While heart health is important at any age, it is particularly crucial to maintain your cardiovascular health later in life, as the risk of heart disease increases with age.
In the U.S., heart disease continues to be the leading cause of mortality. From August 2021 to August 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the percentage of American adults with one cardiovascular disease risk factor (CVD) was 34.9% and those with two or more CVDs was 28.7%.
The Georgia-based heart surgeon, Dr. Jeremy London, MD, shared in a recent TikTok video the top four things to avoid after the age of 40 to maintain your heart health. The post now has over 2.6 million views and over 86.1 thousand likes.
London is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with over 25 years of clinical experience and has garnered a following on social media for his posts about health.
Here are the top four things he warns people should never do after turning 40:
Drinking alcohol and smoking
For his first two recommendations in his TikTok video, he advises people of all ages to avoid these two things: drinking alcohol and smoking.
“If you really want to set the stage for yourself long term, limit or remove alcohol,” London advises. “It’s toxic to every cell in the body.”
“I realize this can be hard cause alcohol is everywhere — it is a personal choice — just be thoughtful,” he says.
“Next is smoking and vaping,” London warns. “I don’t think anybody would disagree that it’s bad for you; it increases your risk of lung cancer, heart attack, and stroke.”
“Don’t vape; don’t smoke.”
Prioritize your sleep health
“Don’t trade sleep for other activities, and this is something that I personally struggle with,” London shares.
“Recovery is so important throughout our lives, but it’s really important as we get older.”
The Mayo Clinic also recommends the importance of sleep health for heart disease prevention, stating, “People who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression.”
It says that most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night.
Remove toxic relationships from your life
“Finally, avoid toxic people,” London puts it simply. “Focus and nurture on your relationships with the people that you care about and love because in the end, that’s what truly matters.”
Stress from toxic relationships can weigh negatively on your heart health. The Mayo Clinic says, “Finding alternative ways to manage stress, such as physical activity, relaxation exercises or meditation, can improve your health.”
link
