Health
Heart surgeon reveals what to eat (and not eat) for optimal cardiac health
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Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America, accounting for one in five deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While multiple lifestyle factors can cause heart health to decline, nutrition is a large component, experts confirm.
In an on-camera interview with Fox News Digital, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Jeremy London shared how nutrition can sometimes be a sensitive topic, as diets can work differently for every individual.
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A focus on general dietary guidelines, including eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods, is a great place to start, according to the Savannah, Georgia-based expert.
Reaping the benefits of nutrition for heart health is about balance, he said.
A cardiothoracic surgeon emphasizes being “mindful of what you’re putting in your mouth.” (iStock)
“If I can eat whole foods 80% of the time, that’s a win for me,” he said. “And I think that’s reasonable.”
Hydration is also an important component of heart health, London said. He recommends reaching for more water and limiting alcohol consumption.
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“That being said, your body, your rules, as long as you know the facts,” he commented. “Alcohol is a personal choice, but it’s really toxic to every cell in the body.”
“From a nutritional standpoint, be mindful of what you’re putting in your mouth — try and focus on whole foods and limit alcohol or remove it altogether.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. (iStock)
Diet is especially important for those with heart health-related conditions such as high cholesterol, London said, as they should limit foods high in saturated fat.
Some foods, such as eggs, have been linked to high cholesterol in the past, but recent research has revealed that eggs can be a heart-healthy food.
London commented that eggs are a “wonderful nutritional source,” but added that the nutritional “pendulum” should always stay at the center.
“If I can eat whole foods 80% of the time, that’s a win for me.”
“The dietary portion of the endogenous cholesterol (produced naturally inside the body) is maybe not as important as we had thought previously,” he said.
“There are people who are ‘hyper responders’ and should avoid those situations, but [otherwise], eggs in moderation are a great source of protein and certain vitamins and minerals that you can’t get elsewhere.”
London called eggs a “wonderful nutritional source,” but some people with certain conditions should eat them in moderation. (iStock)
Individuals with high cholesterol and other heart conditions should limit refined flours and sugars, London suggested, as there’s a “direct correlation between blood glucose and triglyceride levels.”
Exercise is also an important component for better balance and results, experts agree.
What’s the 80/20 rule?
The 80/20 approach has been endorsed by experts as a proven concept for healthy eating.
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A recent medically reviewed article by WebMD detailed how eating healthy meals 80% of the time allows for “more freedom” with the other 20%. The approach can affect weight differently depending on how it’s done.
“Because the 80/20 diet features a healthy, balanced diet with a few splurges, it may help you shed a few pounds if you use it to cut down on fattening foods and watch your calories,” the article states. “Anytime you burn more calories than you take in, you’re likely to lose weight.”
An 80/20 approach to nutrition can be enough to support a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s federal diet guidelines recommend filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, making half of your grains whole grain, varying lean protein, and including a serving of low-fat or fat-free dairy.
Sugars, sodium and saturated fats should all be limited, the guidelines state.
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Individuals with specific conditions, such as diabetes, should consult their doctor before starting the 80/20 eating plan.
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The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
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“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
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Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
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“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
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Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
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That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
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Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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