Heart disease builds silently over time, not overnight. Dr Sanjay Bhojraj explains why consistent sleep, movement, and metabolic health matter more than occasional fixes
Serious disease rarely strikes without warning. More often, it develops quietly through small, everyday habits that compound over years. While medical emergencies tend to capture attention, the real drivers of long-term illness lie in daily routines that steadily influence how the body functions. This is especially true for heart disease—the leading cause of death worldwide.
Interventional cardiologist and functional medicine expert Dr Sanjay Bhojraj, who has over 20 years of experience, recently spoke about this in an Instagram video shared on January 28. According to him, preventing the world’s No. 1 cause of death doesn’t require extreme measures, but a consistent focus on a few foundational habits.
“If I were to avoid the No. 1 cause of death, I’d start with these three things,” he said.
The No. 1 cause of death: Heart disease
Dr Bhojraj explained that appearing “healthy on paper” isn’t always enough. Even patients who follow medical guidelines, maintain acceptable lab results, and seem to do everything right can still develop heart disease.
Reflecting on his own journey, he shared that earlier in his career, he treated heart disease the way most doctors are trained to—by focusing on numbers and protocols. That approach held up until he began seeing patients who looked healthy by standard measures but still developed cardiovascular disease.
Heart disease, he emphasised, is rarely driven by sudden emergencies. Instead, it progresses slowly and silently, often without obvious symptoms—until the damage becomes serious. Despite advances in medicine, it has remained the leading cause of death for over a century and still accounts for roughly one in three deaths globally.
3 daily habits he prioritises for prevention
1. Sleep
Dr Bhojraj stresses the importance of getting at least seven hours of sleep every night. Poor sleep, he explains, keeps blood pressure, inflammation, and stress hormones elevated, all of which increase cardiovascular risk over time.
2. Movement
Regular physical activity is non-negotiable for heart health. “Your heart is a muscle,” he notes, “and it weakens quickly without regular use.” Consistent movement helps keep the heart strong and efficient, significantly reducing long-term disease risk.
3. Metabolic health
Metabolic health plays a crucial role in cardiovascular well-being. Dr Bhojraj highlights insulin resistance as a silent contributor to heart disease, as it damages blood vessels long before symptoms appear. When metabolic health declines, cardiovascular damage quietly accumulates.
He also points out that lab values alone don’t always reveal the full picture. True heart health is reflected in how strong, energetic, and resilient a person feels—and in the consistency of their daily habits.
Summing up, Dr Bhojraj shared that this realisation transformed both his medical practice and his lifestyle. By focusing on fundamentals rather than extremes, he now helps patients reduce real cardiovascular risk—not just improve numbers on a report—while feeling stronger, clearer, and more energised.