Featured Modern Elder*

Dr. Gladys McGarey 102 years, and counting
Mother of Holistic Medicine

When you sit at the feet of the Master, you breathe in that rare air of universal spirit and soul. This is the third time I've had the privilege to be up-close and personal with Dr. Gladys McGarey, known the world over as the 'Mother of Holistic Medicine'. At 102 years of age, she just received her first literary contract for her seventh book, The Well-Lived Life, a 101 year old Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Any Age.

And still, Dr. Gladys says: "I'm not through yet. There's too much work to be done...so much work I need to do. I am still here." She still has a 10 year plan!

"No such thing as anti-aging! Age is just a number, not a stop sign! We are all going to age if you're alive, but how we age is our choice. People stopped seeing beauty in age, only in youth."

Dr. Gladys is passionate about this anti-aging topic, she is 102, after all, but I confess, having interviewed her over several decades, she still looks the same except even more beautiful. "After I turned 75, I walked past my mirror: Aunt Belle, what are you doing in my mirror?? I remembered Aunt Belle, in fact she scared me, so staunch and vocal. At 75, she had softened, and that's good...I like that." Sweet self reflection.

"It's all Barbie's fault. When we make our faces change to perfect our features you may be eliminating the joy you can grow into. My features express what I say...angry, sad, glad, my face shows it. A fake face doesn't work for me!"

As Dr. Gladys continues to share her words of wisdom, I do my best to keep up with her sharp mind and speed. I'm writing as fast as I can to capture her every word.

More golden nuggets from our Dr. Gladys:

"Life has to move. If it stops moving, it dies. Without life, there is nothing. Life has to move forward, moving you toward fulfillment, always forward to the light."

"There is always something that needs to get done. There must be a mission that you need to do. Don't save it! You can't store life. You have to do something with your life...something that shows your life is part of the world. We are our own puzzle piece: we fit where we belong, part of the whole of life at that moment."

"At 93, I found my voice. Because I was dyslexic, I had to repeat first grade. I was the class dummy, bullied until 3rd grade when a teacher finally saw me for the first time. Throughout my life as a Mother and Wife and Doctor, I deflected and denied my voice. Now, I claim my voice and honor the information coming through me."

"Aging is fascinating to me! I'm amazed how my body still functions at 102!"

My favorite book by Dr. Gladys McGarey is The World Needs Old Ladies...They are the Tree of Life.

"Grandmothers have lived long enough to take time to listen, to soften, to trust."

"Each one of us is special. We are given the gift of life supported by our roots, nurtured by the substance that is then transformed into our trunk, our bark, our branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits. We are the fruits and the seeds from the Tree of Life itself. We are Old Ladies, we know things...we know the essence of truth. We nourish the future."

Btw, January 14, 2023, Grandmothers Speak: Past, Present, Future...and Dr. Gladys is one of them. I would love to see you there...and it's free! Go here to sign up.

Dr. Gladys McGarey has been a family physician for nearly 70 years. She is a pioneer in holistic medicine, natural birthing, and the physician-patient partnership. She continues to blaze new trails for women in medicine, for fathers in delivery rooms, for today's healthcare reform, and safer birthing practices around the world.

At 92, Dr. Gladys began planning a holistic Village of Living Medicine with her board of The Foundation for Living Medicine. Its noble purpose is to expand the knowledge and application of holistic principles through scientific research and education. . The Village is planned to provide a serene and beautiful environment that emphasizes healing people. Dr. Gladys believes that "Healthcare today is focused on disease, not people." The Village continues to be at the center of her 10 year plan.

Here's Dr. Gladys' simple solution to a BIG problem:

"It worries me, these 18 year old killers/shooters. What is missing in their lives? They don't understand death...they watch TV and play digital games...On TV, people are never really dead. They don't really understand death, unless they had a dog die in their childhood. Instead of arming the teachers, just put a big dog in the classroom...a guard dog...guardian dogs! Dogs are already shared as therapy or service dogs...right? Dogs are much better than guns."

Her Mother inspired Dr. Gladys' humor, the way she twisted a circumstance or issue with laughter. 'Make do' was the best advice for Dr. Gladys. Born and raised in India, one of 5 children, 'make do' sounded like a good strategy for survival! Another good advice tool was BE GLAD: take what you get, and USE it. When Dr. Gladys realized the truth in these two mantras, she says, "I moved from karma into grace."

To me, Dr. Gladys is a living legend. I'm so blessed to have spent so much precious time with her. As she would say, "Please absorb what you find useful and bloom as you see fit..."

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays and the Healthiest of New Years!