Whether you have occasional light leaks or frequent, larger amounts all at one time, wearing the right protection can make all the difference. And the right absorbent product is not just about keeping you dry, but the confidence that comes with knowing you’re protected—no worries!

The good news is, finding the right product to meet your needs is easier than ever. Three questions can help determine your best solution.

What level of protection do you need? The frequency and amount of your leakage determines the absorbency option you’ll need. Consider whether your leakage is light, moderate or heavy and seek out products labeled to match.

Be sure to choose a product that is specifically designed for bladder leakage. Feminine pads are not designed to lock in urine and protect you the same way modern bladder leakage solutions like Depend® brand products.

What activity level reflects your lifestyle? If you’re an active woman, you’ll want a product that protects during any fitness activity and wherever your day takes you. Choose a product that’s both easy to carry and easy to change. If you’re less active, there are convenient solutions that fit your lifestyle, too. Our product selection tool makes it easy to find the right product.

What fit will provide the best comfort level? Men and women have different needs so choose a product made specifically for your female body. Products also come in a variety of sizes to further assure the right fit and comfort.

To help you find the best product for you and your needs, get a customized recommendation with our online product finder. Or order a Depend® Sample Pack and try all our new Depend® Silhouette briefs.

Anyone can feel confident on a good day, but to maintain a positive self-image on a bad day takes practice. Much like strengthening a muscle, keeping your confidence strong requires constant exercise. These five confidence-boosting routines can provide the perfect reinforcement.

Practice self-care. For a healthier dose of confidence, maintain a healthier body inside and out. You know the drill…diet, exercise and a good night’s rest, but sometimes a reminder brings new focus. Exercise is an instant confidence booster and releases feel-good endorphins important to your moods. Watch what you eat by keeping a food diary for a week. Adjust your healthy meal plan where you see gaps or slip-ups. Get plenty of sleep and take in the clean, fresh air of the outdoors whenever you can. All of these healthy lifestyle tips can provide you with a greater sense of accomplishment and a heightened feeling of self-worth.

Try something outside your comfort zone. As you can and on a regular basis, try things you never thought you would. It can be as simple as eating a new food you can’t pronounce or cooking an entirely different cultural meal for dinner guests. Stretch yourself by learning something new, like a foreign language, sign language or salsa dancing. By pushing yourself into unfamiliar territory you’ll build up your inner confidence.

Dress for success. When you’re concerned about bladder leakage, current trends in clothing go a long way to minimize any hint of what’s underneath. Today’s more casual, relaxed fits and styles not only look great, but offer added discretion. Also important--choosing the right protection for your body and your lifestyle.

Wear the right absorbent product. Disposable absorbent products continue to make great strides in helping women maintain the utmost discretion. Depend® products are thinner than ever, yet designed to hold more liquid and neutralize odor. And they’re offered in a greater variety of sizes and shapes to make it easier to find your perfect fit. Wearing the right product can make all the difference in how confident you feel.

Keep a list and give yourself credit. Jot down all your positive traits and, voila!—you’ve got a ready pick-me-up whenever you falter. Try recording your daily accomplishments no matter how small and reward yourself for a job well done. It all adds up to making you feel more self-assured.

We all have good days and bad days. Do things that make you feel good about yourself on a regular basis and watch your self-confidence soar no matter what kind of a day it turns out to be!

Practicing Kegel exercises is a great way to manage bladder leakage. The exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support your bladder and help control urination.

Here are 7 simple secrets to successful results.

1. The sooner you start Kegel exercises, the better. Most people wait so long that it takes the body much more time to get back into condition and back to earlier routines.

2. Think three. Locate your pelvic muscles by pretending to stop the flow of urine. Squeeze and hold those muscles for three seconds, then relax for a count of three and repeat 10 times. That equals one set. Do three sets (a total of 30 exercises) daily.

3. Don’t practice Kegels by actually starting and stopping your urine stream. Doing Kegels with a full bladder or while emptying it may have the opposite effect of weakening your muscles.

4. Try not to contract the muscles in your abdomen (stomach) or gluts (buttocks) as you perform a Kegel. Isolate and squeeze just the inner pelvic floor muscles.

5. Keep breathing. It’s important not to hold your breath when performing Kegels in order to keep the flow of oxygen and blood throughout your body.

6. In addition to practicing Kegels as planned sets, do a Kegel whenever you sneeze, cough, or bend. This will help further strengthen those muscles and minimize bladder leakage.

7. The biggest secret is that no one will know you’re doing them! You can discreetly do Kegels anywhere, anytime without anyone noticing.

It may take as little as just a few weeks to start feeling the benefits of Kegel exercises. After eight to 12 months, there’s a good chance your situation will be improve.

The nest may be emptier, your work schedule might be lighter… and yet, it’s so easy to put things off. Procrastination in your prime is not so uncommon. Sometimes it’s seems easy to put things off until tomorrow when your day-to-day schedule’s a little less structured. In other cases, it’s the thought of a daunting task that can be stifling. There are plenty of reasons why we procrastinate, but tackling procrastination can free your mind of worry, simplify your life or give you a whole new outlook. Here’s some simple ways to just get started:

Write it down. Keep a master “to-do” list easily at hand. Don’t worry about being neat, or what you cross off, or how many times you start over. Just keep a list in a convenient spot that lets your write things down as you think of them and cross them off as you go along. Take some time to prioritize and reprioritize each day.

Make an appointment with your to-do list. Set up a time each day or week to do one thing you’ve been meaning to get done. Put ordinary tasks on the calendar, just like you would a doctor’s appointment, meeting or important social event. Don’t let yourself off the hook for your important date with productivity. Hour by hour, date by date, you’ll “get ‘er done!”

Break it down. Take that one daunting job and break it down into several small, lighter tasks. Clearing out the attic gets more manageable when you take it one corner or one box at a time. Putting that stack of photos into albums starts with one page. Breaking a job into mini-tasks gives you a sense of accomplishment for every smaller task along the way. And as an added bonus, rather than rushing through the big task, you’ve given yourself permission to enjoy and linger as you get one smaller task done.

Remind yourself of the positive outcome. If there’s a task you’ve been avoiding, take a moment to reflect on the positive outcome at the end of the tunnel. A clean, organized closet leads to a streamlined pace in the morning or less searching for misplaced items. Or, one we often hear, taking the time to look into the right solution for bladder leakage protection helps you get that confident feeling back. Now that’s motivation for getting started.

Don’t forget the spoonful of sugar. Finally got that box of clothes off to the thrift store? Made good on your promise to volunteer for that committee you’re on? Reward yourself with a little splurge at the make-up counter, boutique or bakery. You decide the just-rewards for a job well done, but the idea here is to celebrate successes—even the smaller ones.

Does it seem when Old Man Winter is around, so is Mother Nature… in the form of more frequent bathroom visits? There’s a good chance it’s not a coincidence. Many women with bladder control problems report a greater sense of urgency whenever they’re exposed to frigid temperatures.

Several explanations surround the cold weather-bladder leakage connection. One is that people simply don’t sweat as much and rid themselves of body fluids in colder temps. As a result, our bodies eliminate fluid by producing more urine. Another study suggests cold weather irritates bladder muscles creating over-activity.

Whatever the reason, there are some ways to stay prepared and confident, even during the cooler months of winter. Start with these hot tips for cool temps:

•Monitor your fluid intake. You may need to pass up that cup of hot cocoa since it contains caffeine, which can also be a bathroom trigger.

•Keep moving. Activity is a great way to keep your bladder from over-activity. Exercise, even a short, brisk walk will help raise your body temps when it’s cold outside and prevent icy temps from affecting your bladder function.

•The right protection. Get that added feeling of confidence by wearing protective underwear like Depend® for Women Underwear.

Don’t let the colder temps put a chill on doing what you love. Enjoy all the season has to offer with total bladder confidence!

Source: 2005 study by researchers at Whittinghouse Hospital in London. After assessing bladder behavior in nearly 2,000 men and women, they found that cold weather made urgency and incontinence issues worse.

Lengthy meetings, tight deadlines, a long shift. If you’re worried about leakage while on the job or taking frequent bathroom visits due to an overactive bladder, here are six strategic steps you can take to reduce your anxiety and avoid accidents.

Disclose your condition in confidence. Depending on your circumstances and your comfort level, you may wish to explain your frequent bathroom visits to your boss or to the appropriate human resources professional in your workplace. Or you may prefer to keep it private; that’s entirely up to you. If you decide to share, you don’t need to provide any details beyond the simple explanation, “I have a medical problem that requires treatment.”

Use the right product. Modern protection, like Depend® Brand products, are designed specifically to lock in urine and hold more fluid so they're more protective than fem care products. Depend® Brand offers many styles that are designed to fit your needs and lifestyle.

Sit near the exit. When there’s a meeting on your agenda, arrive early and choose a seat nearest the door. That way, should you have to excuse yourself, it will be less conspicuous and less disruptive.

Avoid caffeine and too much water. Reaching for another soft drink or coffee refill while in those long meetings or shifts can become an automatic reflex. Think before you drink. The caffeine in coffee (and in tea) acts as a diuretic, increasing your need to go. Naturally, drinking lots of water will also exacerbate the problem. But so does not drinking enough, so strive for the right balance of just enough liquids.

Practice Kegels throughout the workday. Kegel exercises are a way of managing leaks from stress incontinence and you can do them anywhere, any time. To perform Kegels, contract the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine. Hold the contraction for three seconds and then relax. Do this eight to 10 times, at least three times a week.

All Work and No Worry!
There’s no reason leaks should interfere with your workplace responsibilities and continued success. With the right approach, managing leaks can be all in a good day’s work.

It’s not uncommon for women who experience bladder leakage to feel as though everyone around them knows about their problem. But thanks to advancements in protection, you’re the only one who ever needs to know.

To help you remain self-assured and confident, try dressing for success. With these few tips, you can manage your leakage, still feel attractive, and maintain your desire for discretion.

Give yourself some dressing room. When it comes to daily attire, current trends in clothing go a long way to minimize the appearance of what’s underneath. Today’s more casual, relaxed fits and styles not only look great, but offer added discretion.

Wear the right absorbent product…one specifically designed for bladder control problems. Disposable absorbent products continue to make great strides in helping women maintain the utmost discretion. Products are thinner than ever, yet designed to hold more liquid and neutralize odor. And they’re offered in a greater variety of sizes and shapes to make it easier to find your perfect fit. Depend® for Women Underwear is one example of innovation that works great yet looks like regular underwear.

Explore your product options to find a female-friendly fit and function that works best for your needs. Wearing the right product can make all the difference in managing your bladder leakage and in how confident you feel.

Add a stylish tote or larger shoulder bag as part of your look. In addition to carrying absorbent products, use it to carry your other personal items inside, like sunglasses, a notebook, wallet and keys so it becomes a normal part of your everyday attire. Use your bag to carry a change into a public restroom and carry it out to the wastebasket.

Keep plastic bags for disposal on hand. Include plastic bags in your tote or shoulder bag. The darker blue bags can mask what’s inside when you need to toss out a change in public. You can find poly bags or deodorized disposal bags in most stores or online.

Above all, don’t worry that others take notice of small personal things like tossing out a bag in the restroom. Have confidence in what you’re doing and no one will think twice about your personal care routines.

A Well Put-Together Look
Remember, nothing is more attractive than a woman who is comfortable with her own body, her age and her personal style. Reflect that kind of total confidence and you’ll quickly see the difference it makes!

If someone told you there were simple steps that could minimize bladder leakage, you’d probably give them a try. We’re here to let you know there is such a thing. Success with bladder leakage management can be as simple as making a few small changes to daily behaviors.

Here are five changes you can start today:

Nix the Caffeine. Coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate can all be irritants to your bladder. Because caffeine is also a diuretic, it can cause you to produce more urine and set your bladder into overdrive. Consider eliminating caffeinated beverages and foods, or switch to caffeine-free options. If quitting caffeinated coffee or soda altogether is too challenging, try drinking no more than two cups per day.

Limit Your Alcohol. Beer, wine and liquor are all diuretics that cause the bladder to fill quickly and trigger an urgency to void. Additionally, alcohol impairs the signal between the bladder and the brain, interfering with bladder control and increasing the likelihood of accidents. Limit your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether.

Do Your Kegels. Kegel exercises are small, strategic movements that, when done properly, can strengthen your pelvic-floor muscles in order to maintain or increase bladder control. To perform Kegels, contract the muscles you use to stop the flow of urine. Hold the contraction for three seconds then relax for three seconds. Repeat eight to 10 times. You can do these exercises anytime and anywhere.

Lose a Few Pounds. Carrying around extra pounds can have a negative effect on your bladder health. Being overweight can put pressure on the bladder and nearby muscles, further contributing to bladder leakage. A weight loss of just 5 to 10 percent can improve bladder function.

Keep Drinking Water. Many women with bladder leakage are under the mistaken impression that by reducing fluid intake they can lessen their incontinence. In reality, the opposite can be true. Decreased fluids can lead to dehydration, and in turn to constipation, which can contribute to incontinence. Also, when you drink less water, your urine is more concentrated and may irritate the lining of the urethra and bladder. Drinking plenty of water is an important component to bladder management, so drink at least 50 ounces of water throughout the day.

Keep it simple and keep going strong By making just a few simple changes, you can experience a big difference in your bladder control success and in your everyday enjoyment level.

When it comes to bladder leakage, most women would prefer to try noninvasive treatments before resorting to surgical options. Additionally, many feel they’d rather avoid the need for costly medications.

Fortunately, there are several key lifestyle treatments that can successfully help control leakage, and most don’t cost a dime!

Of course, always consult your physician before starting in on a new health care routine. Here are some that you may want to consider:

Kegel Exercises. Also called pelvic floor muscles exercises, Kegels are the foundational techniques for treating bladder leakage. The exercises isolate and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles to help reduce feelings of urgency, diminish the need to frequently urinate, and can help decrease accidents.

Dietary Changes. Since many foods can irritate the bladder, changing what you eat and drink can have a profound impact on your bladder health. The most common “trigger foods” include coffee, fruit juices and spicy foods. Take time to learn what foods and drinks trigger your leakage and remove them from your diet.

Bladder Retraining. This technique is often used to control overactive bladder or urge incontinence. The retraining technique helps you gradually increase the amount of time between urinations by resisting the first urge to go and waiting until a scheduled time. When successful, the length of time between bathroom trips is increased until the urge can be held off for several hours.

Pelvic Floor Stimulation. Performed by your healthcare provider, stimulation treatment uses a small instrument placed into the vagina that delivers a tiny electrical pulse which exercises the pelvic muscles for you. The treatment helps make your pelvic muscles stronger and more effective at stopping the flow of urine.

Biofeedback. Biofeedback is often recommended by doctors and used with Kegels. A physical therapist uses measuring devices or sensors to help you learn to locate, exercise and control your pelvic muscles.

Combination Therapy. Multiply your efforts and you could experience more success at treating leakage problems. By adopting two or more of the above treatment options (like Kegels combined with dietary changes) you can generate better control than if trying one approach alone.

Write it Down. Bathroom journals are a terrific way to keep track of your incontinence and help give your physician an accurate and thorough picture of your bladder health and individual situation. Download and print a bathroom journal direct from the Depend® website. For best results, print 7 copies and keep track for an entire week.

Success That’s Within Your Control Stress or urge incontinence in women is quite common. Pursuing nonsurgical treatment options can greatly improve your quality of life. Discuss these behavioral and lifestyle approaches with your healthcare provider and develop the treatment plan that’s right for you.

Whether you have occasional light leaks or frequent, larger amounts all at one time, wearing the right protection can make all the difference. And the right absorbent product is not just about keeping you dry, but the confidence that comes with knowing you’re protected—no worries! Fortunately, there are options that have you covered no matter what your leakage incidents.

The good news is, finding the right product to meet your needs is easier than ever. Three levels of questions can help determine your best solution.

What level of protection do you need? The frequency and amount of your leakage determines the absorbency option you’ll need. Consider whether your leakage is light, moderate or heavy and seek out products labeled to match.

Be sure to choose a product that is specifically designed for bladder leakage. Feminine pads are not designed to lock in urine and protect you the same way modern bladder leakage solutions like Depend® brand products.

What activity level reflects your lifestyle? If you’re an active woman, you’ll want a product that protects during any fitness activity and wherever your day takes you. Choose a product that’s both easy to carry and easy to change. If you’re less active, there are convenient solutions that fit your lifestyle, too. Our product selection tool makes it easy to find the right product.

What fit will provide the best comfort level? Men and women have different needs so choose a product made specifically for your female body. Products also come in a variety of sizes to further assure the right fit and comfort.

Style and Protection Just For You Depend® makes a variety of absorbent products. First decide whether you prefer a step-in pant or one that opens at the sides. Then explore your options from there.

Depend® offers four styles for women in two levels of absorbency.

•Depend® for Women Underwear in soft peach has an oval-cut leg openings for a comfortable fit and protection where it’s most needed. Soft, quiet, and breathable, they’re available in both moderate and maximum absorbencies.

•Depend® for Women Underwear in a variety of colors comes in discreet underwear-like packaging. Designed for a woman’s body, the product looks and fits like real underwear offering moderate absorbency and discreet protection.

•Depend® Adjustable Underwear provides maximum absorbency and discreet changing without having to remove your pants and shoes, whether at home or on the go. Perforated sides neatly tear open with four pre-fastened tabs to close securely.

•Depend® Protection with Tabs offer maximum absorbency and is designed with EasyGrip™ tabs for discreet open changing. It also features a wetness indicator line so you know when it’s time to change with additional side leakage protection built in. The side opening make them a great solution for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or IBS like symptoms.

To help you find the best product for you and your needs, get a customized recommendation with our online product finder.

If you want to do something that’s extraordinarily good for your health, consider spending time with your girlfriends, sisters, or other female family members!

The benefits of female bonding go well beyond the emotional enjoyment we get from socializing. Researchers tell us that our women friendships not only make our lives better, they make us physically healthier. Among the health benefits are reduced stress, better coping skills, and a longer life span.

Clearly, social connections are essential to wellbeing. Today’s modern lifestyle, however, puts more demands on our free time, making it harder to schedule that much-needed socializing with the girls. When women get overly busy with family, work, or life, we tend to push our friendships to the back burner. Yet, that’s also when we need our girlfriends the most.

Here are some easy ways to fit more female bonding into your life.

• Commit to a weekly phone date. Spare an hour a week for a regular phone call with a close friend who lives out of state.

• Plan a girls’ getaway. Too busy for weekly catch-ups? Stay connected by getting together for an overnight trip a few times a year.

• Join a ladies’ book club. Participating in a monthly book club is a great way to socialize with other women while reaping the rewards of discovery through literature.

• Get your workout on. Meeting up with the girls to walk, bike or take an aerobics class is a great way to both catch up on the news and those important activity goals. Schedule your next girls’ outing for some yoga time or a long trail hike.

• Make a break for it. When office workloads make it impossible to chat with your favorite female co-workers, make it a point to set aside a quick afternoon break on a regular basis. Even a five-minute catch-up at the coffee station or the bathroom can refuel you.

• Chat online. Social networking sites like Facebook make it easier than ever to connect with acquaintances and share milestones, challenges and family photos. Best of all, you can log on and share anytime, day or night.

Get creative and find ways to stay connected to your network of girlfriends. Take advantage of all the many health benefits friendship offers.

Women who want to actively address their bladder control issues have a unique fitness program developed just for them. It’s called the Total Control® Program and it focuses on fitness from the inside out.

Total Control® was designed by urogynecologists, physical therapists and fitness experts to help women improve their quality of life by improving their pelvic health. Led by certified instructors, the medically based program brings together stability and mobility exercises that are focused on strengthening the three major muscle groups of the pelvic core, often called the “pelvic pyramid.”

Women of all ages, fitness levels and life stages can benefit from the program, which promises improved flexibility and strength, flatter tummies, improved sexual health and better bladder health.

Along with the safe exercises, Total Control® also features a comprehensive educational element to help women alleviate symptoms and find appropriate care. The program includes:

• Anatomy 101. Students learn where critical organs are, how they function, and how they’re supported.
• The Pelvic Pyramid. Clear, simple instructions are given for locating and activating key muscles (transversus abdominis, multifidus, and pelvic floor muscles).
• Treatment Insights. Women receive valuable information on a wide range of care options, from fitness and dietary changes, to behavioral therapy and pharmaceuticals, and discover how to find the right healthcare provider.

Classes are typically taught at local hospitals, clinics and YWCAs throughout the country. The seven-week program meets twice weekly for 60 minutes of exercise followed by 15 minutes of key pelvic health tips, and includes course materials and a workbook. A workout DVD is also available.

For more information about improving pelvic health through the targeted Total Control® exercise program or to find classes, visit www.totalcontrolprogram.com.

Stay Fit
Whether it’s Total Control®, a walking club, yoga, or any number of fitness options, exercise should play an important role in maintaining your bladder health. Keep active and keep confident!

Wellness can mean different things to different people. For some, wellness is all about fitness goals—how fast to run, how strong to become, how far to bike. For others, physical activity alone does not reflect wellness unless it’s balanced by spiritual or emotional health.

In truth, many factors determine the state of our overall wellness. Our environment, social connections, what we eat, and how we spend our time all influence how healthy (or unhealthy) we are. You could say the quality of our wellness depends on the “whole” of our wellbeing.

One thing remains true for every woman: wellness is a conscious choice. Each individual must decide how and what elements to balance in order to achieve her own personal and optimum wellness.

To help you focus on the best wellness elements for your life, the nonprofit National Wellness Institute has identified six dimensions of wellness.* First formulated in 1976 by Dr. Bill Hettler, the six dimensions are interconnected to help create a well-rounded and overall healthier lifestyle.

•Physical Dimension. Exercise and eating well have become synonymous with wellness, and indeed they are vital to good health. The need for regular physical activity and the commitment to make sound nutrition choices are foundational to your wellness path.

•Emotional Dimension. Accepting one’s own feelings as well as the feelings of others is also vital to wellness. Emotional wellness includes the ability to cope with stress, maintain optimism, and develop independence and autonomy while balancing and enjoying satisfying relationships.

•Occupational Dimension. Deep personal satisfaction and enrichment can come from professional pursuits. When you take part in rewarding work that lets you use your unique skills and talents to make a positive contribution, you achieve occupational wellness.

•Social Dimension. Contributing to one’s environment and community are important wellness factors, too. Working to make the world a better, healthier place is reflected in this dimension. So is fostering positive relationships that result in positive health benefits. Recognizing the interdependence between others and nature and striving to live in harmony helps create social wellness.

•Intellectual Dimension. Participating in creative and stimulating mental activities can be just as critical to wellness as taking part in physical activities. Expand your knowledge, challenge your curiosity and tackle problem solving to develop and sustain your intellectual wellness.

•Spiritual Dimension. The search for meaning in life and finding purpose helps to establish a personal value system that can support your spiritual wellness. When you are spiritually well, you maintain inner peacefulness despite life’s disappointments and difficulties. You live each day in a way that is consistent with your values and beliefs while being tolerant of the beliefs of others.

As you aspire to each of the dimensions of wellness, keep this essential principle in mind: Wellness is a process, one that requires lovingly accepting yourself while you’re on the journey! Here’s to your wellness!

*National Wellness Institute.

Color creates strong emotional connections. Its emotive power often works its way into our everyday language: Turning green with envy. Feeling blue. Tickled pink.

The psychological and physiological effects of color have long been studied and applied in a wide range of industries and environments. It’s no coincidence that many restaurants use the color red (it stimulates the appetite) while healthcare facilities are often decorated in soft green colors (it calms and relaxes).

Color can have a profound impact on our emotional states and wellbeing wherever we are—at home, in the workplace, and in a myriad of public spaces. Whether you want to feel happier, calmer, healthier, or more confident, just add color!

Wear it well. From a navy blue “power” suit to the little black dress, color can communicate and command attention. Stylists often suggest wearing the color blue to job interviews or for important presentations as it conveys authority and trustworthiness. Need some excitement? Throw on some red. Want to feel calm? Try green. Looking for a burst of creativity? Wear purple. No need to go head-to-toe with color. Just add a bright scarf to your outfit, or top off your neutral slacks with a bold top. Let your wardrobe be both a reflection of your personality and an expression of your feelings.

Paint your walls. The home improvement trend has exploded in recent years creating an overabundance of interior paint colors, brands, and DIY finishing techniques. There’s no better or easier way to “redecorate” than to simply paint a few walls. Or just pick an accent wall and paint it a standout color.

Try choosing colors based on the mood you want to create and the activities the room supports. Blues and greens are great tranquil colors for bedrooms, and yellows and reds make for warm and welcoming kitchens. But there really are no rules. Choose whatever colors express your own style and taste.

Accent your surroundings. Little touches and dashes of color can breathe new life into any space with minimal effort. Change or add colorful decorative accessories to a room—pillows, throws, lamps, vases, candles, curtains and artwork. Brighten up your office space with colorful file folders, rubber bands, and paper clips. Color your world to create inviting, inspiring spaces.

Step up to the plate. Taste a rainbow of vegetables and fruits at every meal to improve your health. Juicy red strawberries, purple cabbage, yellow squash, orange mangoes, green spinach, white cauliflower—sample the spectrum by adding colorful choices to your table.

Harness the Power of ColorColor constantly influences our wellbeing. Experiment with color choices in all areas of your life to feel happier, healthier and more confident! Check out our new colors right here.

Laughter can play a role in helping women manage a range of physical and emotional challenges including leakage problems. When we maintain a sense of humor we often find it gives us strength in the face of change or difficulties.

So is laughter really the best medicine? At the very least, it just might help. The power of laugher was first explored and documented in the 1960s by Dr. Norman Cousins through his own personal experiment. After being diagnosed with a medical condition, Cousins spent hours watching Marx Brothers’ movies and Candid Camera episodes. Cousins reported that the resulting laughter he experienced allowed for pain-free sleep and eased his overall recovery.

Since then, much more research has been conducted documenting the physical effects of laughter and its positive impact on our health. Here are some of the most powerful ways laughter is good for us.

•Immune booster. We all have stress in our lives. When stress levels increase, our immune system’s ability to respond decreases. Laughter has been shown to boost the immune system and strengthen the body’s disease-fighting defenses to protect you from the damaging effects of stress.

•Brain booster. A good laugh has been shown to increase memory retention and ignite creativity particularly during problem-solving exercises.

•Fitness booster. Laughter stretches abdominal, thoracic and face muscles, sending more oxygen throughout the body. The benefits are similar to a mild workout. By some accounts, laughing for 20 seconds results in a heart rate increase equal to the increase you get from three minutes on a rowing machine or two minutes on a stationary bike. In another study, 10-15 minutes of laughter was shown to burn 50 calories.

•Productivity booster. Hit a mid-afternoon slump? Try laughter instead of coffee. It increases blood flow and the amount of oxygen in your body, thereby raising your energy level.

•Mood booster. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, those feel-good chemicals in the brain that also work as the body’s natural painkiller. Laughing promotes an overall sense of wellbeing while easing anxieties and fear to make you feel more positive.

Managing life’s most stressful moments can be easier with a good sense of humor. Whether it’s calling up good-humored friends for a laugh, watching a comedy, or subscribing to joke-of-the-day, get your giggle on. A happier frame of mind will help you cope with any health matter.