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You may think of yoga as a practice only done by the young and flexible, but all of us can do it. After a recent knee surgery, I was unable to get around without crutches, but I was still able to do breathing practices, meditate, and even do some yoga postures in a chair.

When was the last time you paid attention to your right big toe or thumb? Like really paid attention to it? We often move throughout our day without really noticing our body or its various parts unless we are dealing with acute pain, it’s almost like we are on autopilot. When we really pay attention to what our body is experiencing in the moment, we can be more present, and we can notice how our physical experience is often connected to our emotional experience. This is called body scan.

Veterans with chronic pain are replacing opioid pain medications with yoga, acupuncture, and other Whole Health approaches to care. Report reveals promising findings associated with Whole Health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased concerns among health care professionals about the abuse of opioids by Americans. There is no doubt that the past twelve months have created significant stressors which may impact individuals who must use opioids for pain management and those with substance abuse issues. But Veterans and their families can be assured that VA is a leader in the national effort to reduce opioid dependency and lower opioid prescribing.

There are many different styles of meditation – some are yang and some are yin. Yin meditation encourages being open to what might unfold during the experience. A yin meditation helps us to be curious, open, and gentle towards our inner experience and can support self-compassion.

What do you think of when you hear the word "yoga?" If your image of yoga involves headstands and pretzel twists with a group of women in a studio, then it's time to reimagine yoga.

The VHA Shark Tank Competition is bringing frontline innovators into a rousing Shark Tank-style pitch competition to help spread their work

Does focusing on your daily challenges lead to stress? Thinking of your challenges in this way can cause you to feel fatigued, with low energy. The mind can gravitate toward stressful thoughts without us even realizing it’s happening. The good news is that we have the power to change our perspective by refocusing on gratitude; we can train ourselves to focus on those things we are grateful for in the present moment. 

As we enter spring and see signs of the earth blooming, we should think about ways we wish to grow and bloom in our lives. Spring is a great time to bring to life our vision and to set goals for our health and well-being. Taking time to pause allows us to consider the ways.

The thoughts and images from your imagination can impact your physical body, your emotions and your mood. During guided imagery and visualization, you use your imagination to promote positive effects and relieve symptoms.

When we sit in one position for a while, whether at your computer or elsewhere, we may start to feel tight or achy. A gentle twist can be a nice change in your position and perspective.

Mobility exercises can help maintain healthy joints and increase or maintain range-of-motion and flexibility which support our daily routine and athletic activities.