Hello, doll! As you’re reading this, you’re probably shifting back and forth between Internet Explorer and iTunes as you queue up another power hour for you and the girls, as you get ready for this blessed day of most outlandish makeup and dress, Halloween. Anything goes tonight, so remember to take chances, make mistakes, and look really, really hot doing so.

However, tomorrow morning, reality will set in. It breaks my heart, but you will discover you are not actually Lady Gaga, and you do have a term paper due on Friday. And you probably will have a hangover. I don’t think I can help you with the first two crises, but I do have a comprehensive guide to putting that hangover to bed.

Do your morning-after woes make you curse the day you were born? Never fear, there’s a recipe for that, and it’s simple enough not to compound that throbbing headache. Whip up these recipes tonight before going out. Your aching body will thank you tomorrow.

Got a searing headache?
You’re probably dehydrated. All those shots and Four Lokos have a diuretic effect on the body, meaning you lose water. So think like an athlete and grab some electrolyte-replenishing sports drinks to clear up that fog!

The remedy: Buy a bottle of Gatorade and pour it into an ice cube tray. You can place popsicle sticks in the cubes for a treat in the morning (especially nice just to suck on if you’re feeling nauseous too), or use the cubes to make a slushie. Pour them into a blender with some fresh fruit (I like pineapple), and churn away!

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Got a health question? Don’t trust those “Doctors” at the University Health Center? Are you scared of Web M.D. because it always tells you you’re gonna die? Ask a real doctor, like our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin. She’s here every Thursday to answer whatever you throw at her – like how to deal with HPV – so ask away. Leave your question in the comments or send it over to us. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I just started having sex and all of my friends tell me I have to pee after. They say that if I don’t pee I can get a UTI. The problem is that I never have to go. I try every time – I run to the bathroom and sit there but nothing ever happens. Is that bad? Do you HAVE to go after? Is there something wrong with me that I can’t go?

A: Your friends are giving you good advice. In general, it’s a good idea to pee after sex. Sex can introduce bacteria where it shouldn’t be, up inside the normally sterile urethra (the tube from the bladder to the outside world). Urinating flushes out an bacteria that may be lurking near the opening to the urethra, just dying to crawl inside and wreak havoc with a urinary tract infection (UTI). Read More »

I hate you, Jack Daniel.

Got a health question? Don’t trust those “Doctors” at the University Health Center? Are you scared of Web M.D. because it always tells you you’re gonna die? Ask a real doctor, our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin. She’s here every Thursday to answer whatever you throw at her – yes, even that – so ask away. Leave your question in the comments or send it over to us. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I don’t know if you’ll know this but I was wondering if you had any advice for curing a hangover? I always feel super crappy for days after a long night out and I don’t know what I can do to feel better. I drink a lot of water and try to get a lot of sleep but nothing helps!

You know bodies – do you have any ideas?

A: Oh, I hear you. We’ve all been there. Unfortunately, there is no magic home remedy (although I can tell you that hungover medical students have been known to hook themselves up to bags of IV fluid, which I’ve been told works wonders!).  To some degree, a hangover is just par for the course – one of those lessons the Universe likes to teach us to keep us out of trouble. But assuming the deed is done, what can you do to minimize your suffering? Here are a few tips: Read More »

So you went out hoping to have a wild night of drunken fun with your friends. And you totally did. And then you woke up the next morning. And felt like you were going to die. Yep, we’ve all been there: the lovely hangover.

Nausea, headache, stomachache, you name it. Your day is wasted because you just don’t want to can’t move. Without wanting to vomit. Sitting in your bed all day just seems like the best option. Well, that and eating a big, delicious stack of pancakes. And a bagel. And some pizza you found on your floor.

But what if you have to be somewhere? What are you supposed to do about it? Let’s settle this debate between what really cures a hangover, and what is just making you fat. Read More »

Anyone else still hung over from New Years? (Try a little yoga!) If you’re lucky, you’re probably still cuddled up on the couch with leftover pizza. But if you are in the unfortunate bunch that has to pull yourself out of bed and function in the land of the living, here are the beauty steps you need to look a little less “morning after all-you-can-drink,” and a little more “I’m lookin’ damn good in 2009.”

Ole Henriksen Blue Blackberry Enzyme Mask – sephora.com $32

So your whole body is dehydrated (hence that pounding headache) but while you are rehydrating with vitamin water don’t forget to replenish your skin too! This mask has loads of antioxidants from blueberries and blackberries. Bonus feature – this mask is gentle enough to use under the eyes, where you need it most!

Clinique All About Eyes – clinique.com $28.50

New year’s was a blast but now your eyes look like you are a reject from the Thriller video. Clinque helps you out with this fantastic eye gel. Not only does it depuff but also gets circulation going which means it brings a little light to those dark circles. Read More »

I wish I could say that my sobriety hasn’t made any difference at all in my productivity-but that would be a lie. And it’s a lot harder to lie when I’m sober.

I can’t even believe how much I have been getting done since taking a break from drinking. From my music to my work to running an extra mile every day…I just have so much more energy. Of course this is for a lot of reasons. Alcohol drains your body, yes, but it also makes for poor sleeping patterns. Usually, after a night of drinking, I wake up at least twice in the night to get water since I’m so dehydrated from the alcohol. And, of course, it’s a lot harder to get things done in the morning when I’m just trying to focus on anything other than my hang over.

So yesterday was another testament to my ability to get crap done when I actually have both hands free because I’m not wasting one of them on clasping a beverage. I got a lot of work done in the morning. Then I went running and felt strong through the whole work out. I had practice with a guitarist, made an amazing bacon/pepperoni/jalapeno pizza. Then I worked through the night-on both writing and music-and didn’t lose my energy until around 4 am. It amazed me, to be honest. Read More »