According to content creator and board-certified cardiovascular surgeon Dr Jeremy London, the foundations of long-term cardiovascular well-being may come down to a few consistent everyday habits. In a recent Instagram video, he participated in a rapid-fire ‘this or that’ challenge, comparing popular health practices and explaining which ones matter most for protecting the heart over time.

The discussion covered everything from red wine and supplements to oral hygiene, exercise, fibre intake, and sleep. When asked to choose between red wine and CoQ10, Dr London acknowledged the commonly discussed benefits of red wine but cautioned against overestimating them. He said, “All right, so I understand red wine has polyphenols, which are beneficial, but the amount of red wine you’d have to drink would be detrimental to your overall health. I’d have to take CoQ10 on this one.” However, even CoQ10 lost out when compared with oral hygiene. Explaining why, he stated, “Well, CoQ10 certainly has its advantages, but not as much as daily brushing and flossing. Has a huge impact on your cardiovascular health.”

The comparisons then shifted toward movement and lifestyle habits. Asked to choose between oral hygiene and rucking—the fitness trend involving walking with a weighted vest or backpack—Dr London admitted the decision was difficult. “Man, this is a tough one because good oral hygiene is really important, but aerobic training is even more important,” he said, adding, “And rucking is just walking with a weighted vest. And so there are huge cardiovascular benefits there.”

Even daily fibre intake, which he praised for helping regulate glucose levels and supporting the microbiome, came second to exercise. Yet, when rucking was compared to sleep, his answer was immediate: “Man, sleep is king. If your sleep isn’t good, all the other things really suffer. So sleep has to win for me.” His overall message was clear—while supplements and trends may help, consistent habits like good sleep, exercise, balanced nutrition, and oral hygiene likely have the biggest impact on long-term heart health.

To better understand the science behind these claims and how people can realistically prioritise these habits, we spoke with a health expert.

So, how strong is the connection between oral health, sleep quality, exercise, and cardiovascular disease risk?

Dr CM Nagesh, Founder of Cardea Super Speciality Hospital, tells indianexpress.com, “The connection is far stronger than many people realise. Poor oral health, especially untreated gum disease, is associated with chronic inflammation, which is a known contributor to cardiovascular disease. Similarly, poor sleep quality has been linked to hypertension, arrhythmias, and increased cardiac stress.”

 

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He adds that physical inactivity further compounds these risks by affecting metabolism, vascular health, and weight regulation. “These lifestyle factors are often underestimated because they appear less immediate than medication or diet changes, but in clinical practice, they play a major role in both prevention and disease progression.”

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Where do supplements like CoQ10 fit into heart health management?

According to Dr Nagesh, supplements like CoQ10 may have supportive value in specific cases, particularly for patients on statins or those with certain cardiac conditions where energy metabolism is affected. However, supplements should never be viewed as substitutes for lifestyle fundamentals.

“The greatest cardiovascular protection still comes from regular physical activity, quality sleep, balanced nutrition, smoking cessation, and stress management. In most cases, people tend to overestimate the impact of supplements while underestimating the cumulative power of daily habits maintained over years,” concludes the expert.