Brian Hoeflinger, MD
A real neurosurgeon's take on health, medicine, and living well, not another wellness influencer. Science-based. In plain English. 5 minutes a week. Trusted by 64,000+ readers.
Why I Retired from Full-Time Neurosurgery
Why I Retired from Full-Time Neurosurgery By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD August 9, 2026 | #89 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week Why does your stomach growl when you are hungry? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) Acid sloshing in an empty stomach B) Muscle contractions sweeping the empty digestive tract C) Air swallowed during the day collecting in the stomach D) The stomach lining contracting against...
There is Something Your Body Has Been Hiding From You
What a 10-Second Balance Test Says About Your Health By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD August 4, 2026 | #88 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week What is the medical term for your body's sense of where your limbs are without looking at them? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) Proprioception B) Nociception C) Interoception D) Chemoreception Try This Before You Keep Reading Stand up. Take your shoes off. Put...
Your Heart is Sending You a Warning Sign
What Your Resting Heart Rate is Trying to Tell You By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD May 31, 2026 | #87 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week A very fit endurance athlete and an untrained person can have the exact same resting heart rate at rest. So what actually makes the athlete's heart more efficient? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) Their heart beats with more force per contraction, pumping more blood...
Life After Death: Is It Real?
Life After Death: Is It Real? By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD May 10, 2026 | #86 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week Which organ in the human body can regenerate itself, even after up to 75% of it has been removed? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) The kidney B) The liver C) The pancreas D) The spleen Is There Life After Death? I cannot prove that there is life after death. But I have a strong sense that...
You Don't Grow in Your Comfort Zone
You Don't Grow in Your Comfort Zone By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD May 3, 2026 | #85 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week Research suggests that during extreme endurance events, the sensation of fatigue originates primarily in which of the following? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) The cardiovascular system B) The muscles themselves C) The brain, via a central governor mechanism D) The adrenal glands...
My Son Died at 18, Please Read This Important Message
My Son Died at 18, A Letter to the Graduating Class of 2026 By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD April 27, 2026 | #84 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Our son Brian Hoeflinger died in a tragic car accident four months before graduating high school at the young age of 18. He was a kid just like you who had hopes and aspirations of going to college and having a full happy life. On the night he died, he was at a party with friends drinking vodka and...
Why Sleep is Your Body's Best Medicine
What Your Body is Actually Doing While You Sleep By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD April 8, 2026 | #83 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week Which sleep stage is most important for physical repair and immune function? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) REM sleep B) The transition between REM and light sleep C) Light sleep (Stage 1) D) Deep sleep (Stage 3) Here's What's Actually Happening While You Sleep Most...
What are Panic Attacks?
Panic Attacks: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How to Fight Back By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD April 1, 2026 | #82 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week The heart generates enough electrical energy in a lifetime to approximately power which of the following? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) A laptop for a year B) A cross-country train C) A small city for a day D) An electric car for 100 miles What...
What You Need to Know About High Blood Pressure
What You Need to Know About High Blood Pressure By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD March 22, 2026 | #81 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week Which part of the human body has the most blood vessels per square inch? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) Brain B) Heart muscle C) Retina of the eye D) Kidneys The Silent Killer That Has No Symptoms Walk into any Walgreens or other pharmacy chain in America and you...
The Science of Kindness
The Science of Kindness By: Brian Hoeflinger, MD March 15, 2026 | #80 Forwarded this email? Sign up here Disclaimer: Opinions are my own. Not medical advice. Medical Trivia of the Week How many times does the average human heart beat in a lifetime? (the correct answer is at the end of this email) A) Approximately 1 billion B) Approximately 500 million C) Approximately 2.5 billion D) Approximately 4 billion The Science of Feeling Good by Doing Good You have probably noticed it before. You do...
A real neurosurgeon's take on health, medicine, and living well, not another wellness influencer. Science-based. In plain English. 5 minutes a week. Trusted by 64,000+ readers.