A heart surgeon has revealed the four things he would never do due to the risks of heart disease, strokes, and cancer.
Dr Jeremy London, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon in Georgia, warned against alcohol-based mouthwashes because there is evidence it can raise your blood pressure.
He said that these mouthwashes kill healthy bacteria in the mouth, disrupting the production of nitric oxide, a gas naturally produced by the body to relax blood vessels.
He said: ‘Our gut microbiome or the good bacteria in our gut begin in the mouth, so if you kill this bacteria, you can actually throw that out of balance.
‘By killing this bacteria, you can actually cause or worsen hypertension or high blood pressure.’
In one 2022 study, researchers wrote there is ‘unequivocal evidence’ that disrupting the oral microbiome with antiseptic mouthwash suppresses nitric oxide and raises blood pressure.
Additionally, scientists in Belgium found that participants who used alcohol-based mouthwash daily had increased levels of the bacteria fusobacterium nucleatum and streptococcus anginosus, which have been linked to colon cancer.
Meanwhile, in a recent TikTok video, which has more than 3.4million views, Dr London said vaping or smoking were ‘probably the single worst thing you can do for yourself.’
Dr Jeremy London, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon in Georgia, took to TikTok to share the things he never does due to increased risks of heart disease and cancer
He warned against alcohol-based mouthwashes because they can raise your blood pressure
Your browser does not support iframes.
Nicotine ‘directly injures the lining of blood vessels, which can disrupt blood flow and cause blood to clot.’
If these clots travel to the brain or heart, they can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
The blood vessel damage from nicotine can also harden arteries and cause plaque to build up inside of them, a condition known as atherosclerosis.
While decades of research have linked smoking to heart disease and lung cancer, Dr London also mentioned vaping, which science is less clear on.
However, emerging research suggests the habit could be as harmful as smoking.
A 2022 study from experts at the American Heart Association, for example, found that people who vaped or smoked immediately saw increased blood pressure and heart rate, both of which put strain on the heart and cause it to gradually weaken.
Dr London also avoids limits his consumption of ultra-processed foods, which have long been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
This is due to high amounts of saturated fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates, all of which increase cholesterol and cause arteries to narrow.
One 2021 study from the American College of Cardiology found that each daily serving of ultra-processed food was associated with a seven percent increased risk of heart disease.
He said: ‘You are what you eat, literally. The proteins and fats and carbohydrates that you ingest give the energy and the building blocks to every single cell in your body.
‘Be thoughtful about your nutritional plan.’
Dr London said that smoking is ‘probably the single worst thing you can do for yourself’ in terms of heart disease risk. Meanwhile, even innocent products like mouthwash may raise blood pressure
Dr London also steers clear of alcohol.
He said: ‘I hate to tell you, but even moderate alcohol use is in question.’
He explained that alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde, a chemical compound ‘that is toxic to every single cell in your body.’
This compound has been shown to damage DNA and prevent the body from repairing that damage, according to the CDC.
Once the DNA is damaged, cells can grow out of control and create cancerous tumors.
Acetaldehyde is considered a Group 2B carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in animals and limited evidence that it causes cancer in humans.
In another video, Dr London noted that avoiding alcohol has left him with ‘increased mental clarity, better sleep, and high level of productivity.’
He said: ‘That is the secret sauce.’