Whole Health is VA’s holistic health approach that puts your values, aspirations and well-being at the center of your health care.
Retired Marine Corp Veteran Theresa Larson says, “What I like the most is that it allows you to begin where you are. You set goals and take accountability. It helps you create your own goals. Whole Health is about taking ownership.”
Larson has received care at VA San Diego since 2011. She is not only a VA patient and a user of the mobile app, she is a health and fitness enthusiast who began her own wellness journey shortly after leaving the Marine Corp in 2007.
Larson earned a Ph.D. in physical therapy and has been working with Veterans and the adaptive community for the last decade, providing physical therapy coaching through her own private practice. The Whole Health App is a tool that she highly values and uses in her own personal and professional life.
Set Whole Health goals in eight areas
The new app is a free, easy-to-use tool created for Veterans and others interested in taking charge of their health. The app invites you to learn more about Whole Health and identify areas to set goals in eight areas such as relationships, mindfulness, food and drink or moving your body.
With customizable features and a user-friendly design, you can easily access your overall health and well-being goals whenever you want, wherever you want.
“Experiencing the app as a Veteran and a health professional allowed me to really evaluate the framework,” Larson said. “It saves the data and you can go back to see how far you’ve come. All your information is stored and it’s sort of like journaling.”
With this tool you can develop a personalized plan, fill out your personal health inventory and get tools to achieve your health goals and learn more about whole health. The app guides and supports you on your journey.
App helps you live your best life
The Live Whole Health app resources are available 24/7 and provide access to videos and articles on topics including yoga, tai chi, meditation, mindful breathing and more. The next step in personal health planning is taking actionable steps.
The Live Whole Health App helps you achieve your wellness goals and live your best life.
“Life is not someday, it’s now. If you’re looking for a specific time to get better, you put life on hold,” said Larson. “Why not start now? Tell your friends, pass the information along and encourage people.”
The app is available for download on both Android and Apple devices. Visit the VA App Store to download the Live Whole Health app today.
Megan Jones is a writer for the PCS Communications Team.
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Need some really good investigative journalists to dive into this story and one published by the VA April 15, 2021! So this article chose someone who was already fit and is “a health and fitness enthusiast”. The main theme of their program is to get veterans off of opioids (that story was published April 15, 2021; https://news.va.gov/87384/veterans-chronic-pain-replacing-opioid-pain-medications/?fbclid=IwAR1qY2hEClc3OFxderoUOCcuKa6VIRw5QITnkiFRZZ-ooLtOzyx6a0A_j2g), but this person has no pain issues. She wasn’t injured while in the service or any other time. Please refer to the newest article where they are bragging about the reduction of opioids and how everyone is so happy with the program, THEN actually talk to a lot of veterans who suffer from chronic pain daily, mostly due to injuries received while deployed. Ask them when the VA cut them off of their opioids (it was long before this new program began). The VA is not being truthful and this story needs to be told!
Thank you for your response Angie Willis. so many times I have been told that all I need to do is get up and move. i have tried that, gradually, and have only ended up in more pain. now with being unable to get any pain medicine, except for advil or tylenol, I am once again having issues with moving. Not to be ignored is the fact that I have had more than my share of various surgeries since 2014. Each day that I am down I lose muscle mass. I build it up and then lose it. Plus the medication I have to take to control the pain from my service connected disability causes weight gain. Another reason that I would love to be active, but can’t come off my Rx cocktail because the pain would get worse. So, I am between a rock and a hard place.
Amazing App!!