A heart surgeon has revealed the ‘number one’ thing he says he would never do. Dr Jeremy London is a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon boasting more than 25 years of experience in his field. He has over one million followers on Instagram, where he regularly posts informative videos, and has also featured as a guest on The Mel Robbins Podcast.
During the podcast appearance, the cardiac expert was asked to share the ‘number one’ thing he steers clear of as a surgeon. In response, Dr London said smoking is at the top of his no-go list, as it causes ‘damage to every organ in the body.’
The host asked him: “As a heart surgeon, what are the things you absolutely avoid?” The surgeon replied: “Smoking is top of the list.”
Dr London continued: “I cannot come up with one single thing that does as much damage to every organ in the body as smoking cigarettes. And look, it’s incredibly addictive, and I know that, and I pass no judgment because I know how difficult it is.
“I’ve been dealing with patients who are chronic smokers for years. I understand that. That doesn’t change the fact that it is the single most dangerous thing you can do for yourself, not to mention the causal relationship with lung cancer, and I could keep going. So it’s probably one, two, and three on the list to begin with.”
NHS Better Health says smoking can cause heart disease, cancer, vision loss, dementia, and high blood pressure, among many other conditions. The health service said: “The good news is your body will start to heal almost immediately after you quit. Within just 20 minutes, your pulse rate will return to normal.
“After eight hours, harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide in your blood will have halved, making room for more oxygen to flow through your body. And after 10 years, your risk of dying from lung cancer is half that of someone who still smokes.”
Support and assistance are on hand for those looking to give up smoking, reports the Mirror. The NHS website said: “Local stop smoking services are free, friendly and can massively boost your chances of quitting for good.
“These services staffed by expert advisers provide a range of proven methods to help you quit. They’ll give you accurate information and advice, as well as professional support, during the first few months you stop smoking.”
More NHS advice adds: “When you quit smoking, you’ll begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health. It’s never too late to quit and it’s easier to stop smoking with the right support.” Further information is available on the NHS website.