Could you suggest natural ways of reducing cholesterol levels?

A healthy liver makes all the cholesterol the body needs, and breaks down any excess. LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or 'bad cholesterol', gets deposited in the artery walls, whereas HDL (high-density lipoprotein), 'good cholesterol', helps clear the arteries. Meat and dairy products, fried food, salt, smoking and prolonged stress all raise LDL levels. Soluble fibre - oat bran, linseeds, hemp seeds, psyllium husks, fresh vegetables and fruit (especially that with pectin, such as apples) will lower LDL levels. Antioxidants are important, too - that is, vitamins A, C, E, selenium and betacarotene. Vitamins B3, B6, B12, folic acid and the vitamin-like substance coenzyme Q10 can also reduce plaque formation in the arteries. Frequent exercise regulates cholesterol, too: qigong and yoga are excellent.

I have had large, unsightly warts on my fingers, toes and clustered on one knee for more than five years. I have tried every over-the-counter and GP treatment, but they persist.

The publication What Doctors Don't Tell You this year reviewed the best alternative treatments for warts. One remedy is high-dose zinc supplements - 600mg of oral zinc sulphate (equal to 135mg elemental zinc) daily clears 90% of warts (British Journal of Dermatology, 2002). Rubbing the wart with half a clove of garlic and covering with a plaster daily was 100% successful in a small trial using children. A small square of strong sticky tape placed over the wart, and changed every few days, was shown to work in 85% of cases. Zinc, garlic and tape treatments each take about two months.

· Emma Mitchell is a natural health therapist. Before following Emma's recommendations, you should consult your GP about any medical problems or special health conditions.

Send your questions to Wellbeing, Guardian Weekend, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER. Email: ask.emma@theguardian.com.