( H. C. / Flickr)

Women approaching menopause don't always know just how much the transition will affect their lives.

The ups and downs, brought on by the amount of estrogen in the body, can cause depression, anxiety, weight gain, hot flashes, sleep issues ... and that's just a few of the side effects.

Idaho State University has a 12-week program designed to help women going through these changes. It's called Menopause Matters and the next class starts soon.

Andrea Jeffrey, the coordinator at the ISU-Meridian Nutrition Clinic joined Idaho Matters to talk more about this innovative program.