APRIL’S NOTE
Hey friend,
Welcome to the very first edition of Lippy Notes! I’m so glad you’re here.
You’re getting this because you signed up for it, or you’re part of The Lipedema Journey Facebook group and provided your email address for updates, or you downloaded one of my free resources and provided your email address. If at any point this isn’t what you want, you can scroll to the bottom of this newsletter and click on unsubscribe.
I decided to start this newsletter for a simple reason: so much important information about lipedema gets lost in the noise of social media. Unless you’re constantly scrolling, it’s easy to miss new research, community events, or even encouragement when you need it most. Life can get busy, or we need a social media break, but we still want those important updates. I’ll be curating important updates and sharing them with you weekly. I’ll also be sharing tips, tools, and encouragement.
This first edition is just the beginning. Lippy Notes will grow and change, and I’d love for you to help shape it. If you have ideas or feedback, just hit reply and let me know.
Thank you for being here at the start. I’m grateful to share this space with you.
THIS WEEK IN LIPEDEMA
Lipedema Awareness Month kicked off this week, and here are a few things worth noting:
As part of The Lipedema Foundation's Lipedema Literacy campaign, they are releasing new articles and resources every week throughout June, focused specifically on countering misinformation and supporting earlier diagnosis. You can get more information, including access to their awareness toolkit, HERE.
The American Lipedema Association (ALA) is a patient-led nonprofit working on awareness, advocacy, and connecting women with resources. If you're not already familiar with their work, June is a good month to find them. Learn more and consider becoming a member at americanlipedemaassociation.org.
In honor of World Lipedema Day on June 11th, Lipedema Canada is raising awareness with the Lit Up Lipedema event. Various landmarks in Canada will be lit up purple, and you are invited! Find more information HERE.
Lipoedema Australia is also lighting up several locations and holding events all over the country. Check it out if you’re in that part of the world.
The Other Side of Awareness
Raising awareness about lipedema remains extremely important.
More women are hearing the word lipedema for the first time. More public figures are talking about it, and more doctors know what it is.
There's another side to awareness that doesn't get talked about as much. The more attention something gets, the more people show up trying to make money from it. Some of them are well-meaning. Some are not. Either way, the result is the same. More products are being sold, more quick fixes are being promised, and more people are speaking with confidence about things they don't actually know.
Have you scrolled through social media and felt confused about what to believe? More awareness brings more noise, and it gets louder the more visible lipedema becomes.
I don't think the answer is to tune it all out. There is still genuinely good information out there, and we deserve access to it. I do think we have to get better at distinguishing between what's actually helpful and what's more of a sales pitch.
Here are a few questions I've started asking myself when something shows up in my feed:
Who is saying this, and are they making money from it?
Are they a licensed or credentialed professional?
Is anyone else talking about this?
Is there a claim or insinuation that their advice is going to work for everyone who tries it?
None of those questions will give you a perfect filter, but they help. The point is to do some research, and always keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to lipedema. Always be curious and evaluate information with the understanding that if it doesn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean I failed. It just means my body didn’t respond, so I keep moving forward to find the resources and tools that do work for me.
FINDS AND FAVES
Do you know about dopamine dressing? If you’re tired of your wardrobe or you have ADHD, like me, and you need all the extra dopamine you can get, then this might be for you! I found this fun video that does a great job of explaining the concept. Also, Curvily has a great list of 15 Joyful Brands With Plus Sizes. Hit reply and tell me if you’ve ever tried dopamine dressing!
Here’s a great 10-minute video with seated chair exercises to support your leg lymphatics.
That’s it for this week.
This is the very first issue of Lippy Notes, and I want to build it around what you actually need. If you found it helpful, please share it with your friends.
Hit reply and tell me one thing you'd like to see in future issues. A topic, a question, a resource you wish more women knew about. Anything.
I read every reply.
See you next Friday. 💜
April
P.S.
If you’d like to share some of your lipedema journey in a future Lippy Notes, let me know by clicking reply.