A heart surgeon has identified five habits to avoid to slow down the ageing process and potentially extend lifespan, and surprisingly, alcohol is not among them.
Dr Jeremy London's List
Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified surgeon in general, vascular, and thoracic surgery, frequently shares health advice on social media and in interviews. When asked about habits proven to accelerate ageing, he listed the following:
- Smoking and vaping
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity
- Chronic stress
- Poor sleep
Detailed Explanations
Dr London explained: "The first one is pretty obvious: smoking. Smoking negatively impacts pretty much every organ system in the body. Even smoking at low levels impacts your longevity."
Regarding a sedentary lifestyle, he stated: "Even if you have a consistent exercise programme, if you go and sit for six or eight hours at work this affects glucose metabolism, mitochondrial function. Our bodies are made to move."
On obesity, he clarified: "And I don't just mean a number on a scale. I'm talking about distribution of fat, particularly abdominal or visceral fat. This is a known engine for chronic disease states."
Chronic stress was described as: "High-level stress: loss of a job, chronic illness with a loved one, financial stress, relationship stress, things that really don't go away. High, persistent levels of cortisol and other stress hormones have a negative impact on your overall health."
Finally, poor sleep: "Sleep is absolutely foundational for all of us. When we sleep, this is where our bodies recover and have time to repair. And if our bodies aren't repaired properly then the risk for disease states goes up."
Additional Context
Although alcohol did not make the list, Dr London previously stated he eliminated alcohol from his life in 2021, calling it one of the most transformative decisions he has made. He remarked: "Alcohol is toxic to every cell in your body. I think that alcohol is going to be the new cigarette smoking."
He concluded: "We're all going to age and that's inevitable. But how we age is a choice."
