November 4, 2025
109. Dr. Gladys McGarey: What 103 Years of Life Can Teach Us About Longevity
Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MDAbout this episode
What if the real secret to longevity isn't found in science alone, but in how we choose to live, love, and connect every day? In this special posthumous episode of EXTEND, I revisit one of the most meaningful conversations I've ever had — with Dr. Gladys McGarey, the 103-year-old physician known as the Mother of Holistic Medicine and author of The Well-Lived Life. Before her passing, Dr. McGarey shared a century's worth of wisdom on what truly heals us, from the inside out. We talk about how she helped create the holistic medicine movement, the deeper meaning behind her "Five L's" — love, life, laughter, labor, and listening — and how energy, purpose, and community shape both health and happiness. She also shares powerful stories from her early life in India, her encounter with Gandhi, and how compassion became the foundation of her medical practice. Dr. Gladys McGarey reminds us that medicine isn't just about curing disease — it's about nurturing the human spirit, and remembering that love itself is one of the most powerful healing forces we have. We Also Discuss: (00:00) A Century of Healing: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Gladys McGarey (09:45) Growing Up in India and Meeting Gandhi (20:23) How Holistic Medicine Was Born, and Why It Still Matters (25:32) The Physician Within: What True Healing Really Means (27:20) Energy, Purpose, and the Secret to Staying "Alive" at Any Age (33:55) Turning Setbacks into Teachers: Finding Growth in Pain (37:46) Why Community Is the Medicine We're Missing (43:54) The Vision for a Healing Village, Where Love and Life Lead Medicine Thank You to Our Sponsor: IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH . Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram: @darshanshahmd Learn more about Dr. Gladys McGarey: Website: https://gladysmcgarey.com/ Instagram: @livingmedicinedr