Stronger than Lipedema

Lipedema, Vascular Health, and Women’s Advocacy with Dr. Czestochowa FrancoisHost Cindy welcomes Dr. Czestochowa Francois, an emergency and vascular medicine physician, to discuss her path into lymphatic and venous medicine and her personal connection to lipedema through a family member. The conversation highlights how lipedema is often underdiagnosed or misattributed to obesity, aging, menopause,...

Dr. Nicole Kramer on 33 Years of Misdiagnosis, Medical Gaslighting, and Finding Answers with LipedemaHosts Cindy andKristy welcome Dr. Nicole Kramer, a clinical psychologist and “fellow lippy lady” diagnosed with stage 3 lipedema at 43 after decades of misdiagnosis and dismissal, despite being seen at major medical centers. She shares early signs in childhood, progression during hormonal shifts an...

Hosts Cindy and Kristy, welcome guest Lisa Duerre, a CEO of  RLD Group a leadership alignment consulting firm, and lipedema advocate. Lisa shares being late-diagnosed in 2022 after losing mobility and using a scooter, learning about lipedema from her stepmom’s research, and rebuilding her health through conservative therapies, including swimming and wheelchair assistance during airport travel. She...

Understanding the Lymphatic System, MLD, and Early Lipedema Support with Carmen of Monarch Continuing EducationHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Carmen, director and owner of Monarch Continuing Education, who shares her background in physical therapy and massage therapy and how discovering manual lymph drainage (MLD) led her to become a certified lymphedema therapist and eventually create accredited...

Cindy and Kristy welcome Dr. Grace Villaver from Levelupptdoc.com 7:45 — Lipedema fat is metabolically different and causes inflammation, muscle inhibition, and joint damage beyond just added weight. Even small amounts of joint swelling can significantly reduce muscle recruitment. 8:54 — Lipedema fat is metabolically distinct and creates a different kind of inflammation in the body. 16:24 — Custom...

Lipedema Literacy, Surgery Realities, and Trusted Resources with Kasi GrosvenorHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome back Kasi Grosvenor, a project manager at the Lipedema Foundation, to discuss her lipedema journey, the way pain and functional limitations can be normalized, and how functional capacity evaluations may reveal hidden impacts—especially when conducted by clinicians familiar with lipedema. K...

Cindy welcomes registered dietitian Jean LaMantia, a Canada- and US-registered practitioner, cancer survivor, and author, to discuss lipedema, lymphedema, and nutrition. Jean shares how a lymphoma diagnosis at 27 led her to focus on the lymphatic system and later work with lymphedema and lipedema clients. She highlights her books on cancer nutrition, lymphedema (with a therapist co-author), interm...

Guest: Dr. Meegan Gruber, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Tampa, FL Episode Highlights & Timeline [1:42] – Meet Dr. Gruber Dr. Gruber introduces herself: 25 years in plastic surgery, ~10 years specializing in lipedema awake surgery based in Tampa, FL. [2:40] – Groundbreaking Research: University of Virginia Study Dr. Gruber announces an upcoming collaboration with Dr. Karol Gutowski at UVA to...

Samantha’s Lipedema Journey: Self-Diagnosis, Insurance, Surgery, and Sharing the Lived ExperienceHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Samantha, a 38-year-old Oklahoma public school administrator and mom of two, to share how she recognized body differences starting in seventh grade (first in her arms) and later in her legs, faced family criticism, and eventually self-diagnosed lipedema after developing s...

Connecting Estrogen Metabolism, MTHFR, and Fibrosis in Lipedema with Carla HortonHosts Cindy and Kristy interview nurse practitioner Carla Whorton, who presents findings from her 112-page mechanistic integrative review proposing a unifying model linking lipedema with other estrogen-related fibrotic disorders via the 16-hydroxy estrogen–TGF-beta–mTOR axis. Drawing on her ICU background and experien...

Integrating Obesity Medicine, Hormones, and Lipedema Care with Dr. Minnie Cruz StinoHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Dr. Minnie Cruz- Tolentino, a double board-certified family and obesity medicine physician in Leesburg, Virginia, whose clinic has evolved into a metabolic practice integrating weight, hormones, and primary care with a multidisciplinary referral network. She explains how increased awa...

Sarah Kitchens on Lipedema: Diagnosis, Advocacy, and a Multi-Surgery Journey with Dr. HagopianHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Sarah Kitchens, a wife, mother of three, professor, and trauma-focused therapist, to discuss her lipedema journey. Sarah believes symptoms began around age 9–10 but she wasn’t diagnosed until 40 after discovering lipedema on social media; she then pursued research, sought me...

Lippy Lymph Ladies: Lipedema, Lymphatics, Surgery Myths, and the Power of CompressionHosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Lisa, an occupational therapist and certified lymphedema therapist in Utah, who now focuses on outpatient manual lymphatic drainage and works with a lipedema removal surgeon. Lisa shares how she transitioned from acute care during COVID to outpatient lymphatic care, learned to better...

Lipedema Surgery, Diagnosis, and Recovery: Dr. Xu of Virginia Plastic Surgery Hosts Cindy and Kristy introduce Stronger Than Lipedema and interview Dr. Xu of Virginia Plastic Surgery about his training and focus on lipedema and lymphatic surgery. He describes how lipedema was often missed or misattributed to weight, the need for education, advocacy, and research, and how he evaluates patients via...

Hosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Erika, also known as Trail to Health and founder of the Lipedema Summit, who shares her health journey from early signs of lipedema at puberty to a major flare after a 2016 stem cell therapy (using her own fat) pursued following years of severe, initially undiagnosed Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Erika describes rapid, hormonally linked weight gain, temporary r...

Hosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Sarah Cullen, a doctorate-prepared family nurse practitioner with 21 years of nursing experience, who opened Akeso Health & Wellness and the Akeso Lipedema Clinic. Sarah shares how her own lipedema story, also affecting her identical twin drove her to create an integrative, education-heavy model featuring 90-minute intakes, individualized plans, extensive assessm...

Connie Boyer on Fast-Track Diagnosis, Research, and Surgery Outcomes with Lipedema Hosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Connie Boyer, an Amazon senior program manager and education lead and board member of the American Lipedema Association, to discuss her lipedema journey and advocacy. Connie reflects on early signs such as bruising, painful boot shopping, “thunder thighs,” and possible hypermobility, n...

Hosts Cindy and Kristy welcome back registered dietitian and lipedema patient Bonnie Newlin of Crave Nourishment to discuss how she uses science-based, integrative testing to personalize nutrition for women with lipedema. Bonnie explains differences between RDs and non-credentialed nutritionists, shares her pivot from weight loss work after her own lipedema diagnosis, and introduces DNA testing as...

Hosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Hilary Stowers, A holistic Mental Health counselor for Holistic Health and Nutrition, LLC, National Certified Counselor (NCC), Board-Certified Resident-in-Counseling, Certified Grief Counselor, EMDR-trained clinician, and lipedema patient, to discuss supporting women with lipedema through validation and trauma-informed care. Hilary shares how she recognized lipedema...

Cindy welcome's Vicki from the UK, a qualified nutritionist, menopause coaching specialist, mindset coach, PT, and strength and conditioning coach who created the Instagram account “fit, but WTF” about eight months ago to document her lipedema journey. Vicki explains the name reflects her experience of being fit and active for years while her body—especially her legs—never responded as expecte...

Hosts Cindy and Kristy welcome Dr. Katherine Iacuone, co-owner of Desert Valley Chiropractic in North Phoenix, to discuss gentle chiropractic care and shockwave therapy in the context of lipedema support. Dr. Iacuone explains her practice’s use of the Activator technique—fast, light, instrument-assisted adjustments intended to restore motion, calm inflammation, reduce pain, and avoid traditional t...

Jennifer's Journey: Triumphs and Challenges with LipedemaIn this episode of Stronger Than Lipedema, hosts Cindy welcomes Jennifer, a lipedema advocate who shares her personal journey from diagnosis to treatment. Jennifer discusses her struggles with weight loss, her experiences with various medical professionals, and the ultimate discovery of her lipedema diagnosis. She provides insights into...

Empowering Women with Lipedema: Insights from Dr. Ethan LarsonWelcome to Stronger Than Lipedema, a show dedicated to empowering women with lipedema through knowledge and support. Hosts Cindy and Kristy introduce Dr. Ethan Larson, a board-certified plastic surgeon from Tucson, Arizona, who specializes in lipedema surgery. Dr. Larson discusses the comprehensive services offered at his practice, the...

Navigating Lipedema: Barbara's Journey from Diagnosis to SurgeryIn this episode of Stronger Than Lipedema, host Cindy interviews Barbara, a paralegal from Myrtle Beach, about her personal journey with lipedema. Diagnosed just a year ago, Barbara shares her history of rapid weight gain, misdiagnoses, and eventual identification of lipedema. She discusses her experience with surgeries, the impor...

Reflections and Resolutions: Embracing Transformational Growth for 2026In this special New Year episode of 'Stronger Than Lipedema,' hosts Cindy and Kristy reflect on their personal and professional journeys over the past year, discussing their successes, challenges, and the importance of new habits over traditional resolutions. They highlight significant achievements, like Kristy's la...