When Laura Kerr’s legs gained 40 pounds in two months during perimenopause, making it nearly impossible to climb stairs, her doctor’s advice was familiar: Lose weight. But Kerr’s problem wasn’t overeating—it was a chronic fat disorder that conventional dieting can’t touch.
“For years, doctors told me to lose weight, but the pain and swelling in my legs only grew worse,” Kerr, a yoga instructor who had struggled with unexplained leg heaviness, told The Epoch Times.
She said she remembers times when her legs felt impossibly heavy. Bruises appeared overnight without explanation, and no amount of dieting or exercise could change their shape.
Kerr later discovered she had lipedema, a condition that affects an estimated 11 percent to 18 percent of women, many of whom remain undiagnosed. The diagnosis finally gave a name to her daily struggles and revealed why conventional weight-loss had failed her.
Researchers are now showing what patients such as Kerr have long suspected: Lipedema fat behaves differently from normal body fat, and dietary strategies, especially low-carbohydrate approaches, may reduce pain and swelling even when regular dieting doesn’t.
A Closer Look at Lipedema
Lipedema creates patterns that distinguish it from other kinds of weight gain:
- How It Looks: Legs and hips that enlarge disproportionately compared with the rest of the body, often described as an “inverted champagne bottle,” are distinct features. Arms can also be affected, but the feet and hands are not.
- How It Develops: The tissue starts soft, then gradually becomes nodular and fibrous. In later stages, large fat pads form, mobility declines, and foot and ankle swelling becomes common.
- How It Feels: Unlike typical fat, lipedema tissue is firm, fibrotic, and resistant to weight loss. Because the tissue becomes diseased, it bruises easily and remains tender, as the tiny blood vessels inside are fragile.
- What to Watch for: The condition almost always affects both sides equally, runs in families, and worsens during hormonal phases such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.
Currently, there is no cure for lipedema. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms through the use of compression garments, lymphatic massage, low-impact exercise, anti-inflammatory approaches, and, in severe cases, specialized liposuction surgery.
When Hormones and Inflammation Collide
Lipedema fat reacts to hormone changes and tends to keep the affected area in a constant state of irritation. For some women, these challenges worsen at puberty, during pregnancy, or around menopause, when estrogen and progesterone levels shift.
These hormonal shifts drive many of the condition’s most stubborn symptoms.
“I was told to lose weight, exercise more, and just be patient,” Kerr said. “But nothing explained the way my legs and arms grew while the rest of my body stayed the same.”
A review published in Biomedicines found that lipedema tissue shows fragile blood vessels, swelling, and immune activity that point to ongoing inflammation. The inflammatory state is closely tied to hormonal fluctuations, which can make fat in the affected areas more likely to grow and retain fluid. Together, these changes help explain why traditional diets rarely work for lipedema and why carb reduction is now being studied as a potential therapy.
When fat growth and inflammation fuel each other, women often find that their bodies no longer respond to diets the way they expect. As Kerr put it, “it’s a condition that simply doesn’t play by the normal rules.”
Why Diet Strategies Matter
Although diet cannot cure lipedema, making informed food choices can make a difference. One reason is insulin, a hormone that signals fat cells when to store energy and when to release it. In those with lipedema, excessive insulin can cause fat cells to retain their size and intensify inflammation. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbs helps lower insulin levels, which can also calm some of the body’s inflammation.
Studies on women’s health have linked eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean or ketogenic diets, to reduced inflammation and improved insulin control.
These findings provide a logical pathway for why nutrition might offer relief.
“Limiting inflammation benefits everyone, but especially those dealing with lipedema,” Dr. Michael Illingworth, chief medical officer at The Body Building, told The Epoch Times.
Illingworth recommends the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting, and supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
The Problem With Processed Foods
Refined carbs, found in foods such as white bread, rice, pasta, and pastries, have been stripped of their fiber and nutrients during processing. As a result, the body burns through them quickly, converting them into sugar almost immediately. That sugar spike causes rapid rises in insulin, which can trigger inflammation, leading to the pain and swelling that accompany lipedema.
“I’ve noticed that meals filled with processed foods, sugar, and refined carbs can trigger and intensify swelling in the legs and arms,” Kerr said.
Health care providers who work with lipedema patients report seeing similar patterns.
“When patients make the proper dietary changes they have better lymphatic flow and decreased sensitivity, which makes treatment more effective and long-lasting,” Christine Rariden, a licensed physical therapist assistant who specializes in treating patients with lipedema and lymphedema at McGuire Physical Therapy, told The Epoch Times.
“Starting with an anti-inflammatory diet is an easy and more cost-effective way to improve the body from the inside out. It can calm the inflammation around fat tissue and nodules, leading to less pain.”
Although diet isn’t a cure, it can set the stage for other treatments to be more effective and bring longer-lasting relief.
Foods That May Help
Foods often used in anti-inflammatory and low-carb eating include:
- Fatty fish such as salmon or sardines (rich in omega-3s)
- Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard
- Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage
- Berries, cherries, and other colorful fruits
- Olive oil and nuts such as walnuts and almonds
- Herbs and spices, including turmeric, ginger, and garlic
Simple food swaps can also make a difference:
- Cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles instead of pasta or white rice
- Lettuce wraps in place of sandwich bread or tortillas
- Plain Greek yogurt instead of sweetened yogurts
- Nuts, cheese, or hard-boiled eggs instead of chips or crackers
- Sparkling water with lemon or berries instead of soda or sweet tea
Gentle Movement for Relief
Kerr’s experience with lipedema has shaped how she approaches exercise, both for herself and for her yoga students.
“When I first stepped into yoga, I thought it was about flexibility and strength,” she said. “But with lipedema, I quickly realized it was about something deeper: finding ways to move that don’t punish the body, but support it.”
In Kerr’s practice, she recommends restorative exercises that keep lymph fluid moving and ease swelling without putting stress on the joints. These movements also calm the nervous system, helping reduce cortisol spikes that fuel inflammation:
- Legs-up-the-Wall (or supported on a chair or sofa): Encourages lymph flow and lightens heaviness in the legs
- Seated or Supported Cat-Cow: Gentle spinal movements help pump lymph and ease stiffness without stressing joints
- Calf Pumping and Ankle Circles: Stimulates circulation and relieves heaviness in the legs
- Gentle Twists With Breathwork: Combines movement with nervous system regulation, reducing both inflammation and stress
- Using Props: Bolsters, chairs, and blocks can make yoga more accessible and supportive
Finding Support and Resources
Lipedema can feel overwhelming, not only because of the way it reshapes the body over time but also because of the lack of awareness among health care providers. Connecting with the right resources can make all the difference in creating a sustainable plan.
Hiba Hamati, strategic planning lead and member of the board of the American Lipedema Association, told The Epoch Times: “Some patients do report improvements with ketogenic or low-carb approaches, while others benefit from anti-inflammatory eating focused on whole foods, healthy fats, lean proteins, and reduced processed sugar. What matters most is access to knowledgeable providers and a supportive community.”
The American Lipedema Association offers education, ways to connect with peers, and treatment resources for those seeking to learn more.
Experts agree that the greatest progress comes not from a single fix, but from a complete plan that combines nutrition, movement, compression, and medical support.
For Kerr, finding the right blend of nutrition, movement, and support has been life-changing—proof that women with lipedema can regain comfort, strength, and confidence. For many, lowering carbohydrates offers a new way to ease the daily burden of lipedema that once felt beyond their control.
