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Ask Dr. Gladys
Dr. Gladys McGarey, AHMA co-founder and widely acknowledged as the "Mother of Holistic Medicine," answers select questions about holistic medicine.
Ask Dr. Gladys your question
More about Dr. Gladys
My father is going through treatment for stage III melanoma and he is so tired all he can do is eat and go back to bed. Is there anything he can do or take to help him with this debilitating fatigue? It is a question of quality vs quantity of life.
If this fatigue has been going on for a short period of time it may just be the bodies' way of re-claiming it's hold on life. If he can be cared for and surrounded by a loving environment which expects nothing from him except that he wants to get better and has something to get well for he might heal faster. If we push the body to get moving before it is ready to do so it doesn't help. Nourishing, well presented food will help.
I have been diagnosed with IBS and have been dealing with it for about one year. I was prescribed a medication for it that cause severe dry symptoms. I am still suffering from all of these problems and want to know your opinion of accupuncture as a treatment for IBS. Also, what would holistic provider treatment consist of to treat my symptoms?
Accupuncture might help but there are many things you can do to treat IBS. A number of physicians, who are members of the AHMA, have written books dealing with this problem. Stress is a big contributing factor as is leaky gut syndrome.Candida Albicans should be dealt with as well. As you can see this is a complicated problem which most holistic physicians have a lot of experience dealing with. A holistic physician will usually spend time with you, getting to know you and your story so that they are really treating you and not just prescribing for your disease. They will answer your questions and ask you questions before giving you a prescription. Their goal is to help you with your healing, not just curing the disease. This may include alternative and conventional therapies. Bless you as you find your path towards healing.
I am looking to be cured from this so call autoimmune disease/rheumatoid arthritis. Could you tell me where to start? Thank you for taking questions. My grandmother had 21 children, all natural child birth and she took care of all of them with holistic medicine. When I was 7 years old, a hospital wanted to remove my appendix because I had a pain on my right side. My father rushed me to my grandmother's, who took care of me with herbs. She gave me what I called smelly tea and after a long nap, I was fine. The next day my mother took me to the doctor and he could not find anything wrong with me. My grandmother passed away and no one in the family ever asked my grandmother to teach them. I wish I would have been old enough to have been her student.
Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis are very complicated diseases. There are dietary issues, physical structural issues, stress and emotional issues and of course hereditary ones. No simple answers. There are books by AHMA doctors like Bob Anderson and many others who deal with this in detail.I'm thinking about a career in holistic health, but when I looked online for schools I felt concerned about the quality of education I might receive. Could you offer some recommendations for reputable schools?
I have received this question from several other students and it is not new. My children and grand children have been asking it for at least 40 years. My answer remains the same. Just get into an accredited medical school. You will never find what is ideal. You have to create that for yourself. Learn the basics so you can build on them once you have your degree. Some medical schools have some sort of a holistic program but you don't need that until you have the fundamentals for a good practice. Med school is hard work but well worth it. People have asked me if my daughter practices the same kind of medicine as I do. I answer, " Yes, but she had to find what worked for her and build her own practice." Getting the degree is just the beginning. You keep learning the rest of your life. Our foundation had a preceptor program available but it is for senior students so when you are a senior look us up GTMMF and there are other groups to contact. Please stay in touch with the AHMA. They have student members.
My un-vaccinated 19 year-old college student would like to spend the spring semester abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico and the local hospital travel vaccine clinic is recommending 13 vaccines for this province. How would I then pick and choose and learn percentages of each disease in the region and how would I advise her? She would be getting them all close together as well. What should I be concerned about? I choose not to vaccinate her as a baby for I wasn't convinced she was at risk of getting the diseases and I feel they are unnecessary chemicals.
This is a tough one. These shots have brought these really bad diseases under control but some times do have adverse effects. One thing you can have her do is, as soon as she gets home from getting the shots, get into a hot epsom salt bath and stay there until she breaks into a good sweat. During this time, have her visualize the toxins being removed as she sweats, and allowing the helpful aspects to do their job. I have used this for many years as I have been in many areas where the diseases were active. Good luck!
How were you able to get hospitals to allow dads in the delivery room?
I have seen so many changes in medicine since I first began practicing more than 60 years ago. Perhaps the most significant change has come in birthing. Shortly after my husband Bill and I moved to Phoenix in 1955, Dr. Robert Bradley’s book, “Husband-Coached Childbirth” was published. In the book, he encouraged husbands to participate in the birthing of their babies. His amazing, new approach to childbirth garnered considerable attention. It certainly did mine. Read more.
When and how did acupuncture come to the United States?
In the 1950s, my late husband, Bill McGarey, wrote a monthly newsletter that was circulated to physicians and others interested in Edgar Cayce medical readings. During this time, Bill and I received a letter from a mailman in Maine who shared his experience with castor oil packs. He reported he had received an injury to his ankle a few months previously and had not been able to walk since the injury. As a result, he wasn’t able to maintain his postal route. He had gone through various therapies but none had worked. Read more.
What do you think of Reiki and other forms of energy medicine for the treatment of disease?
In the winter of 2004, I retired from active practice of medicine and therefore I am not in the position to answer specific questions in the way of a diagnosis or specific therapy. However I can still consult or give general information about specific problems. As a consultant, I have the privilege of working with people with illnesses. They continue to be my teachers. With that caveat, I welcome your questions here.
One of the questions we have received from readers is about the use of Reiki and other energy treatments in working with diseases. Any energy work such as Reiki, acupuncture, and therapeutic touch allow the body to find its balance. This helps in the healing process. When the body finds its own balance, it can and frequently does bring about healing. Life itself is the great healer.
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