Welcome to Living Well with Lipedema – Surgery Simplified. In this inspiring episode, your host, Michelle Jaqua, shares her personal journey of discovering lipedema and overcoming the overwhelming health challenges it brought into her life. From navigating the struggles of perimenopause to searching for a diagnosis, Michelle faced countless obstacles but never gave up. Her determination led to answers, support, and ultimately, life-changing liposuction surgery that restored her mobility and improved her quality of life. Join us for a heartfelt conversation filled with honesty, resilience, and hope—perfect for anyone facing similar battles. Let’s dive in.

Welcome to Living Well with Lipedema – Surgery Simplified. In this heartfelt episode, your host, Catherine, shares her deeply personal journey with lipedema. From years of misdiagnosis to the challenges of navigating complex surgeries, Catherine opens up about the struggles she faced and the lessons she learned along the way. Hear how she found hope, sought solutions, and turned her experiences into a source of empowerment for others. Whether you’re living with lipedema or supporting someone who is, this episode offers inspiration, practical insights, and a reminder that you’re not alone. Let’s dive in together.

Today, I’m sharing an inspiring excerpt from our 2019 Lipedema & Keto Worldwide Summit featuring Jason Quinn, a Zen Health Coach.

In this interview, Jason discusses the importance of tracking your progress, connecting with your body, and understanding the deeper reasons behind your health goals.

In today's episode, we'll dive into a groundbreaking study by Dr. Arin Greene and Christopher Sudduth, titled Lower Extremity Lymphatic Function Predicted by Body Mass Index: A Lymphoscintigraphic Study of Obesity and Lipedema, published in the International Journal of Obesity in September 2020. The research highlights the importance of distinguishing between lymphedema, obesity, and lipedema to improve diagnosis and treatment. The authors found that BMI, through lymphoscintigraphy, can predict the risk of lymphedema in patients with obesity and lipedema, providing valuable insights for medical providers in tailoring treatment plans.

In this episode, we discuss a study from Turkey titled The Effects of Complete Decongestive Therapy, Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Therapy, or Exercise Only in the Treatment of Severe Lipedema: A Randomized Controlled Trial, published in Lymphatic Research and Biology in December 2020. The researchers explored the effectiveness of different interventions for women with later-stage lipedema. The study suggests that exercise plays a crucial role in treating stage 3-4 lipedema and that combining it with manual lymph drainage and compression bandaging can lead to more optimal outcomes.

In this episode, we explore the research conducted by Philipp Kruppa and colleagues from Germany, titled Lipedema Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options, published in Deutsches Ärzteblatt International in May 2020. The study highlights the chronic nature of lipedema, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and depression. The research emphasizes how appearance-related distress and depression significantly impact the quality of life for those with lipedema. This work is crucial for understanding the full scope of how lipedema affects women’s lives and underscores the need to combat weight bias in healthcare and society.

Today, I’d like to share insights from a study written by researchers in Chile, and published in the Journal of Aesthetic Nursing in March 2024.

This research aims to investigate the effects of shock waves and deep oscillation on symptoms of lipedema.

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In this episode, we discuss a study conducted by physicians in São Paulo, Brazil, titled Development of a Questionnaire and Screening Model for Lipedema, published in the Jornal Vascular Brasileiro in December 2020. The study details the creation of a highly accurate screening tool designed to predict a lipedema diagnosis, either through individual questions or the total score. With a 91% accuracy for the total score and up to 86% accuracy for individual questions, this tool is poised to assist medical providers worldwide, especially those uncertain about diagnosing lipedema.

This episode is an excerpt from my presentation at the Ketogenic Solutions for Lymphatic/Fat Disorders Virtual Symposium held on November 7-8, 2020. We delve into the theory that ancestral Lipedema women played a foundational role as the Mothers of our Species.

Today, I have an excerpt from a presentation by Dr. Georgia Ede at Lipedema Simplified’s April 2024 Heart to Heart virtual event: Keto and Beyond: Customizing Your Plan to Joyful Nutrition.

Dr. Ede is a Harvard-trained, board-certified psychiatrist specializing in nutritional and metabolic psychiatry. Her passion is empowering people with psychiatric conditions to reduce or eliminate the need for medications by changing how they eat.

In this excerpt, Dr. Ede talks about the science of hope and how your diet influences not only your physical health but also your mental health.

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Published in the Obesity Journal in 2019, the study titled "Dilated Blood and Lymphatic Microvessels, Angiogenesis, Increased Macrophages, and Adipocyte Hypertrophy in Lipedema Thigh Skin and Fat Tissue" by Sara AL-Ghadban and colleagues aimed to uncover the differences in lipedema fat. The findings suggest that, while there are similarities between obese fat and lipedema fat, there are significant differences that make lipedema fat unique. As research on lipedema advances, we gain better tools for diagnosing, treating, and potentially preventing this condition.

Today, I have an excerpt from a presentation by Peter Ballerstedt at Lipedema Simplified’s April 2024 Heart to Heart virtual event: Keto and Beyond: Customizing Your Plan to Joyful Nutrition.

Peter is an expert in, as well as an advocate for, ruminant animal agriculture and the essential role of animal-sourced foods in the human diet. In this excerpt, Peter talks about why livestock agriculture is important to human as well as planetary health.

He also distinguishes between the benefits of a diet composed of animal-sourced foods vs. a plant-based diet.

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Today, we discuss research conducted by Dr. Gabriele Faerber, published in 2018 in Germany. Dr. Faerber concluded that many complaints associated with lipedema are linked to abdominal obesity and that a ketogenic diet can mitigate these factors. She believes that the impressive results are not just due to weight loss but also the reduction of swelling and inflammation achieved with a ketogenic diet.

In this episode, Rosey dives into the concept of famine response, explaining how to identify the signs that your body is entering starvation mode and how adopting a keto way of eating can support you during this process.

Today, I have an excerpt from a presentation by Carrie Reedy at Lipedema Simplified’s April 2024 Heart to Heart virtual event: Keto and Beyond: Customizing Your Plan to Joyful Nutrition.

Carrie is a medical nutritionist from Australia and a certified keto coach.

In this excerpt, Carrie talks about the social challenges that may be associated with your chosen eating plan.

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Today, I’d like to share research conducted at Tulane University in Louisiana, USA, titled "Increase in Leptin and PPAR-γ Gene Expression in Lipedema Adipocytes Differentiated in vitro from Adipose-Derived Stem Cells," published in the journal Cells in February 2020.

The researchers aimed "to characterize the adipose-derived stem cells of healthy and lipedema patients." They found a significant difference between lipedema stem cells and those from healthy controls. Specifically, lipedema stem cells are more prone to produce fat cells that proliferate and exhibit increased inflammation.

Today, I have an excerpt from a presentation by Siobhan Huggins at Lipedema Simplified’s April 2024 Heart to Heart virtual event: Keto and Beyond: Customizing Your Plan to Joyful Nutrition.

Siobhan is a Research Specialist with the Lipedema Project and has been using ketogenic nutrition to manage her lipedema for several years.

In this excerpt, Siobhan Huggins talks about the impact of keto on lipedema symptoms and the 4 pillars of loving your food.

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Today, we explore research conducted by Daniel Gould and colleagues at USC, which aimed to characterize lymphatic flow in individuals with lipedema. The study involved 19 lipedema patients being evaluated for surgical intervention, who underwent lymphoscintigraphy of the legs.

The findings revealed that 63.2% of the participants exhibited pathological lymphatic transport. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between the severity of lipedema and impaired lymphatic transport, suggesting a potential link between the two conditions.

The authors recommend that women with lipedema should be screened for lymphatic impairment leading to edema to determine if they might benefit from lymphatic surgery. This study aligns with several others in recent years, indicating that edema is a common characteristic of lipedema.

- Today, I’m sharing an excerpt from a presentation by Dr. Matthew Carmody at our Heart 2 Heart virtual event held from March 31 to April 2, 2023.

- Dr. Carmody, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, recently retired from his practice in Internal Medicine to focus on lipedema and obesity medicine.

- In this segment, Dr. Carmody discusses the valuable insights patients bring in discovering and implementing strategies to improve their lives.

- He emphasizes the power of community collaboration in enhancing the well-being of both individuals and the broader community.

Pain with Lipedema: A Closer Look is a study by Schmeller and Meier-Vollrath, published in 2008 in Germany. The authors highlight that most existing pain scales fail to accurately quantify the pain experienced by women with lipedema. They emphasize the importance of using effective pain measurement tools both before and after therapy to gain a better understanding of each individual's condition.

- Today, I’m sharing an excerpt from a presentation by Dave Feldman at our Heart 2 Heart virtual event held from March 31 to April 2, 2023.

- Dave, a business developer and software engineer, began extensive research and self-testing on cholesterol after his levels increased on a low-carb, high-fat diet.

- Observing similarities between the lipid system and software networks, Dave started experimenting with himself to test this hypothesis.

- In this clip, Dave discusses the vital role of citizen scientists and the value of self-experimentation.

- He emphasizes that we can all contribute to the growing body of knowledge about lipedema through our own scientific efforts.

- An article titled “New Insights on Lipedema: The Enigmatic Disease of the Peripheral Fat” was published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in December 2019 by a team of surgeons from Switzerland and Germany.

- This study evaluated the experiences of over 200 women with stage 2 lipedema before and after undergoing liposuction.

- The survey highlights that women with lipedema often face long delays in diagnosis and treatment, frequently suffer from low thyroid function, and endure depression and pain, significantly impacting their quality of life.

- On a positive note, the women in this study generally experienced good outcomes from their liposuction surgeries.

- If you are considering surgery, it’s crucial to discuss the risks and benefits thoroughly with your surgeon and loved ones.

- Today, I’m sharing an excerpt from a presentation by Jane Wigg at our Heart 2 Heart virtual event held in October 2022.

- Jane Wigg, a nurse consultant from the UK, has over 25 years of experience in the field of lymphatics.

- In this clip, she discusses various treatment options for lipedema and emphasizes the importance of tailoring treatments to each individual’s needs.

- Today, we’re highlighting research led by Wang and colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, published in July 2019.

- The study, titled “A PRDM16-Driven Metabolic Signal from Adipocytes Regulates Precursor Cell Fat,” reveals that ketones can reduce fibrosis in fat.

- This finding is significant for women with lipedema, especially in its later stages, as they often experience firm and fibrotic tissue. It provides further evidence of the benefits of the ketogenic diet in managing lipedema.

Today, I have an excerpt from a presentation by Lizabeth Gottsegen, at Lipedema Simplified’s October 2023 Heart to Heart virtual event.  Lizbeth is a massage therapist, certified lymphedema therapist, and aquatic therapist with a private practice in New York City called Real Swell Private Practice. In this excerpt, Lizabeth talks about why water is one of the best places for exercise, healing and rejuvenation.

- In this episode, we dive into an engaging excerpt from a presentation by Dr. Stanley Rockson, the esteemed Allan and Tina Neill Professor of Lymphatic Research and Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

- Dr. Rockson, who also serves as the Chief of Consultative Cardiology and Director of the Stanford Center for Lymphatic and Venous Disorders, brings decades of expertise and dedication to the field of lymphatic disorders.

- In this segment from his talk at the Heart 2 Heart virtual event in October 2022, Dr. Rockson explores the promising developments and future directions in the field of lipedema.

- A review article titled “Lipedema—An Update” by Professor Wollina from the Academic Teaching Hospital Dresden in Germany was published in Dermatologic Therapy in 2019.

- In this article, he explores the latest developments in understanding and treating lipedema.

- Dr. Wollina emphasizes the need for further research to enhance our knowledge and awareness of lipedema.

- This increased understanding will aid in early diagnosis, leading to improved treatment outcomes.

Today, I’m sharing an excerpt from a presentation by Dr. Sachin Patel at our Heart 2 Heart virtual event held in October 2022.

Dr. Patel, a Doctor of Chiropractic and Certified Functional Medicine Provider, is also a functional medicine practice success coach, international speaker, and author.

In this segment, Dr. Patel discusses the diaphragm, referring to it as the "master lymph pump," and explains the importance of exercising the diaphragm.

He will also guide us through a breathing exercise to strengthen this vital muscle.

- Today, I’m sharing an insightful excerpt from a presentation by Gail Straker at our Ketogenic Revolution for Lipedema & Lymphedema virtual symposium held in April 2022.

- Gail, the Community Manager and Director of Coaching for Lipedema Simplified delves into the numerous benefits she’s experienced through a combined approach of keto and fasting.

- Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch Gail live every Tuesday.

- Watch Gail on YouTube

Welcome to today's episode where we explore groundbreaking research led by Melissa Garcia-Caballero and her team in Belgium, published in 2019. Their study highlights how elevating ketone bodies in the lymph, either through a ketogenic diet or supplementation, can promote lymph vessel formation and facilitate fluid drainage. This research holds significant promise for women with lipedema, who often experience swelling, particularly in their lower legs. Join us as we discuss how adopting a diet that induces ketone production, like a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, may support increased lymph vessel formation and potentially alleviate swelling in individuals with lipedema.

Welcome to today's episode featuring excerpts from a Fireside Chat held within the Lipedema Simplified TRIBE in December 2022. Our discussion focuses on central lymphatic dysfunction, specifically addressing challenges within the trunk lymphatics. Join us as Kelly Bell shares his personal journey and insights into this condition, followed by Blanche Pepitone's experiences with central lymphatic dysfunction. Siobhan Huggins wraps up with a summary of our conversation, highlighting key issues and perspectives discussed.

Welcome to today's episode where we explore groundbreaking research conducted by Rischelle Crescenzi and colleagues at Vanderbilt University. Their study investigates the accumulation of sodium in the skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue of women with lipedema. Join us as we delve into how tissue sodium levels could potentially distinguish lipedema from obesity, and how reducing inflammation might normalize these levels.

Welcome to today's episode, featuring an excerpt from Dr. Emily Iker's presentation at our Heart 2 Heart virtual event in October 2022. Dr. Iker, a distinguished physician specializing in lymphology based in Santa Monica, California, shares invaluable insights into the symptoms of lipedema and her innovative use of ultrasound to examine subcutaneous fat tissue. Join us as she discusses the critical role of fascia and its potential impairment in lipedema.

Welcome to today's podcast episode where we delve into an intriguing article titled 'The Lymphatic Vasculature in the 21st Century: Novel Functional Roles in Homeostasis and Disease,' authored by Guillermo Oliver and Natasha Harvey, and published in July 2020 by Cell Press. Join me as we explore how lymphatics are reshaping our understanding of health and disease management in contemporary times.

In this episode, we present excerpts from a Fireside Chat held in the Lipedema Simplified TRIBE in December 2022. Several TRIBE members and Siobhan Huggins, share their personal experiences and practical tips for traveling with lipedema and lymphedema. These insights offer valuable advice for managing travel while dealing with these conditions.

Today, we highlight one of the physical approaches in managing lipedema: complete decongestive therapy.

This therapy combines several proven techniques, including manual lymphatic drainage massage, bandaging or wrapping, compression therapy, exercise, and skincare. When applied correctly, these methods can lead to remarkable success.

In this episode, we share an excerpt from a presentation by Gail Straker at our Ketogenic Revolution for Lipedema & Lymphedema virtual symposium in April 2022. Gail, the Community Manager and Director of Coaching for Lipedema Simplified, discusses her approach to fasting. She explains the concept of "slowing down to fast" and shares how she began a regular fasting program to better manage her eating habits and alleviate her lipedema symptoms.

This episode discusses an article titled “The MMP14–caveolin axis and its potential relevance for lipoedema,” published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology in August 2020 by research groups in Germany and Texas. The study aims to uncover the root cause of lipedema and suggests a potential mechanism involving the dysregulation of the CAV1 protein and the MMP14 enzyme. This research provides insights into how these molecular players may explain the primary features of lipedema.

In this episode, we feature an excerpt from a presentation by Dr. Stanley Rockson at our Heart 2 Heart virtual event in October 2022. Dr. Rockson, the Allan and Tina Neill Professor of Lymphatic Research and Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, also serves as Chief of Consultative Cardiology and Director of the Stanford Center for Lymphatic and Venous Disorders. With a career dedicated to researching and treating lymphatic disorders, Dr. Rockson discusses several paradoxes observed in the study of lipedema in this enlightening segment.

In this discussion, we delve into a paper by Anne Williams published in 2019. Williams reviewed 10 studies from 2006 to 2019 to evaluate the outcomes of liposuction for women with lipedema and Dercum’s disease. She notes that while liposuction is not a cure and may not be suitable for everyone, it is frequently considered when symptoms become severe. However, she emphasizes that there is still insufficient evidence to establish clear criteria for determining who is an ideal candidate for this treatment.

In this episode, we present an excerpt from Dr. Stefan Rapprich's presentation at the Heart 2 Heart virtual event held in October 2022. Dr. Rapprich is a renowned dermatologic surgeon, dermatologist, and phlebologist in Germany, with extensive experience in treating lipedema patients through liposuction. In this segment, he provides an in-depth look at the symptoms of lipedema and discusses how liposuction can be integrated into a holistic treatment approach.

• Today I’d like to tell you about an open-access paper titled, Proposed Framework for Research Case Definitions of Lipedema
• It was published in Lymphatic Research and Biology Volume 22, Number 2 in March 2024.
• This work aims to describe the clinical, instrumental, and blood test results of a large population of women affected by lipedema in the lower body.
• In this episode, we explore the importance of a research case definition for lipedema, highlighting how it helps accurately identify study participants and control group members to enhance research validity.
• Click on the link to read the paper https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/lrb.2023.0062

In this episode, Dr. Catherine Seo encourages you to find reasons to persevere, no matter the struggles you experience from having lipedema.

- In this excerpt, Jackie Eberstein discusses weight loss, emphasizing that it's not just about losing pounds but also about losing fat and fluid.

- She highlights the importance of achieving your size goal over focusing solely on weight.

- The first article, titled “Liposuction is an Effective Treatment for Lipedema – Results of a Study with 25 Patients,” was published in the *Journal of the German Society of Dermatology* in 2010 by a group of surgeons in Germany.

- Their objective in developing and using this questionnaire was to objectively quantify lipedema symptoms before and after liposuction surgery.

- The second article, titled “Translation, Cultural Adaptation, and Validation of the Lipedema Symptomatic Assessment Questionnaire,” was published in the *Brazilian Vascular Journal* in August 2020 by a group of clinicians in Brazil.

- This study aimed to discover the root cause of lipedema and may have identified a potential mechanism.

- Both articles suggest that this questionnaire is easy and fast to use and valuable for understanding and quantifying the severity of symptoms and their changes in response to various treatments.

- Today, Mende Staggs shares her four essential rules for starting a ketogenic eating plan and discusses how to measure your success.

- Mende began her keto journey in August 2016, inspired by the first Keto for Lipedema webinar.

- After a lifetime of unsuccessful dieting and a recent lipedema diagnosis, she was initially skeptical about dietary changes but was delighted to see positive results.

- Mende lives on a small farm in rural southwest Missouri.

- She owns a bakery and catering business and enjoys sharing her keto journey and helping others succeed in theirs.

Today, I’m sharing a powerful moment from our 2017 Lipedema & Keto Worldwide Summit, featuring Betty Copping.

In this excerpt, Betty opens up about her lipedema diagnosis and her struggles with weight loss despite countless diets. Determined to find a solution, she decided to explore the ketogenic lifestyle.

In this episode, we explore the essential role of sodium in balancing minerals and maintaining magnesium levels, as well as its ability to fight infections throughout the body.

This episode talks about an article titled “Lipedema in Patients after Bariatric Surgery” was published in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases in 2016.

This is a case study report from several surgeons at hospitals in New York, including John Bast, Leaque Ahmed, and Ryan Engdahl.

The authors report on two women who underwent weight-loss surgery.

This article is important for women with lipedema because it demonstrates that bariatric surgery outcomes may not meet expectations.

This episode talks about an article titled “Aldo-Keto Reductase 1C1 (AKR1C1) as the First Mutated Gene in a Family with Nonsyndromic Primary Lipedema” which was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in August 2020 by a group of researchers in Italy.

This study analyzed the genetic profile of three women with lipedema from the same family.