3 NATURAL WAYS TO STOP PESKY LEAKS

THE EASIEST MOVE

Kegel exercises strengthen pelvic floor muscles—and studies show they stop leaks for 86% of women who do them. To do: Squeeze your pelvic muscles (as though you’re trying to hold in urine) for a few seconds as you exhale, then release as you inhale—that’s one rep. Do 15 reps three times a day, trying to hold the contractions a little longer each time, advises Laura Corio, M.D. author of The Change Before the Change. To improve pelvic muscle strength faster than Kegels alone, she suggests performing the exercises using small, weighted vaginal cones (available in drugstores for about $45).

THE BEST HERBAL FIX

The flowering herb Angelica archangelica contains compounds proven to strengthen bladder muscles and inhibit enzymes that trigger spasms to keep leaks at bay. A Scandinavian study found that taking the supplement increased bladder capacity by 300%, plus reduced overnight urges to go by 280%. Try: TerraVita Angelica Root (Walmart.com).

THE KITCHEN CURE

In a surprising study out of Turkey, women who drank 1⁄2 tsp. of baking soda mixed in 1 cup of water twice daily reduced their nighttime bathroom trips by 37% and all-day urgency by 47%. How?

The American diet is very acidic, says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., who explains that this makes urine acidic, which irritates the bladder wall, triggering the urge to go. But this sip makes urine alkaline, so it doesn’t irritate your bladder. Note: If you have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before taking baking soda regularly.