Should I take a month off drinking alcohol?

Sober October is over – but was it worth it? Yes. Studies confirm that abstaining from booze for four weeks lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, improves sleep and concentration and helps you lose weight

How much alcohol is safe for pregnant women? US pediatricians say none

Author of survey to be published Monday says there is no ‘safe’ amount of alcohol for expectant mothers, but advice comes amid widespread uncertainty

Is it wrong to drink alcohol while pregnant? Even the experts disagree

Though it is generally agreed binge-drinking poses significant risks to a foetus, authorities are split on the effect of moderate alcohol intake after 12 weeks

Bathtub booze and knock-off whisky: inside China’s fake alcohol industry

Drinkers are unwittingly knocking back fake alcohol brewed in bathtubs, which could lead to potentially serious health issues

Is it time to hit the booze before NHS cuts really kick in? – cartoon

Even drinking very small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer

Don’t be embarrassed to talk about vaginas with your doctor

Young women are in danger of not getting proper medical advice because they’re too shy to have a frank conversation. Plus, a landmark for women in US military history, praise for ‘female Viagra’ and some surprising airport drinking statistics

Being teetotal is intoxicating: giving up alcohol gave me back my life

Four years after my last alcoholic drink I’m no longer the loud party animal, but without regrets and blackouts I like myself much better

Get a tip from a barmaid: pub staff could be used to spread public health message

Royal Society for Public Health report suggests using cleaners, hairdressers and postal workers and venues such as pubs to help reach people doctors do not see

Why is my hangover so bad?

It’s not just the booze giving you a hangover – it’s the microbes in your stomach

Employers pledge support to improve workers’ health

Businesses are starting to recognise their public health role, with almost 400 signing up to a Department of Health ‘responsibility deal’

Should I let my children try alcohol?

Do sips of wine with dinner at an early age promote responsible, low-risk drinking – or just give teens a taste for booze?

My mother, the alcoholic: living with foetal alcohol syndrome

Should heavy drinking in pregnancy be a crime? A recent test case in the UK was thrown out, but in the US hundreds of women have been imprisoned. We meet women and children affected by foetal alcohol syndrome

The only people who need to fear an affirmative consent standard for rape are rapists

Prevailing polices that permit silence or nonresistance to be construed as consent contort the very concept of sexual assault beyond recognition

Two for breakfast: what to eat the morning after Valentine’s day

Whether you’re recovering from a big night out, or a romantic meal for two, impress your hungover lover with a romantic and tasty breakfast

Modern tribes: the January non-drinker

Catherine Bennett: ‘It seems a bit selfish to guilt-trip everyone else, so I’m carrying those days over into February, or March, if necessary, or April, if need be’