--- title: Taking Charge of Your Menopause Journey with Lifestyle Medicine description: Taking Charge of Your Menopause Journey with Lifestyle Medicine by Michelle Tollefson, MD, FACOG, DipABLM, FACLM image: https://info.summusglobal.com/hubfs/Menopause%20and%20Lifestyle%20Medicine.png --- [Skip to content](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/taking-charge-of-your-menopause-journey-through-lifestyle-medicine#main-content) [![Summus](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Summus_logos/summus2023_horizontal_rgb_600_72.png?width=200&height=37&name=summus2023_horizontal_rgb_600_72.png "Summus")](https://www.summusglobal.com/) [Log In](https://app.summusglobal.com/Login) March 11, 2025 # Taking Charge of Your Menopause Journey with Lifestyle Medicine ![Picture of Michelle Tollefson, MD, FACOG, DipABLM, FACLM](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/email_headshots/michelle_tollefson.jpeg?width=50&name=michelle_tollefson.jpeg) [Michelle Tollefson, MD, FACOG, DipABLM, FACLM](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/author/michelle-tollefson-md-facog-dipablm-faclm) [Share this page on Facebook](mailto:?body=https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/taking-charge-of-your-menopause-journey-through-lifestyle-medicine) #### ![Menopause and Lifestyle Medicine](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Menopause%20and%20Lifestyle%20Medicine.png?width=960&height=320&name=Menopause%20and%20Lifestyle%20Medicine.png) The transition into menopause is one of the most profound changes in a woman's life. It's natural to feel overwhelmed as you navigate shifts in mood, physical wellbeing, productivity, and even relationships. But you don’t have to go through it alone. By leveraging the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, you can confidently step into this new chapter, equipped with the tools to make meaningful lifestyle adjustments that support your health and wellbeing. Pillar 1: Nutrition Focus on a nutrient-dense, high-quality, plant-rich diet! You may incorporate soy foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, beans, along with tea, coffee, and water. Avoid the sugar cycle – stay away from ultra-processed, sugar-sweetened beverages. Ensure adequate protein intake based on your body composition. Nutrition impacts vitality, mental health, cognitive health, sleep, body composition, hot flashes, and energy. If you need help creating a diet plan specific for your needs, you can always reach out to Summus, and they will connect you with a nutrition expert.  Pillar 2: Exercise It’s best to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity 150+ minutes per week, along with resistance training twice per week. As much as you can, decrease sedentary behavior. Keeping yourself active during this time is crucial to maintaining your independence, and strength, and decreasing the risk of falls. It’s also important for brain health, vitality, and minimizing fatigue.  Pillar 3: Sleep Restorative sleep is so important. It’s recommended to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Too little (or too much) sleep is detrimental to your health. Adequate sleep decreases the risk of dementia, improves your mental health, and enables you to maintain a healthy body weight more easily. Pillar 4: Stress Management During the menopause transition, you are at increased vulnerability to emotional dysregulation. It’s important to practice stress management techniques, embrace a growth mindset, and set boundaries to protect your mental health.  Pillar 5: Risky Behavior Reduction The Dietary Guidelines state that for health purposes, drinking less alcohol is better than drinking more. Alcohol disrupts sleep, can trigger hot flashes, and is associated with an increased risk of some cancers. Pillar 6: Social Connection Social connection is important for most people’s purpose and happiness. Get outside, call a friend or family member, lean on members of your healthcare team, and know you can always reach out to Summus if you are struggling and need to discuss any mental health concerns. If you have questions about menopause or any other health concern, Summus is here to help. Reach out through your [Summus dashboard](http://www.summusglobal.com/dashboard) to get started. > **Questions?**   1-917-565-8540  |  [partners@summusglobal.com](mailto:partners@summusglobal.com)  |  [http://www.summusglobal.com/dashboard](http://www.summusglobal.com/dashboard) [Women's Health](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/tag/womens-health), [Expert Tips](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/tag/expert-tips), [Menopause](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/tag/menopause) ## Related posts [![](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%20Blog%20Header%20Image_1200x400%20-%202026-09-16T153133.287.png?height=200&name=Copy%20of%20Blog%20Header%20Image_1200x400%20-%202026-09-16T153133.287.png)](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/treating-menopause-symptoms-when-to-consider-hormone-replacement-therapy) ## [Treating Menopause Symptoms: When to Consider Hormone Replacement Therapy](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/treating-menopause-symptoms-when-to-consider-hormone-replacement-therapy) ![Picture of Michelle Tollefson, MD, FACOG, DipABLM, FACLM](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/email_headshots/michelle_tollefson.jpeg?width=50&name=michelle_tollefson.jpeg) [Michelle Tollefson, MD, FACOG, DipABLM, FACLM](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/author/michelle-tollefson-md-facog-dipablm-faclm) Menopause is a natural part of life, although some symptoms, like hot flashes and night sweats, can... [Read more](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/treating-menopause-symptoms-when-to-consider-hormone-replacement-therapy) [![](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Mental%20Health%20in%20the%20Workplace_1200x400.png?height=200&name=Mental%20Health%20in%20the%20Workplace_1200x400.png)](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/world-mental-health-day-2024) ## [Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace: Insights for World Mental Health Day](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/world-mental-health-day-2024) ![Picture of Melissa Furdyn, LCSW, Mental Health and Wellbeing Clinical Lead at Summus](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/email_headshots/Melissa%20Furdyn.png?width=50&name=Melissa%20Furdyn.png) [Melissa Furdyn, LCSW, Mental Health and Wellbeing Clinical Lead at Summus](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/author/melissa-furdyn-lcsw-clinical-lead) In recognition of World Mental Health Day, I’d like to share how we can foster a healthier... [Read more](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/world-mental-health-day-2024) [![](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_graphics/Mental%20Health%20Overview_1200x400.png?height=200&name=Mental%20Health%20Overview_1200x400.png)](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/mental-health-support) ## [Find the Right Mental Health Support with Ease](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/mental-health-support) ![Picture of Summus](https://info.summusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/summus2023_logomark_600.png?width=50&name=summus2023_logomark_600.png) [Summus](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/author/summus) Summus connects you with highly-trained, licensed clinical advisors to understand your concerns and... [Read more](https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/mental-health-support) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/summus-inc./) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/people/Summus-Global/61556820732995/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.instagram.com/summusglobal/) [Email Summus](mailto:partners@summusglobal.com) Summus 10 East 40th Street, Suite 1910, New York, NY 10016    |    +1 917.565.8540 ©2026, Summus Global, Inc. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Michelle Tollefson, MD, FACOG, DipABLM, FACLM", "url" : "https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/author/michelle-tollefson-md-facog-dipablm-faclm" }, "dateModified" : "2025-03-11T16:04:54.867Z", "datePublished" : "2025-03-11T16:04:24.000Z", "headline" : "Taking Charge of Your Menopause Journey with Lifestyle Medicine", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://info.summusglobal.com/summus-member-resources/taking-charge-of-your-menopause-journey-through-lifestyle-medicine", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://info.summusglobal.com/hubfs/Summus_logos/summus2023_horizontal_rgb300_1916x343.png" }, "name" : "Summus Global" } } ```