Nutrition
At Talk Lipoedema we are frequently asked for information about what foods are helpful for lipoedema. In this section you will find an overview of general healthy eating advice. We are also working with various professionals with a keen interest in lipoedema, to develop more information about food and lipoedema that will become available here.
A survey of 190 women with lipoedema showed that many had tried different approaches to change their body shape and size, including many different types of diets (Alsop and Smith 2019). The study also showed that some women had experienced disordered eating. At Talk Lipoedema we know that there is good evidence that restrictive dieting (and calorie counting for example) is usually not effective in the long term. This is probably due to how the body adjusts its metabolism, resetting when someone stops ‘dieting’, so weight is quickly regained. Worrying about eating the right or wrong things can also lead to more stress.
Instead we recognise the need to support a healthy eating approach, providing practical and realistic advice on food and lipoedema. Eating a healthy and balanced range of foods is important to our physical and emotional health. Some people with lipoedema have found they can better manage lipoedema symptoms such as inflammation, pain and swelling by changing to eating healthily. Caring for ourselves through making changes in what we eat can be empowering, and can make a real difference. Read below for more information and scroll to the end for useful links. Also check out our blogs to see some inspiring stories from women with lipoedema.
Lipoedema isn’t caused by bad nutrition, nor will it be cured by nutrition. A healthy diet benefits us all. Eating a healthy and balanced range of foods is important to our physical and emotional health.
Below is some advice on healthy eating based on information produced by NHS and Governments across the UK.
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Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg each day. Choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced.
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Eat wholegrain versions of starchy food such as breads and pasta.
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Dairy products can be a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium (helps with bone health). Some people with lipoedema have dairy intolerance, so should switch to the the dairy free options that are now widely available.
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Include pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils in meals as good alternatives to meat; they're lower in fat and higher in fibre and protein too.
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For snacking, look for alternatives to highly refined, sugary foods that contain additives; try nuts as a snack. This can help to avoid the artificial 'high' that comes with eating sugary foods.
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Choose lean cuts of meat and eat less processed meat like ham, sausages and bacon.
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Aim to eat at least two portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily fish such as salmon or mackerel.
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Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat in small amounts
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Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day, and find alternatives to artificial sweeteners, or fizzy drinks.
Remember that you do not have to cut out certain foods completely. Just aim to eat foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar less often, or in smaller amounts.
There is now research evidence that following a 'Mediterranean Diet' approach is helpful in managing other conditions such as high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. It also reduces inflammation in the body, and supports weight loss. This approach, that may also be useful for people with lipoedema, includes eating more plant-based foods (such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds), oily fish, and using extra virgin olive oil, while reducing the intake of red meat and
dairy products.
Want to know more? You can find other
information here:
There is research that suggests
following a 'Mediterranean Diet'
is helpful in managing conditions
such as high blood pressure,
cancer, diabetes, heart disease
and arthritis. It also reduces
inflammation in the body, and
supports weight loss. This approach,
which may also be useful for people
with lipoedema, includes eating more plant-based foods (such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds), oily fish, and using extra-virgin olive oil, while reducing the intake of red meat and dairy products.
Weight and lipoedema are often linked. Many individuals have been diagnosed as obese before receiving their lipoedema diagnosis.
NHS clinics often use BMI as a way to monitor weight and health risks. This is often not a good indicator as to the health of people with Lipoedema. You may wish to ask for a waist to hip ratio, or waist to height ratio which can be reviewed to help distinguish between obesity and lipoedema.
If you think you have disordered eating, seek help. Beat is a charity that specialises in disordered eating. You aren’t alone and you deserve help.
