Dear Alice,

I am seeing a guy I love and we are both thinking of consummating our relationship soon. We are both adults and this will be the first time for both of us. This is great, but also a bit scary in terms of the necessary protection.

How can having multiple sex partners be a risk factor for cervical cancer? What is the difference between having sex with one man one thousand times and sex with one thousand men (not that I'm planning to!) one time?

I was hoping you could answer a question for me about birth control pills. There is a history of breast cancer in my family (my mother). Is it true that because of this, it is unsafe for me to use birth control pills? A few friends have recently had condoms break during sex, and I am looking for a type of "backup" contraception system.

I have been a Type II diabetic for several years. I am now told I am beginning to show kidney insufficiency — is there a diet, or can you tell me where to find diet information of foods that a diabetic can use that are lower in protein and/or a renal diet?

I relocated to a new area within the past six months. Since then, I have been experiencing congestion in the morning and pressure in my sinus area, such as stuffed nose and difficulty breathing, at night when I lay on my back and in the morning. Although I do not have a cold, I seem to always have a small amount of drainage on a daily basis. Within the past week, I am sneezing quite a bit in the mornings and at night, my eyes are so itchy I can't help but rub them to a nice shade of red. I have never had allergies before, just for your info. Thanks for any tips.