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A heart surgeon has identified five habits you should steer clear of if you wish to slow down the ageing process and potentially extend your lifespan - and, notably, alcohol doesn't feature on the list.

Dr Jeremy London, who holds board certification in general surgery, vascular surgery and thoracic surgery, and frequently shares guidance on social media and in interviews, was asked: "What habits should you avoid that are proven to speed up ageing?"

He identified the following five factors:

• Smoking and vaping
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity
• Chronic stress
• Poor sleep

Dr London said: "The first one is pretty obvious: smoking. Smoking negatively impacts pretty much every organ system in the body. Even smoking at low levels impacts your longevity. The second would be a sedentary lifestyle. Even if you have a consistent exercise programme, if you go and sit for six or eight hours at work this affects glucose metabolism, mitochondrial function. Our bodies are made to move."

Dr London placed obesity third on his list: "And I don't just mean a number on a scale. I'm talking about distribution of fat, particularly abdominal or visceral fat. This is a known engine for chronic disease states."

"Next would be chronic stress - and I'm talking about high-level stress: loss of a job, chronic illness with a loved one, financial stress, relationship stress, things that really don't go away. High, persistent levels of cortisol and other stress hormones have a negative impact on your overall health." Finally, Dr London highlighted "poor sleep", stating: "Sleep is absolutely foundational for all of us. When we sleep, this is where our bodies recover and have time to repair. And if our bodies aren't repaired properly then the risk for disease states goes up."

He further remarked: "We're all going to age and that's inevitable. But how we age is a choice."

While alcohol did not feature on Dr London's list, he has previously disclosed that he cut alcohol entirely from his lifestyle in 2021, claiming it has left him feeling considerably better and ranks amongst the most life-changing decisions he has ever taken. He said: "Alcohol is toxic to every cell in your body. I think that alcohol is going to be the new cigarette smoking."