She’s known as the Mother of Holistic Medicine, and Dr. Gladys Taylor McGarey has been making a difference since the 1940s.

Dr. McGarey is an advocate for putting the patient first, and she’s helping others in the medical industry learn the balance between art and medicine.

Now 90 years old, Dr. McGarey says it’s not too late to change — both the way we approach our own health, and what we expect from those who care of us.

She says in their zeal to combat infection and diseases, doctors often overlook the most important aspect of the patient — how they heal. No matter how good of a job a doctor does with treating a patient, it’s up to the patient how well they heal. That’s why Dr. McGarey wants more physicians, no matter what kind of medicine they practice, to embrace holistic medicine — which deals with the patient’s body, mind and spirit.

Dr. McGarey says she’s also trying to change the culture of “war” in medicine. She says everything is anti — anti-depressents, anti-aging and antibiotics. Rather than spending exorbitant amounts of money on diseases, Dr. McGarey explains why she wants us to come back to spending money on the person.

Find out how she wants to teach more people learn how to “age into health” and why she thinks some of the most holistic and healthy people she knows are those who deal with chronic diseases and illnesses. Her message? Living with disease doesn’t make you unhealthy. It’s all about your attitude.

To learn more about Dr. McGarey’s work and writings, click here to visit her website.

Want to hear more from Dr. McGarey? Click here to listen to our 2006 interview with Dr. McGarey.