Live Whole Health #87: Sun salutations

Every morning the sun shows up ready to light our day and warm the earth. Sunshine is good for our minds, our bodies and our sense of well-being. The sun is so constant that we may forget that it’s even there. Sun salutations are a beautiful way to “salute” the sun and show gratitude for the blessings it offers to our earth.

Sun salutations are a series of yoga postures that can help lengthen, strengthen, flex and extend many of the main muscles of the body. Many people do this kind of practice to start their day and it is a wonderful way to wake up the body and the mind.

Join St. Louis VA Medical Center’s yoga teacher and Whole Health Coach, Katherine Hillgren, for a 10-minute Sun Salutation practice that offers three variations: sitting, standing with chair support, and standing without support.

How can yoga benefit your health?

The various components of yoga, including the postures, meditation and breathing, offer a wide range of benefits related to the Circle of Health and your health and well-being. Learn more here:  https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/Veteran-Handouts/docs/Yoga-508Final-9-4-2018.pdf.

There are so many benefits to moving the body; you don’t have to go to a gym or out for a run to get these benefits. Any activity that uses your energy to move the large muscles in your body has benefits for both  your body and your mind..

Some activities increase your stamina, while others improve your strength, flexibility or balance. Moving your body in these ways can improve your ability to do more of the things you want. Moving the body can help prevent and treat dozens of diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, and improve your mental health.

Learn more about moving your body here:  https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/circle-of-health/moving-body.asp.