A heart surgeon has revealed four things he would never do because of the risks of cancer, heart disease, and cancer.

Cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Jeremy London in Georgia warned against alcohol-based mouthwashes because there is evidence that they can increase blood pressure. These mouthwashes kill healthy bacteria in the mouth and disrupt the production of nitric acid, a gas naturally produced by the body to relax blood vessels.

“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,” he said.

In one 2022 study, researchers wrote that there is “unequivocal evidence” that disrupting the oral microbiome with antiseptic mouthwash suppresses nitric oxide and increases blood pressure. 

In addition, scientists in Belgium discovered participants who used alcohol-based mouthwash each day had increased streptococcus anginosus and bacteria fusobacterium nucleatum levels, which have been tied to colon cancer.

In the meantime, in a recent TikTok video, which has over 3.4 million views, Dr. London said smoking or vaping was “probably the single worst thing you can do for yourself.”

Nicotine “directly injures the lining of blood vessels, which can disrupt blood flow and cause blood to clot.” 

If these clots travel to the heart or brain, they can lead to strokes or heart attacks.

The blood vessel damage from nicotine can additionally harden arteries and cause plaque to accumulate inside them, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

While decades of research have tied smoking to lung cancer and heart disease, Dr. London also mentioned vaping — which science is unclear on.

But, emerging research suggests the habit could be just as harmful as smoking.

For example, experts at the American Heart Association discovered people who smoked or vaped immediately saw increased heart rate and blood pressure, both of which strain the heart and cause it to weaken gradually.

London also avoids or limits its consumption of ultra-processed foods, which have long been tied to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. 

This was because of high amounts of sugars, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates, all of which increase cholesterol and cause arteries to narrow.

A study from the American College of Cardiology discovered each daily serving of ultra-processed food was linked with a seven percent increased risk of heart disease.

“You are what you eat, literally. The proteins, 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 also steers clear of any alcohol.

“I hate to tell you, but even moderate alcohol use is in question,” he said. 

London explained that alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde, a chemical compound “that is toxic to every single cell in your body.”

According to the CDC, this compound has been shown to damage DNA and prevent the body from repairing the damage.

Once the DNA has been damaged, cells can grow out of control, creating cancerous tumors.

Acetaldehyde is considered to be a Group 2B carcinogen, meaning there is enough evidence that it causes cancer in animals and more limited evidence it causes cancer in humans.

In a different video, Dr. London pointed out that avoiding alcohol has left him with “increased mental clarity, better sleep, and a high level of productivity.”

“That is the secret sauce,” he said.