Heart surgeon ranks the 5 most ‘dangerous’ everyday habits for heart health
We all know the fundamentals. Vaping is dangerous, drinking is dangerous, stress is the silent killer, but when a heart surgeon puts them in order of just how dangerous he believes they are, coming from what he sees in the operating theatre, it hits differently. Cardiovascular surgeon Dr Jeremy London recently ranked five everyday lifestyle habits on just how bad he believes they actually are for our wellbeing. The revelations are eye-opening and also oddly empowering because knowledge is always the beginning of change.
Vaping — 10 out of 10
Vaping might be cool to behold, fruity-scented, and nicer than cigarettes, but in your body, it’s just as toxic. Dr London gives vaping a score of 10 out of 10 for harm. He describes why vaping is so deceptive because individuals think it’s a “healthier alternative.” Really, though, it’s just a different way of administering chemicals that still damage blood vessels and heart tissues. He has seen young patients that have never had a cigarette, but vape every day, develop signs of cardiovascular stress at an early point. The illusion of safety makes it even riskier because they legitimize addiction under a new label.
Stress — 8 out of 10
Stress is not necessarily bad, admits Dr London. The stress that compels you to meet deadlines or work yourself to the bone at practice sometimes toughens you up. But when stress becomes chronic, when it tips over into anxiety, burnout, or emotional exhaustion, it starts to nibble away silently in the heart. He calls stress an “invisible injury.” You can’t see it, but it affects everything from blood pressure to the sleep-wake cycle to food cravings. Chronic stress leads to inflammation, and inflammation is where disease typically begins. He rates it an 8 out of 10, not because it’ll kill you, but because it slowly rots away at your health over time.
Soda — 4 out of 10
Soda is not as bad as the rest, but Dr London still does not award it less than 4. He doesn’t consume it himself, not just due to the sugar, but due to the addiction habit. The sweet drinks elevate your blood glucose, push the body towards insulin resistance, and ultimately to metabolic issues. Even diet soda isn’t safe-he says it leaves people craving junk food, creating a vicious cycle. Soda might not be on the top of the threat list, but it’s an insidious part of bad nutrition and unstable energy.
Sleep deprivation — 10 out of 10
Sleep, according to Dr London, is not an indulgence. It’s a matter of medicine. He gives poor sleep a 10 for harm. The reason is simple-if you don’t rest, your body doesn’t repair itself. Hormones get out of balance, blood pressure rises, and the heart works too hard without rest. He says even he’s had his own struggles with bizarre sleep patterns and seen how quickly it can affect mood, focus, and energy. Sleep deprivation not only makes you feel miserable but actually helps you live longer. It’s one of those health determinants where folks don’t want to believe in it until it gets them.
Alcohol — 10 out of 10
The final one on his list, is kind of an old-school one, alcohol, also gets a 10. That might be surprising for some given how prevalent social drinking is. But Dr London makes the point that alcohol damages at the cellular level — specifically brain and heart cells. It interferes with sleep, increases blood pressure, and in most cases, leads to addiction. Research now suggests that moderate drinking can increase the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease. He describes the impact of alcohol as cumulative. Each leaves behind a residue, and after decades, those residues add up to create dramatic damage.
What this means for us
If you look at the list, the message is clear, it’s not necessarily what we’re putting into our bodies, but how often we expose ourselves to damage. Vaping, sleeping, and booze all take the number one spot because they’re both short-term and long-term risk. Stress follows soon after, triggering every other habit on the list. Even soda, which may seem insignificant, is how rapidly we can turn the norm out of something that should not be part of it.Dr. London’s ranking game is a revelation, it is not to scare people off, but to help them make what is the most important a priority. His advice is quite simple: Pick one habit, try and discover its triggers, find replacement. Replace vaping with breathing breaks, replace soda with flavored water or fresh juice. Replace late-night scrolling with a bed-time practice. And most of all, tune in to yourself, stress and fatigue usually arrive way before disease.
