A film about Lipoedema ….

This video is a must watch to understand Lipoedema. Created in Australia by the LASS group it was sent to me this morning by a friend, with the following information..

“For this film I have teamed up with Dietlind Wagner, a graphic designer & puppeteer and my daughter Tilly, a playwright in London. We thought the neutral medium of puppetry would be ideal to highlight this little-known condition which can make the lives of many women who suffer from it miserable. Lipoedema, is a condition where abnormal fatty deposits accumulate around the hips and legs but not the feet. Sometimes known as “painful fat syndrome,” women who have lipoedema often believe they are simply over-weight but find that no amount of exercise or diet reduces the fatty deposits. Their legs and thighs are out of proportion with the rest of their body. This condition affects women only and manifests itself usually after puberty, child-birth or menopause.

Imagine how soul-destroying it must be, when the only advice your doctor gives you is to lose weight, but you know too well you have already tried every diet under the sun.

With our film we want to reduce the prejudice towards those with the condition and instigate more research into the subject. I shall present the above poster at the 10th Australasian Lymphology Association Conference in Auckland (3-5 April 2014) and the film with the use of a QR code and a tablet.

Life would become so much easier for sufferers, if only more people knew it is a medical condition and not a weakness of the will.

Please share the film!

A big, fat Thank You!

Avril”

Thanks Avril I am sharing this great video… Wonderful work and I am sure it will spread far and wide to build awareness of Lipoedema / Lipedema.

Exercises to stimulate the Lymphatics .. Video

This is a set of exercises for the upper and lower body that can be done at home. The videos are put together by Heidi Roe for the Michigan State University rehabilitation unit. In the videos Heidi refers to a sheet of exercises with the repetitions which we do not have, but I would say five of each would be a good number. Just remember do not over do the exercises and keep the body cool as over heating creates more lymph, which in turn needs to be expelled. These exercises create an effect on the lymphatics by the movement of the muscles that squeeze the lymph vessels, this then pushes the lymph away from the extremities to the neck and abdomen, to then be released from the body. It is best to do the exercises wearing your compression garments as this helps to also move the lymph along the lymphatic vessels. Drink plenty of water to help expel toxins. Remember that the lymphatics do not have a heart to pump as the veins do and are reliant on movement to work.
Swimming, water aerobics and walking in a pool are also great exercises for Lymphoedema as the water acts as a natural compression, it is very liberating to get out of the compression garments for a while especially in hot weather. Going out for a good walk at anytime also gets the lymphatics pumping, just a short walk can make a difference. Make some form of exercise part of each day no matter how little or how much it will help. My favourite is to go for walks and in the summer to find a pool!!