnesses such as bowel cancer, the numbers of which are rapidly increasing among people under the age of 50.

It is also suggested that a diet which is rich in ultra-processed foods significantly raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

Sedentary lifestyle

Dr London's third factor is 'sitting still or being sedentary', as he makes it clear that 'our bodies are made to move'.

He suggests that even 'a simple 10 minute walk after a meal' can help to regulate and maintain stable blood sugar levels in our body.

A 2024 study found that exceeding roughly 10.6 hours of sedentary time per day can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, even for individuals who exercise.

Loneliness

"Number four is loneliness. Now, relationships take effort. And loneliness is more than just being sad. It actually changes your risk of cardiovascular disease," the doctor continued.

Indeed, research from 2016 found that loneliness and social isolation were associated with a 29 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease and a 32 percent increased risk of stroke.

Chronic stress

His final factor was something that has long been associated with heart problems - chronic stress.

If we are constantly feeling stressed, the body is subjected to a sort of fight or flight mode, where we are flooded with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These in turn raise your blood pressure, increase body inflammation, and over time lead to damaged arteries, higher cholesterol, and a higher risk of heart disease or heart attacks.

Dr London said: "This one is easy to ignore. Until it's not.

"Now, look, avoiding all of these things is no guarantee that you're not gonna have a heart attack or a stroke.

"But I can tell you that being fit, strong and healthy puts you in a much better situation than a person that isn't."