When you think about overall health, typically what comes to mind is physical and mental health. So often the spiritual component is left out or ignored. Research has shown it to be a key component to better outcomes in total health and wellness.

You have learned to take control of your life by making lifestyle changes including balancing your hormones, you finally have balance in your gut, thyroid and adrenal function. You're eating nutritional whole foods, and exercising regularly. What about the part of life that is out of your control? We cannot control what others say or do, and agonizing over it only impedes the steps taken to improve health.

We live in a world that is fast-paced, with social media that can be useful and also harmful, resulting in increased stress, anxiety and despair at what others may think of us. Hearsay can be ugly and hurtful, so how to cope with it? This is where spiritual tools come in.

"Many Americans rely on prayer and spirituality for the benefit of health," said Stephen E. Straus, MD, former director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Catherine Stoney, Ph.D., an NCCAM Program Officer in the Division of Extramural Research and Training reports "We've seen some evidence that religious affiliation and religious practices are associated with health and mortality - in other words, with better health and longer life. Such connections may involve immune function, cardiovascular function, and/or other physiological changes."

Our faith, hope and beliefs can have a powerful impact on our health and ability to overcome obstacles in our lives. These tools can impact our behavior in how we deal with life while also stimulating physiological changes in our immune or endocrine system. A study conducted in 1955 known as the "placebo effect" has led to conclusions that our faith and beliefs are powerful and can have a tremendous impact on our health outcomes.

I have applied these spiritual tools in my own personal life to issues I have no control over. "Let go and let God" and yes, "easier said than done," but another adage, "practice makes perfect!" Take a deep breath and let go of the things and issues you have no control over, and don't grab them back, they will not improve your quality of life and you can't control what others say or do.

For more information contact Jan Nelson at Balanced Wellness Medical Clinic, (509) 919-4575, health@balancedwellnessmed.com, www.balancedwellnessmed.com.