June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Fight For Your Mobility

June is Lipedema Awareness Month and I created the Lipedema Triathlon four years ago to help spread awareness and to remind us to keep fighting for our mobility.

Next Saturday (June 29) @srymca is once again hosting us locally, but it is also a virtual race, you can do in your own hometown!

And this year @juzocompression is sponsoring us! We even got official race shirts!

Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080448abad2fa57-lipedema3

#lipedemafitness #srymca #juzocompression #lipedematriathlon #wearestrongertogether #lipedema

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - More than a Diagnosis

An important thing to remember: while we may have been diagnosed with Lipedema, we are so much more than our diagnosis.

The ongoing maintenance of our progressive condition can be overwhelming, so remember to still take time to do the things you love.

I love art, and for a long time I forgot that. I was so immersed in my own self care that I forgot what a wonderful gift making art is.

Make time to do what you love, to spend time with those you live, and to keep on living your life to the fullest.

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Kinesiology Tape

There is currently no cure for Lipedema. It is a progressive condition, and requires lifelong management.

Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) is a key element in the management of Lipedema, and Kinesiology (or Kinesio) Tape is a great tool to assist with that care.

There are many brands on the market, the one shown is Juzo Therapy Tape. It is an elastic, 100% cotton, tape that simulates the elasticity of human muscle. Thank you Juzo!

The theory is that the tape mimics MLD (manual lymphatic drainage), lifting the skin as you move to open up the lymph system. It can also be used to support injuries, muscles and tendons, etc. (professional athletes have been using the tape for years). And it speeds recovery.

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - CBD

I learn new things every day, a fellow Lipedema lady talked about CBD oil and creams, I picked this up off amazon to give it a try. It is Hemp, not CBD, but had great reviews, so here goes. 

I do lots of daily care, vibration, dry brushing, MLD, exercise, and sometimes my ligaments get easily twisted and it can add to my pain, I’m hoping this does the trick.

What do you use for painful swollen Lipedema legs?

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Spread the Word

Saturday WOD in the Park, warmup (3 rounds of 10 each: sit-ups, pushups, pull-ups, squats, Samson stretch, and good mornings) followed by some Frisbee throws and a one mile walk.

Getting ready for the 4th Annual Lipedema Triathlon (June 29) and feeling so supported, not only by my Juzo dynamic graduated compression, but also because Juzo is sponsoring our Lipedema Triathlon! Such a wonderful company, thank you @Juzocompression.

#ILoveCrossFit

#CrossFitSavedMyLife

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Progressive & No Cure

People with Lipedema are constantly managing their symptoms, and it gets overwhelming some days. 

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD), dry brushing, vibration, rebounding, bandaging, compression, supplements, elevation, nutrition, and fitness.

Not to mention the toxins in our bodies, that our compromised lymphatic system cannot effectively eliminate, which causes us to feel run down before we begin to even attempt to manage our condition.

Christine Miserandino wrote a blog post (https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory), where she explains her spoon theory, and it is a great way to explain what it is like to live with Lipedema and other chronic, progressive, and debilitating conditions.

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Rebounding

Staying active is critical to keeping your mobility with Lipedema, and rebounding is one of the best ways to do so.

It is a weight-bearing exercise that is easy on your joints, really gets your lymphatics pumping, improves your balance, and it is loads of fun!

Weight limits vary on each model, so check the specs. I use the one pictured, it is the Rebound-air Ultimate (it folds up, and comes with a case, and an airport dolly). The weight limit for it is 400lbs. I purchased it years ago, when it was the only one I could find with an upper weight limit. 

You can purchase an additional stabilizing bar, which I highly recommend if you are just starting out, or balance is an issue. We set mine up in the basement and my husband installed hand straps in the rafters above me, which also works well, and adds another dimension to your workout.

https://rebound-air.com/

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Stress Triggers

Did you know stress can make your Lipedema worse?

Stress is a huge trigger for me personally; if I can’t get to the pool, or take a walk, I like lavender oil for helping me deal with my stress. 

I recently was reading about some other oils...

https://parade.com/717979/parade/these-3-essential-oils-are-great-for-stress-relief/

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Heavy Legs

The weight of our legs, and all the fluid we carry, can really knock you off balance.

Staying active is a great way to move your lymph, and ease heavy, painful limbs.

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Cellulitis can be Life Threatening

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Consistent Swelling

When I was diagnosed with Lipedema in 2007 it had taken so long to get properly diagnosed that I was at a stage 3, with secondary Lymphedema. 

Spreading awareness is critical; treatments to ease our symptoms are less effective at upper stages. 

For example, I have constant swelling at stage 3. My feet are spared, unlike primary Lymphedema. Lower stages may not have swelling at all.

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Stay Active

Fight back against Lipedema, stay as active as possible, and find fun new ways to do so. 

You not only build physical strength, but by fighting back you build emotional strength, too!

We are stronger together ♥️💪🏻

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Water Fitness

Water fitness (aqua aerobics, aqua jogging or walking) is such a great option for those with Lipedema (and Lymphedema). 

Standing in waist high (or higher) water acts like gradient compression, which is so good for improving our lymphatic and venus functions. 

The buoyancy is easier on painful joints and improves your balance. 

The resistance the water provides is great for muscles, and the resistance works our muscles in pairs, for a more balanced workout. 

The water also cools you down, and eliminates excess heat, which is something to be mindful of with Lipedema/Lymphedema. 

So much good stuff going on in the pool!

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Compression

Graduated compression is part of my daily routine, and 30-40 grade is the level of compression I require. 

I have been wearing Juzo Dynamic knee highs since I was diagnosed, back in 2007. 

Tip: folding down the top of the garment (towards the heel) makes getting them on a lot easier.

June is Lipedema Awareness Month

Help spread the word, so those in need get diagnosed early and treatments like CDT (complete decongestive therapy) can begin.

The longer it takes to get properly diagnosed, the later the stage they will be diagnosed at. It is critical to spread awareness, and get them help sooner!

Hidden in Plain Sight - Healthy Saratoga Article, Summer 2019

I was absolutely thrilled when I reached out to Saratoga TODAY Editor, Chris Vallone Bushee, about the possibility of including something about Lipedema in one of their publications, and she said YES!

It has come full circle! I started this blog in 2013 after trying to get my local paper to print something, and instead of letting it just be a rejection, I decided to post it online myself (here) in the hopes of reaching others who were trying to find answers as to why their legs looked the way they did, and that is how Lipedema Fitness got started.

Writer Megin Potter did a wonderful job, thank you both for helping to spread awareness about Lipedema! Perfect timing for June is Lipedema Awareness Month...

June is Lipedema Awareness Month - Dry Brushing

The longer I have Lipedema the more I realize taking care of my secondary condition of Lymphedema is critical. We need to keep trying ways to move the toxins out of our bodies, dry brushing is a great way to do so.

Lots of videos online, and it can seem too time consuming, one more thing we have to do in our already time consuming self care routine, so if you only have two minutes every couple of days, do your abdomen and groin areas. I really like this video, but there are lots of them out there... 

https://youtu.be/kqKPaG0gAnk

June is Lipedema Awareness Month