Too embarrassed to ask your doctor about sex, body quirks, or the latest celeb health fad? In a regular feature and a new book, " What the Yuck?! ," Health magazine medical editor Dr. Roshini Raj tackles your most personal and provocative questions. Send 'em to Dr. Raj at whattheyuck@health.com. Q: Is it bad to drink alcohol if I’m on antibiotics? A: You shouldn’t drink at all while on certain antibiotics – like Flagyl (metronidazole), Tindamax (tinidazole), or Bactrim or Septra (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) – because you can get unpleasant side effects like nausea and headaches. Otherwise, a glass of wine probably won’t hurt, though you might experience worse potential side effects (upset stomach, dizziness, drowsiness) than usual from the drug and the alcohol. If you’re sick enough to need antibiotics, however, I’d say skip happy hour and give your body time to fight the infection. Filed under: Health.com , What the Yuck Tagged: Roshini Raj M.D. – Health magazine

MIAMI (CBS4) – It’s a sleep lab that comes to you. It’s a device you wear at night to decode the mystery and find out if you have sleep apnea. An increasing number of women are trying this device because doctors are learning that, unlike men, with snoring and abruptly gasping for air in the middle of the night… the signs for women may be being tired, have insomnia, morning headaches or a whole lot of moodiness. More and more women are being diagnosed with sleep apnea, meaning they can’t sleep through the night because they repeatedly stop breathing. Christy Hartsook is one of those women. “I would wake up between 4 and 5 times an hour that I was not aware of.” Hartsook of Palmetto Bay was not getting enough oxygen. She told CBS4′s Cynthia Demos that it wasn’t just a problem for her. Her interrupted sleep started disrupting her husband’s sleep as well. “He would say, how did you sleep last night? Did you sleep good… cause I didn’t,” said Hartsook. For Eduardo Borrego in Coral Gables, he had to get a sleep test before his gastric bypass surgery. He was tested for sleep apnea. “Now I know for sure that I have it,” said Borrego. Two people. Same problem. Same test. But in the end, different remedies. First… the test… the In Home Sleep Lab. It’s called the Watermark ARES, which stands for Apnea Risk Evaluation System. They put the ARES on, turn it on, sleep with it, turn it off in the morning and send it to the lab. Jeffery Rosen is a family physician. “It’s much more convenient and less obstructive to the patient’s life.” Dr. Rosen says they read the results and come up with a new sleep plan for the patient. He says women are often misdiagnosed with depression when they really have apnea. If it goes untreated, it can lead to serious weight gain. Rosen said the in home testing helps tremendously because 40% of the time that people are suppose to go to a sleep lab, they just don’t show up. And 20-million people have sleep apnea. But right now, less than 15% are diagnosed. Sleep apnea can have serious consequences. It is directly connected to diabetes, obesity, congestive heart failure, hypertension and stroke. It’s a sign that a bigger problem is likely around the corner. That’s why Christy and Eduardo were so glad to find out how they could stop the apnea. The two had very different doctors orders. For Eduardo, the doctor prescribed this sleep machine. It pumps in oxygen as he sleeps. It’s called a C-PAP. That stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It keeps your airway open while you’re sleeping. “You feel better, more energized, like you actually slept.” Eduardo hopes that after his gastric surgery, he will no longer have sleep apnea. His doctor said there’s a chance that could happen. For Christy, she was told she just can’t sleep on her back anymore. She says as long as she sleeps on her side, she has a restful night and so does her husband. “Yeah, I’m extremely happy I did this test,” Christy told Demos. Of the 81 sleep breathing disorders out there… 85% of the time, people are diagnosed with apnea… that is if they take the time to get tested. And yes… this device is covered by insurance.

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wanted to know: can exercise help with migraines? She asked an expert and posted the answer in our Fit Community . Today’s post comes to us from special guest contributor and medical expert Paul Rizzoli , MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School: When you’re prone to migraines you’re forced to think through whether or not something you do will invite a headache into your life. Exercise is definitely one of those things. Should you skip a workout because you feel a migraine coming on? Or is it better to push through in the hopes a little sweat will make you feel better? Most headache specialists recommend exercise and an increase an overall physical activity to their patients. However, to date, there’s skimpy evidence to support the idea that working out actually guards against migraine attacks. A few studies have shown that taking regular exercise can reduce the severity, though not the number of headaches. Keep reading to see what studies say about exercise and migraine relief after the break!

Editor's Note: Rick Morris is one of 7 CNN viewers selected to be part of the Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge program. Each participant receives all of the gear and training necessary to compete in a triathlon, and will finish his or her journey at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in September.  Rick's biggest challenge, he says, is kicking "the cancer stick." Two o'clock in the morning.  A couple bottles of my strong pale ale Belgium style home brew.  Got the '80s rocking on Sirius Radio.  What better time to write about my smoking cessation progress? Perhaps it's a corny way to start a blog, but I don't care.  I'm in the mood for reflecting on the “good ol' days” when I was a non-smoker.   You know, the younger years… the energetic era.  Those were the days when responsibilities were minimal and my poison was nothing more than sweets. Sure, I had to do my homework, mow the grass and clean my room.  But, generally speaking, I didn't have the slightest concern for personal health.  I was cut like a knife – all 126 pounds, a member of the great Pisgah High School wrestling team, and didn't think twice about running 2 miles to the store for a pack of gob-stoppers and various “junk food." I could bench press twice my body weight, run full-court b-ball at the Canton, North Carolina, YMCA all day long, and still have enough energy left to make some football card money by hunting nightcrawlers (worms) until the wee hours in the morning. If you ever wondered where your fishing bait comes from, it arrives via “head-lamp-wearing” teenage fools like me. But for some reason, I ruined my pristine health when I was 29 years old by choosing to “be cool” with my motorcycle friends and lighting up.  I mean, what's one lousy cigarette going to do?  I'm still young.  I have self-control.  I can smoke only when I'm around the biker boys.  Right!  It was only a matter of days before I rationalized buying a pack so I wouldn't have to bum off my friends.  Pretty soon, I was smoking a pack a day. Since 1998, the cigarette has had an iron-clad grip on my soul.  I couldn't eat a meal without “rewarding” myself with a nice after-dinner toke.  I couldn't hang out with the guys, enjoy a football game, or even drive without a smoke. I started thinking about quitting perhaps five years into the habit.  It seemed everywhere I turned, people were telling me how unhealthy smoking had become – as if it wasn't unhealthy in the past and only recently became dangerous! I noticed the social changes, too.  Airlines quit asking if I wanted smoking or non-smoking.  Restaurants, where there were smoking and non-smoking sections, soon became entirely smoke-free.  Prices went from $1 a pack to $5 a pack within a few years.  Even tobacco companies were publishing campaigns on smoking cessation. So, I thought, I'll give it a whirl… I'll stop smoking.  How hard can it be? I started with the patch.  You know, a trans-dermal method for injecting just the nicotine and “not all the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes."  I dealt with the vivid dreams and headaches and was able to stay smoke-free for a couple months. But at the first sign of stress I was back at it.  The trigger?  Nothing more than a friend who lit up in front of me.  “Hey, can I get one of those?” I asked.  That one cigarette was all it took.  Within a week I was back up to a pack a day. Next, I thought I'd try it “cold turkey."  That was a complete waste of time.  I think I made it through 2 days before I wanted to squeeze someone's neck.  It didn't matter to me… wife, son, daughter, friend, pet… any neck would do! How about some tasty nicotine gum?  Sure, if you like freshly-cut rubber from a gum tree with a delightful feet-juice additive, then this is probably the best route a smoker can take towards their smoke-free life.  That idea lasted about two pieces of gum. After another year of feeling like I was breathing through a box of grits, my new quitting scheme became a calculated science.  I opened up Microsoft Word and looked at the calendar for a stop date.  1 month from today.  If I smoke 16 today, and hold myself accountable for those 16 cigarettes, I can smoke 15 tomorrow.  My plan had me outlining what I call the “draw-down." I mean, hey, if I built up my physical dependence on this crap, then I can forgo all the gimmicks of gum and patches and cleanse my body the natural way. This, I rationalized, would reduce my daily dependence and I would be able to call it quits at the end of the month.  So, I created a chart.  Day 1: 16 smokes.  Day 2: 15 smokes.  Day 3: 14 smokes. I calculated the exact time  I would smoke based on the day's allowance, divided by the number of “awake” hours I had in my typical day (for some reason, I had no trouble being smoke-free while I was asleep!).  This actually worked for me.  I would place my initials on one of the allowable spaces each time I had a smoke.  I finally had commitment.  I had viewable control.  I drew down and kicked the habit.  For 4 months.  Then, I relapsed.  I don't recall why, but I did. So, I continued moving right along with my happy self.  Life was good.  I had my tobacco security blanket.  It solved any problems I encountered. But as I neared my 40s, I started noticing subtle changes in my health.  It took longer to fall asleep.  Coughing became a constant nuisance.  My $50 cologne was overshadowed by “Eau De La Forest Fire."  There was never enough flavor in my food.  The term “renewable energy” made me laugh.  And, I found myself becoming lazy. Ten years into my habit, I saw the next big “quit-smoking” tool on late night television.  It was amazing!  An electronic cigarette! This thing gave you the nicotine, produced the “smoke," and even lit up with a glow when you puffed.  I could smoke it anywhere – the restaurant, on an airplane – without repercussion. What a complete waste of money.  While the e-cig addressed my habit of toking, I really didn't find it useful in actually quitting.  Probably the best thing that happened with this approach is my wife accidentally washed it, and I had an excuse to buy a pack of real smokes. So there you have it – five ways I tried, and failed, to kick the cancer stick. But since being chosen as one of the Lucky 7 in the CNN 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge, I've been shown a completely new approach in becoming smoke-free: I've finally admitted that I'm unable to go it alone. My personal trainer, Bill Wilkins, enrolled me in a Freedom from Smoking class at the MedWest Fitness Center in Waynesville, North Carolina.  Today was my second weekly class. Our “teach” and Dr. Sanjay Gupta fan, Kathy, has a sincere approach in seeing us succeed, and has already enlightened me concerning some very interesting smoking facts and alternative methods for cessation.  In two weeks, we are scheduled for our quit day.  For some reason, I'm buying into what Kathy is teaching us and truly expect to succeed this time around. I feel somewhat embarrassed that for the first time in my life I require outside assistance in accomplishing something important. However, I have a confident outlook on this humbling endeavor in becoming smoke-free forever. Unlike my younger years, today I have far greater responsibilities.  People rely on me.  Plus, I'm still young, and I'm not going to allow tobacco to rob me of my prime any longer. Who's with me? Filed under: 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge , Cancer , Rick Morris Tagged: Rick Morris – Fit Nation Participant

Watch "Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Big Hits, Broken Dreams " Sunday, January 29 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET. One day late in the summer of 2010, I was sitting in my backyard with my oldest daughter. We had just finished cutting the lawn when my neighbor and his oldest son stopped by. His son, a football player at one of the powerhouse local high schools, had grown nearly an inch over the summer and weighed more than 200 pounds. He was already in practice for the upcoming season. He asked if I had time to speak to a friend of his who also played football and had suffered a concussion the previous season. They were asking me in my capacity as a neurosurgeon, but also in desperation, as this young man was still having tremendous difficulty nearly a year after his injury. Most of the patients I see in the hospital visit me at the time of their injury, and I hardly ever get to see the longer term impact of a severe concussion on an otherwise healthy young person. What he shared with me was stunning, and also formed the basis of the year long project, "Big Hits, Broken Dreams ." This young, physically robust, handsome man couldn’t remember the details of the hit in a mid-season practice that led to his concussion, but he was able to describe in awful detail how much his life had changed since. Once a nearly 4.0 student, his grades had dropped to “mainly Cs,” he told me. His memory was affected, and even during our discussion I could tell that his ability to retrieve words spontaneously had been impacted. “The headaches are the worst,” he said, and no one had been able to help him. Doctors had recommended everything from hyperbaric therapy to cervical spine surgery, as well as a laundry list of medications. In short, there were no good answers or solutions. “Tincture of time,” was the common refrain he heard, and with post concussive syndrome or PCS – most times that is all medicine can legitimately offer. Near the end of our conversation, the dad in me came out as I asked him: “Do you have any regrets about playing football?” He didn’t hesitate. “Not at all,” he quickly answered. If baseball is our national pastime, then football is our national passion. And, I love football as much as anyone. Over the last year, however, I have learned there are ways to play football more safely, and still have football be… football. There are ways to play football more safely, and still win. Whether it is the mandatory presence of athletic trainers who can diagnose concussions and are empowered to sit a player out, or it is fewer practices with full gear and repeated drills involving hits to the head – there are so many simple things that can be done to preserve the game, and the men who play it. The young man in my backyard was just a teenager, but based on national statistics had been averaging 650 hits to his head every season he had been playing football. Fortunately, none of them led to the most catastrophic outcome of death, usually due to second impact syndrome – a second concussion before the brain had healed from the first. Unfortunately, however, he was neurologically impacted, and there was no end of his misery in sight. I offered as much advice as I could, but also promised to tell the story of players like him, and the latest science to try to reduce these tragic situations. If you are a player, a parent or a participant in the fanfare of football, I hope you get a chance to see "Big Hits, Broken Dreams." Filed under: Brain , Concussion , Dr. Sanjay Gupta , Mental Health , Traumatic brain injury Tagged: Dr. Sanjay Gupta – CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

When eating healthfully, a large focus may be on what not to drink: no sugary juices, sodas, or high-calorie cocktails. But many drinks can actually help you live a healthier lifestyle. We all know that drinking enough water is essential, but find out what other drinks should also be on your OK list below, and remember to enter our healthy living giveaway for a chance to win a $500 Under Armour giftcard ! Coffee: The hot drink is the perfect accompaniment to a cold morning or a drowsy afternoon, but offering you a warm pick me up isn’t its only advantage. Coffee has been proven to help improve memory, increase endurance, and ease muscle pain. The list doesn’t stop there; read more about the health benefits of coffee here . Watch for: The benefits of coffee don’t always outweigh the risks, especially if you drink too much. Drinking too much java can cause you to become anxious or jittery, disrupt your sleep patterns, develop high blood pressure, or endure regular headaches. Stay attuned to caffeine’s affect on your body and in general don’t drink more than 300 milligrams a day (the average cup of coffee contains 100 milligrams of caffeine). Red wine: All those studies about the health benefits of red wine makes me feel that much better about relaxing with a glass of Cab after work. Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which has been proven in studies to be beneficial to your health – everything from fighting cancer to anti-aging, along with other disease-preventing benefits. Watch for: The benefits of wine stop at one glass a day, so don’t go overboard. You may be doing yourself more harm than good, especially since one glass of red wine usually runs around 127 calories . And while scientists have researched resveratrol in many lab studies, there have been few studies in humans (and let’s not forget the recent news that a leading red wine researcher actually falsified data in dozens of studies on heart health and resveratrol). Two more good-for-you drinks after the break!

From your first class to your 100th, Downward Facing Dog is probably the pose you do most often. That’s why it’s important to do the pose correctly; not only to avoid injury, but to also make it as comfortable and effective as possible. Here are four don’ts when it comes to Down Dogging. Tense shoulders: It doesn’t look like it, but this pose is all about upper-body strength. If your arms and shoulders are weak, you might compensate by scrunching your shoulders up to your ears. This is a big no-no, as it can cause neck strain, shoulder pain, and headaches. Be sure to actively draw your shoulder blades down your back, creating space in your neck. If you find your shoulders tensing up, it probably means you need to take a break. Bend your knees and rest in Child’s Pose, and rise back into Down Dog when you’re ready. As you continue your practice, upper-body strength will quickly increase, making it easier to hold Down Dog with correct technique. Keep reading to find out other mistakes you’re making in Downward Dog pose.

Up to the States: The onus is on the states to make the tough decisions about what treatments must be covered by individual and small-group plans under the health-care overhaul law, the WSJ reports . The Obama administration said states would be able to align coverage standards with those of popular federal- and state-employee plans, large plans offered to consumers in small-group plans or the biggest HMO in the state’s market. Some disease-advocacy groups expressed concern that treatment for their particular disease wouldn’t be uniformly covered, the paper says. Gulf War Ailments Funding: Congress has approved $10 million for research into the conditions and ailments affecting veterans of the Persian Gulf War, USA Today reports . Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who supported the funding, tells the paper that about 25% of veterans of that war have developed ailments including chronic headaches, memory and concentration problems and GI problems. Some research suggests that bug sprays, anti nerve-agent pills and sarin gas may have caused health problems, the paper says. No More Testing of Hepatitis C Drug: Pharmasset, which said last month it was selling itself to Gilead for almost $11 billion, announced Friday it had discontinued use of a hepatitis C drug, PSI-938, in a trial due to worries about liver function, the WSJ reports . The compound was not its lead drug candidate for the disease, and Gilead says it is committed to closing the purchase, the paper says. Arrest Stats: Research published in Pediatrics suggests that almost 30% of Americans have been arrested at least once by age 23 for a non-traffic violation, Bloomberg News reports . An author of the study tells BN that risk factors in children for a subsequent arrest include poor concentration, bad relationships with parents, and a history of abuse, neglect or being bullied. Image: iStockphoto

Louisiana health officials are warning residents not to use nonsterilized tap water in neti pots after the deaths of two people who exposed their brains to a deadly amoeba while flushing out their nasal passages. The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, can be found in lakes and ponds as well as in contaminated lukewarm tap water. The organism doesn't pose a threat when ingested, but if it becomes lodged in a person's nose it can end up in the brain and cause an infection. The infection, lethal in 95% of cases, triggers an array of symptoms that resemble those of bacterial meningitis, including vomiting, headaches and sleepiness. As it progresses, it can cause changes in a person’s behavior and lead to confusion and hallucinations. It usually causes death within one to 12 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals issued its warning after a 51-year-old woman in DeSoto Parish died after rinsing her sinuses with a neti pot, a small vessel used to pour warm water into one nostril and out the other. Earlier this year, a 20-year-old man near New Orleans died after contracting the infection in the same way. Health.com: 10 states where rare and exotic diseases lurk "Tap water is safe for drinking, but not for irrigating your nose," said Dr. Raoult Ratard, Louisiana state epidemiologist  in a statement . Ratard urged neti-pot users to fill the pots only with distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water, and to rinse and dry them after each use. Health.com: Nasal washing sounds gross, but it works The infection, known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis, is extremely rare. In the previous decade, just 32 cases have been reported in the United States, according to the CDC. Only one person is known to have survived. Health.com: Is it a cold—or sinus infection? Deaths involving neti pots are even more rare. Most deaths from the amoeba, including three last summer , occur in Southern states during the summer, when people swim in warm freshwater where Naegleria fowleri lurks. Madison Park contributed to this report.  Filed under: Cold and flu , Health.com Tagged: Ray Hainer — Health.com

Colder Winter months can sometimes make you neglect your daily water intake. You might assume you need less water than you do during Summer because you don’t feel parched and aren’t sweating like you do in warmer weather. Not true! Here are three reasons to keep your water cup filled during Winter. Hydrate Despite the Chill You need to drink the same amount of water year round - and maybe even more in the Winter . Even though it feels like you aren’t sweating as much as you do during the Summer, your body still loses a lot of water during the Winter from day-to-day activities like breathing, staying warm, and urinating. Read more on calculating your recommended daily water intake here . Winter activities like skiing, sledding, and even snowball fights can also lead to dehydration. Know the signs of dehydration so you can respond accordingly. If you are experiencing dizziness, headaches, constipation, or dark eye circles, quickly guzzle up some water. H20 Beauty Dry, nippy weather can leave skin cracked and flaky, but water does promote skin circulation and can help plump up your skin. While applying a hydrating moisturizer can help make skin smooth and supple, adequate water consumption is key for flake-free skin. Keep reading for the health reasons to keep water handy in Winter.