Dr. Gladys McGarey is 103 years old. Think about that for a second. She began her medical career before the discovery of penicillin was a common clinical reality. She’s lived through the Great Depression, a World War, and the entire evolution of modern holistic medicine. When you pick up The Well Lived Life, you aren't just reading another self-help book written by a thirty-something influencer with a ring light. You are reading a manual for survival and joy from the woman widely recognized as the "mother of holistic medicine."
Honestly, most "longevity" books focus on things like biohacking or how many blueberries you should shove into a blender every morning. Gladys doesn't really care about your cold plunges. Her book, The Well Lived Life: 102 Years of a Doctor's Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Every Age, is surprisingly different. It’s about energy. It’s about why we bother waking up in the first place.
The Problem with Modern "Health"
We’ve become obsessed with the mechanics of living longer while completely forgetting how to actually live. Dr. McGarey argues that medicine has become too focused on "killing" disease rather than "building" health. It’s a subtle shift in perspective, but it changes everything. She’s seen the shift firsthand. As a co-founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, she spent decades trying to convince a skeptical establishment that the mind and spirit aren't just "extra" things—they are the foundation of the physical body.
People are tired.
We are burnt out.
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We spend billions on supplements but feel more hollow than ever. The Well Lived Life addresses this by shifting the focus back to what she calls "juice." If you don't have juice—that vital life force—no amount of kale is going to save you.
You Are Here for a Reason (The Juice)
One of the most striking things about Gladys is her insistence that every person has a specific "life purpose." She calls it your "juice." This isn't some airy-fairy concept. She’s seen patients recover from "terminal" illnesses simply because they found something they still needed to do.
In the book, she shares stories from her childhood in India, where she was born to medical missionary parents. She recalls watching her mother treat people with a level of compassion that modern hospitals often lack. That "juice" is the energy that moves through us. When it gets stuck, we get sick. It's basically that simple, yet incredibly hard to practice in a world that wants us to sit in cubicles and stare at spreadsheets for ten hours a day.
All Life Needs to Move
Movement isn't just about hitting 10,000 steps on your Fitbit. Dr. McGarey talks about movement on a cellular and spiritual level. If you’re stuck in a toxic relationship, your energy isn't moving. If you’re holding onto a grudge from 1994, your energy isn't moving.
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She tells this great story about a woman who was stuck in a deep depression. Gladys didn't just suggest pills; she looked for where the woman had stopped moving. Life is essentially a river. When it pools and becomes stagnant, it gets gross. You have to keep the water flowing. Sometimes that means physical exercise, sure, but more often it means moving through grief or moving toward a dream you’ve been ignoring for twenty years.
Love is the Greatest Medicine
Look, I know "love is the medicine" sounds like a Hallmark card. But coming from a 103-year-old physician, it carries a different weight. Gladys argues that love is the "activator" for all healing. You can have the best surgeon in the world, but if the patient doesn't feel a sense of connection or love for life, the healing process is significantly slower.
She isn't talking about romantic love exclusively. It’s a broader, more functional love. It’s about the connection between the doctor and the patient, the person and their community. She’s observed over a century of practice that the most resilient people are those who are deeply connected to others.
The "10-Year Plan" at Age 102
This is probably the coolest thing about her. When Gladys was 102, she was still talking about her "ten-year plan." Most people reach 70 and start looking for the exit sign. She’s over a century old and still looking for the next project. This isn't about being delusional; it’s about the physiological impact of looking forward.
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Neurobiology actually supports this. When we have goals and a sense of future, our brains produce different neurochemicals than when we are in a state of "waiting to die." The Well Lived Life pushes the reader to stop thinking about age as a countdown. Instead, think of it as a collection of experiences that give you more tools to help others.
What Most People Get Wrong About Longevity
We think longevity is about avoiding death. Gladys would tell you that’s a waste of time. Death is part of the process. The goal isn't to live forever; the goal is to be fully alive while you’re here. She’s outlived her husband, many of her contemporaries, and even some of her own children. She knows grief. But she doesn't let grief stop the "juice."
She emphasizes that suffering is a teacher. In the book, she mentions her struggle with dyslexia as a child and how it actually helped her develop a different way of seeing the world. She didn't "overcome" it as much as she integrated it. That’s a recurring theme: integration over eradication.
Practical Shifts You Can Make Right Now
You don't need to be 100 to start applying these principles. It starts with small, almost invisible changes in how you perceive your day.
- Check your "juice" levels: When you do something, does it give you energy or drain it? If your job is a constant drain, you need to find a way to move that energy, even if it’s just a side hobby for now.
- Stop fighting your illness: This sounds counterintuitive. But Gladys suggests that when we "fight" a cold or a chronic pain, we create tension. Instead, try to "listen" to what the body is asking for. Maybe that back pain is telling you to stop carrying everyone else's burdens.
- Find your 10-year goal: It doesn't matter if you're 20 or 80. What do you want the next decade to look like? Write it down. Having a horizon to walk toward keeps the spirit young.
- Practice "Living Medicine": Everything you do is a form of medicine. The food you eat, the people you talk to, the thoughts you entertain.
The Well Lived Life is a reminder that we are more than just biological machines. We are energetic beings who need purpose and connection to thrive. Gladys McGarey is living proof that a life centered on love and movement isn't just a nice idea—it’s the most practical way to stay healthy.
Spend time identifying one thing today that makes you feel "juicy"—something that makes you lose track of time or feel a spark of excitement. Do that thing. Then, look at where you feel stuck or stagnant. Is it a conversation you’ve been avoiding? A habit that no longer serves you? Make one small movement in that area. Healing isn't an event; it's a direction. Keep moving.