The Soviet Doctor Who Lived 92 Years Without Illness — and Revealed the Simple Secret to a Peaceful Heart

Yevgeniy Chazov, one of the most respected cardiologists of the 20th century, lived 92 years without major illness, without surrendering to fatigue, and without bitterness toward life.
His secret, he often said, was not hidden in medicine, diets, or discipline — but in the art of living in harmony with oneself and one’s surroundings.

Chazov had spent a lifetime listening to hearts — both literally and figuratively. And what he discovered was that health begins not in the body, but in the state of the soul.
His philosophy of well-being was simple yet profound: peace, forgiveness, honesty, and purpose.

The One Thing He Advised Removing From Every Home

When asked what most harms the human heart, Dr. Chazov didn’t mention sugar, fat, or lack of exercise. His answer was unexpected:
“The television.”

He believed that constant exposure to anxiety, violence, and negative news silently poisons the nervous system.

“The television transmits anxiety. Drop by drop, it poisons the mood,” he once said.
“And sadness kills faster than disease.”

According to Chazov, one of the greatest threats to heart health isn’t cholesterol, but chronic stress — the emotional weight carried from daily noise, unresolved tension, and a loss of meaning.

Life Lessons From Dr. Chazov: Care for Your Heart, Calm Your Soul

1. Forgive — and move forward.
Chazov faced betrayal from colleagues and students, yet he never sought revenge. He forgave quietly and continued his work. To him, holding grudges was a kind of self-inflicted illness.

2. Live with purpose.
He taught that purpose doesn’t need to be grand. A small, sincere reason to rise each morning — to help, to create, to love — sustains both the heart and the mind.

3. Avoid emotional overload.
Silent stress, he said, is more destructive than open conflict. Unspoken worries exhaust the body. Recognize what burdens you — and release it.

4. Eat with moderation, not guilt.
He enjoyed tea with sugar, simple bread, and sausages, but avoided excess and never obsessed over food. “Eat simply, not anxiously,” he advised.

5. Distance yourself from negativity.
Protect your peace as you would your health. Avoid toxic people, conversations, and routines that drain your energy. Tranquility is a medicine that isn’t sold, but it can be chosen.

6. Guard your nervous system.
He observed that nearly half of people live with mild depression without naming it. The antidote, he said, is to cultivate optimism, purpose, and spiritual calm.

Practical Steps Toward a Longer, Healthier Life

• Limit screen time — especially programs that stir fear or anger.

• Walk, read, converse, or rest in silence instead of scrolling.

• Create a peaceful home with fewer screens and more stillness.

• Learn to say no to what harms your spirit.

• Forgive freely — not to release others, but to liberate yourself.

• Seek meaning, not perfection. The heart thrives on purpose, not performance.

Dr. Chazov often reminded his patients that the heart is more than a pump — it is a memory keeper.
Every joy, every resentment, every quiet act of love leaves an imprint there.

His advice was not a medical prescription, but a human truth:
To live well is to live gently — to turn down the noise, forgive what hurts, and let the heart breathe.

Sometimes, the first step toward health is as simple as turning off the television… and turning life back on.