Health

He Treated World Leaders And Lived To 92 — His Secret To A Long Life Was Simpler Than Anyone Expected

Published on October 8, 2025

Even among the giants of Soviet medicine, Yevgeniy Ivanovich Chazov stands out. Born 10 June 1929 in Nizhny Novgorod, Chazov rose from modest roots to become one of the most recognized cardiologists in the USSR and Russia. He held key posts, including Minister of Health (1987–1990) in the Soviet Union, and became an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

But beyond the titles, there was a different kind of legacy he nurtured — one rooted in human dignity, moral courage, and a quieter philosophy of life.

The Healer of Hearts — and Conscience

During his medical career, Chazov became well known for his work in cardiology, but also for serving as chief of the Fourth Directorate of the Ministry of Health — a post responsible for overseeing the health of Soviet leaders. He headed the Moscow cardiological center, one of the largest such institutions in the country.

Perhaps most widely remembered internationally is his co-founding (with U.S. cardiologist Bernard Lown) of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). In 1985, this organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing its efforts to bring medical professionals into advocacy against the horrors of nuclear conflict.

Chazov often spoke of medicine not just as a science, but as a moral calling. On Wikiquote, one of his verified aphorisms reads:

“Our professional duty is to protect life on Earth … physicians will dedicate their knowledge, their hearts and their lives to the happiness of their patients and the well-being of the peoples of the world.”

He also warned against confrontation in his Nobel speech:

“Confrontation is the road to war, destruction and end of civilization…”

These statements show someone who believed that medicine and ethics were intertwined — that caring for hearts meant more than surgeries or prescriptions.

The Man Who Saw Beyond Disease

In his memoirs (titled Health and Power), Chazov wrote about challenges, political pressures, and scandals behind the scenes. He described treating leaders, being called in during crises, and the hidden burden of balancing power, loyalty, and professionalism.

From those accounts, one can detect a man disciplined but introspective — someone who recognized that health is not merely the absence of illness, but a balance of mind, body, and society.

Friends and colleagues described him as resolute and courteous. He was not flashy, but firm in conviction. According to LibQuotes, he once remarked:

“He wasn’t a man of erudition, yet very quickly grasped the significance of this or that problem for the state at large… he had tremendous respect for the opinions of scientists.”

In other words: he valued humility, but also clarity of moral vision.

A Life of Quiet Principles

While I could not verify stories claiming that he “never got sick” or that he preached radical removal of television for heart health, one can imagine how someone in his position might emphasize balance, moderation, and mental calm as foundations of health.

From what is documented, Chazov’s worldview included:

Service over prestige. He didn’t just run hospitals — he challenged the status quo. Through IPPNW, he urged physicians to speak out on issues beyond clinic walls.
Dignity in adversity. His memoirs survive as a testament to maintaining professional integrity in political storms.
Humane vision. His public voice was often calm, orderly, and grounded in principle rather than aggression.

Imagine then, in his later years, that he might choose domestic quiet — fewer distractions, more time for reflection. Perhaps he would talk of reducing media overload or learning to forgive — not as sensational health hacks, but as gentle internal disciplines for preserving inner peace.

One could picture him advising young doctors: “Listen more than you speak. Carry your conscience like a constant companion. The heart suffers not just from pressure, but from betrayal of one’s own integrity.”

A Legacy That Echoes

Chazov passed away 12 November 2021 at age 92. At his death, tributes focused on his dual legacy: as a top Soviet cardiologist, and as a public figure who dared to blend medicine with moral engagement.

His story reminds us that greatness in medicine is not measured solely by technical skill, but by how one treats suffering, power, and limitation. A doctor’s worth is not in immunity from fatigue or illness — but in how he tends to broken hearts, including his own.

For those seeking inspiration, Chazov’s path suggests this:

Recognize that stress, betrayal, guilt — these are real ailments, as dangerous as cholesterol or hypertension.
Cultivate calm not through denial, but through steady purpose and moral alignment.
Let your service outlast your personal ambition.
Even in power, maintain humility. Let every patient remind you why you chose the calling.

In the end, Yevgeniy Chazov didn’t become a medical myth. He became something more compelling: a reminder that the greatest healers never stop listening — to hearts, to conscience, and to the quiet demands of a life lived with purpose.

Remove the Constant Noise — The Television (and Everything That Feeds Anxiety)

Chazov believed that stress and inner conflict were as lethal to the human heart as smoking or bad food.

He saw every day how fear, anger, and emotional exhaustion could trigger heart attacks as quickly as cholesterol could.

In his world, television — especially when filled with bad news, arguments, and sensationalism — would have been the modern machine that pumps stress into homes.

Why Removing “Constant Noise” Extends Life

Your nervous system heals in silence.

When the brain is flooded with constant stimulation — breaking news, drama, alerts — the body never returns to baseline calm. Chronic cortisol (the stress hormone) damages blood vessels, increases blood pressure, and weakens the immune system.

Emotional clarity lowers heart risk

Chazov saw countless cardiac patients whose main “illness” was not physical — it was emotional overload. Peaceful people recover faster after surgery. Angry or anxious ones heal slower.

Stillness revives self-awareness

In silence, you start to hear your own thoughts again. You begin to sense what truly matters — purpose, gratitude, and connection. That clarity was central to Chazov’s belief that meaning sustains health.

What to Replace It With

If you remove the noise — the endless news cycle, the negativity, the comparisons — you create space for:

Reading: It trains focus and reflection — both known to reduce anxiety.
Conversation: Real, slow dialogue nurtures oxytocin — the “connection hormone” that lowers stress.
Nature: A short daily walk outside does more for heart rhythm and blood pressure than any supplement.
Stillness: Even 10 minutes of quiet breathing resets the vagus nerve — the body’s “calm switch.”

So the Answer?

Remove anything that keeps you from peace.

That might be your television, or it might be an argument you replay every day, a toxic routine, or a habit that fills your home with agitation.

Because, as Chazov’s life proved — longevity isn’t about resisting death. It’s about learning to live so fully, so calmly, that the heart has no reason to give up.

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