Health experts have often poured years into their studies and come to the table with decades-worth of experience - so you can trust them when they say something is bad for you.
Dr Jeremy London, a board certified cardiothoracic surgeon with over 25 years of clinical experience, is a social media favourite known for giving out sage advice on heart health. His recent videos explore the benefits of waking up early to revealing the effects of smoking weed regularly, and what he eats every day to keep his organs ticking.
In the past, the Georgia-based practitioner has also discussed how coronary heart disease (CHD) can impact our lives. CHD causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK, according to figures published by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
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Speaking to TODAY.com, Dr London has revealed the six habits that can increase the risk of CHD and the chance of us ending up on his ‘operating room table’.
The six things he avoids include guzzling fizzy drinks, gargling with alcohol-infused products, and chowing down on certain foods.
Smoking and vaping
The heart doctor confessed that smoking is 'the worst thing you can do for yourself'. The act itself is especially worse for certain people, the expert revealed.
“If you already have a history of heart disease and have a propensity to atherosclerosis, it actually accelerates that process exponentially,” Dr London warned.
Meanwhile, he also shared his concern around vaping as research shows that vapers have 'worrisome changes' in their heart and blood vessel function.
Alcohol
Dr London quit booze three years ago, claiming it's one of the most transformative things he's ever done.
“Alcohol is toxic to every cell in your body,” he stated. “I think that alcohol is going to be the new cigarette smoking.”
“Whether it’s one drink a week or one drink a night, you are still making a choice to put a toxic substance into your body,” the professional added.
“That being said, it is an individual choice. People have to make good decisions for themselves. It’s your body, your rules.”
Soft drinks
“I think that soft drinks are just a scourge in our society, and so I was really trying to get some attention,” the American doctor added.
“Obviously, high-calorie soft drinks and ingesting a lot of calories that people don’t realise they’re getting with the sugar-based soft drinks is a big no-no.”
Alcohol-based mouthwash
“You can actually increase your blood pressure simply by killing the bacteria in the mouth,” Dr London explained.
“And if you have a propensity to having high blood pressure, that can even be worse.”
Foods made with refined flour
Foods like white bread and pasta are made with refined flour, which basically means that it's gone through a process that gets rid of healthy dietary fibre, iron and many B vitamins.
Dr London suggests opting for whole grain options that still contain nutrients important for heart health.
Ultra-processed food
“The longer the shelf life, the shorter your life,” London said. “Limit those things as much as you possibly are able.”
He suggests eating 'whole foods' and one-ingredient items that are very minimally processed.
Processed food can also lead to an increased risk of bowel cancer, promoting unhealthy gut health.
Ella Scott