Dear Dr. Gott: I have never seen my problem addressed. It is very embarrassing, and I have not discussed it with my primary care physician or gynaecologist.

The problem is that I have a very strong vaginal odour. I shower daily, and, by the time I am going to shower again, the odour is very strong, and it's not pleasant.

I do not douche. I do not have anyone in my life right now for sexual relations (it's been four years), and even when I did, I was always very self-conscious and worried about the offensive odour.

Reply: Unpleasant vaginal odours can reflect many causes, including chronic infection. I advise you to see your gynaecologist, who will examine and test you, then advise you about treatment options.

You should not be embarrassed to discuss this with your physician. I am sure that he or she will be kind, caring and understanding. As physicians, we have to deal with a wide variety of issues and are not often surprised, even by the most intimate problems.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my newly updated Health Report "Vaginal Infections and Disorders''. Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: Sometime, in the dim past, I had read that if one eats two apples a day, one has no need to worry about cholesterol. I would like to know if that is an accepted fact. It sounds very appealing and rather up your alley.

Reply: The proverb "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" was a saying that was taken seriously years ago. Given the public's preoccupation with cholesterol, I'm not surprised the apple therapy has entered the 21st century. Apple therapy is not an accepted fact but it is worth a try, especially since many people do not eat properly. This simple step may go a long way toward improving overall health, if not cholesterol. To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report "Understanding Cholesterol''. Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: I am a 74-year-old woman. Recently, I have been having urine leakage, especially at night. I wonder if there is anything I can take or do that will help with this.

Reply: Although urinary leakage can be caused by muscle weakness, it may reflect a low-grade urinary-tract infection. Ask your doctor to order a urine culture. If the test is positive, your incontinence should respond to a course of antibiotics. If the testing is normal, however, make an appointment with your gynaecologist or a urologist.

Dr. Gott is a retired physician and the author of "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet''. Contact Dr. Gott c/o United Media, 200 Madison Avenue, fourth floor, New York, New York 10016.