Cardiac surgeon shares 'single worst thing' you can do to your body as he reveals four things he never does

A cardiac surgeon of 25 years has revealed the four things that he avoids, while highlighting the most harmful thing you can do to your body.

Dr Jeremy London often shares health tips and advice through his accounts online, with over 567,000 followers on TikTok and 286,000 subscribers on YouTube that tune in to his content.

The certified cardiothoracic surgeon has previously spoken about some tell-tale signs that could indicate a weak heart, and has no shared the four things people should steer clear of to avoid any heart or circulatory diseases.

They are the cause of a quarter of all deaths in the UK according to the British Heart Foundation, meaning that over 170,000 people die each year because of these issues.

But by avoiding these four vices, you'd be doing your part to avoid the disease altogether.

There's one thing that negatively affects your heart health the most (Getty Stock Image)

Four things you should avoid

Alcohol

Dr London explained that he's removed alcohol from his diet completely, calling it 'toxic to every cell in your body'.

"Your body, your rules, you decide for yourself - for me, personally removing alcohol from my life has probably been one of the most transformative decisions I've made as an adult," he claimed.

Soft drinks

Summing them up in a couple of words, he simply said: "Liquid death."

The doctor simply said not to drink them, 'period', presumably due to the high sugar content and lack of nutritional value.

With such little upside, the negatives are clear too, as they can contribute to weight gain, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and even be detrimental to dental health.

Bread and pasta

Dr London explained: "Avoid breads and pastas, avoid the refined flours and wheats," in what must be a massive blow to foodies everywhere.

He added that '80 percent of weight control is diet. 20 percent is exercise,' and that anyone can out eat the amount of exercise they do.

Smoking and drinking are huge red flags for your long-term health (Getty Stock Image)

Smoking

Finally, the surgeon moved onto smoking, saying: "No question - the single worst thing you can do for your entire body.

"[It] destroys your lungs, causes lung cancer, high cardiovascular risks, heart attacks and strokes - don't smoke."

Why is smoking so bad for the body and heart?

According to the NHS, smoking can cause dementia, joint damage, digestive issues, high blood pressure, and hearing and vision loss, among other issues.

Warnings from Blood Pressure UK details that smoking can damage blood vessels, narrow arteries, and add unnecessary strain on your heart through a raised blood pressure.

High blood pressure can display no symptoms, with a check-up usually being the only way to find out about it.

How heart strength is measured

Doctors can find a lot out when it comes to your heart health by using an echocardiogram or an ultrasound probe that is used on the chest.

Dr London said that this measures 'ejection fraction', the percentage of blood ejected from the heart with every beat.

Anything below 60 to 70 percent 'could be an indication of heart failure or a weak heart,' he added.

Signs such as a shortness of breath and difficulties in breathing when lying down while walking could indicate a heart condition as 'red flags', according to the health professional.

Exercise and a healthy diet are suggested as sure-fire ways to improve your heart health and the earlier you start, the better.