Heal Arthritis, a book summary

McGarey, William A., M.D
89, of Scottsdale, AZ passed away on November 3rd, 2008. Dr. McGarey was an internationally-respected physician, a pioneer in holistic medicine, and the author of a dozen books on healing and spirituality. Dr. Bill, as he was affectionately known by everyone, was born in Wellsville, Ohio in 1919, and graduated from the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine. He served in the Navy, as a flight surgeon while a Captain in the Air Force, and in the Air National Guard. Dr. Bill was compassionate and considerate, always ensuring that each of his patients received the highest level of care during his 55-year medical career. He was instrumental in bringing the practice of acupuncture to the United States. He co-founded the world-famous A.R.E. Clinic in 1970, where he served a vital role until his retirement. Dr. Bill was also the co-founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, and was a key proponent of the health information found in the Edgar Cayce readings.

Edgar Cayce was the best documented psychic of the twentieth century. He would lie down on a couch, close his eyes, and relax into a state of altered consciousness. As the conductor of the readings gave him directions, he would correctly describe the illness - or physiological abnormalities - of the subject, who might be thousands of miles away. Then he would make suggestions that, when followed, would help the person to recover even when many doctors had failed to be of help.

Cayce gave readings until 1945, nearly 15,000 such readings, two-thirds of them dealing with illness and healing.

In a 1990 study published by the center for Disease Control, thiriy-eight million people were reported to have one form or another of arthritis. Seven million were significantly impaired in their work, home, or daily activities.

I have no question in my mind that arthritis can be healed. Why would I as a physician, bring psychic information into a discussion of a physical disease as wide-spread as arthritis if I did not believe wholeheartedly that this is the case? I have spent more than forty years studying and applying concepts of healing from Edgar Cayce's unconscious mind in my practice of medicine and found that they work!

Cayce viewed every experience as an opportunity for soul growth. His readings talked about consciousness of the cells, the organs, the glands and the systems of the functioning body - and even indicated the very atoms which make up all the structures of the body have their own kind of consciousness.

Arthritis is not simply a disease, It deals with the consciousness of the individual and explains to an extent the reason we are on a journey at all. It involves our becoming co-creators with the Source of all life, the Force we call God.

Healing comes about through establishing a harmony inside the body. Living in the spririt of Love does bring about soul growth, a more peaceful environment inside the body, and a coordination where the functions of the body can then create a more balanced state of health. This, in turn, allows an improvement in the aching bones.

Millions of Americans suffer from arthritis and, with the help of their health-care providers, keep looking outside for a cause of the affliction, as if it must come from outside their bodies. "For why in the world would I ever inflict this kind of difficulty on me?" Yet it does come from within our own bodies, and if we pay close attention to the wisdom available to us - and has been available over the centuries - we can not only find the cause closer than we have ever imagined, but also stimulate those forces which too often lie dormant within to bring about what we can truly call a healing.

My medical training gave me some understanding of the physiology and anatomy of the human body, but my early years of study of the Bible created the spiritual hunger that was satisfied much later on when I discovered the Edgar Cayce psychic readings. For instance, Cayce said we are body, mind, and spirit. We had our origin as souls in a spiritual dimension before the earth was formed - we are truly ancient beings - and have come into this earth plane over and over again, seeking not only to learn necessary lessons here, but also seeking a path to lead us back to where we started, a oneness with the Creative Forces of the Universe, that power we call God.

We develop attitudes or emotions as we move along in our interpersonal relationships, and these - as habits lodged in the unconscious mind - alter the physiological functionings of our bodies through the powers invested in the hormonal and neurological activities of our endocrine glands. Most often these emotional habits are discounted in our unconscious minds as simply reactions. And we often excuse them by saying, "This is just the way I am." Very true, but "the way I am" is the way I have created myself to react. And the physiology bears the brunt of the reactions, whether they be positive or negative. Thus, we benefit or we end up hurting as a result of our responses, reactions, or our tendency to revert to a former state.

Edgar Cayce took the position, in his psychic readings, that there are no conditions of the human body which cannot be returned to normal. But he also insisted that conditions of illness, no matter what kind, have their origin in destructive activities which tend to lead the individual away from his or her chosen path back to God. The movement away from God became "sin" in the terminology of the readings. The healing of the illness was to aid in bringing about the adoption of a new awareness that might move a person once more back to the path.

True healing can be accomplished only when the spiritual nature of the human being is recognized as divine; when the mind of the one in need is activated (either from within or without) to put into action concepts of healing in his/her own body; and when the body is treated in such a manner that physiological abnormalities are restored to normal. For healing to occur, a change in consciousness must come about; a new direction in life must be brought about - in other words, a divine happening must occur within the consciousness of the cells and atoms of the body itself.

...All healing is from the Divine within, and not from medications. Medications only attune or accord a body for the proper reactions from the elemental forces of divinity within each corpuscle, each cell, each muscle, each activity of every atom of the body itself. 1173-6

... no medicine, no mechanical appliance does the healing. It only attunes the body to a perfect coordination and the Divine gives the healing. For Life is divine, and each atom in a body that becomes cut off by disease, distrust or an injury, than only needs awakening to its necessity of coordination, cooperation with the other portions that are divine, to fulfill the purpose for which the body, the soul, came into being. 1173-7

Then healing one's body might indeed come about. If not total healing, at least a step in that direction. For the internal secreting glands and the body's physiology will start the healing process.

When one uses this unusual oil on the surfaced of the skin, strange things happen inside the body. We keep on trying to explain the why of the matter, but it still remains somewhat of a mystery.

In the late '80s, we received a research grant to study some energy effects as they were described in the Cayce readings. We chose the castor oil packs, since our experience in the A.R.E. Clinic with this approach to healing had been used most extensively. Our pilot study was very promising, bur our funding source dried up before we could go to step two The conclusion we drew from the work we did, however, led us to understand that a castor oil pack placed over the liver area and upper right abdomen for one hour, in just one application, improved the function of the immune system. Our clinical work with thousands of patients gave us the same conclusion.

Oils bring about different responses when applied to the body. Perhaps this is a vibrational response also. Why did Cayce suggest castor oil packs for liver problems, and peanut oil massages for arthritic joints?

We want to take one step toward the goal and make it a roaring success. Then we can take another, and another, and so on. But let's be patient. Let's love our body sufficiently to be consistent in working with it. And let's persist!

Arthritis Diet - Basic Principles

1. Eat liberal amounts of fruits and vegetables, fresh if possible. Each plenty of lettuce. 404-6

2. Watch acid-alkaline balance.

3. Avoid certain food combinations.

4. Balance foods grown above and below the ground, three above to one below. Each more leafy vegetables than pod-type.

Eat 80% alkaline producing to 20% acid producing foods. Do not take citrus juices and cereals at the same meal. Do not take milk or cream in coffee or in tea. Do not eat fried food. 1568-2

While you are taking steps to reverse the process in your body that caused you to develop arthritis, please be aware that peace, not warfare, producing healing. Cayce said that never "under strain, when very tired, very excited, very mad, should the body take foods in the system... And never take any food that the body finds is not agreeing with same..." 137-30.

Do not eat:

1. White, bleached, or refined flour or grains or products made from these processed foods.

2. Refined sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, molasses, or products made with these.

3. Chocolate

4. Milk or cream

5. Pork (including bacon), beef, or veal.

6. Fat, especially animal fat.

7. Fried Foods

8. Canned foods.

9. Spices or highly seasoned food.

10. Alcohol

11. Beer, malt drinks, or carbonated water (soft drinks).

12. Starchy food.

13. Cabbages, apples, bananas, strawberries, or fresh tomatoes.

Most of these selections can be easily recognized as being valid. Most taste good but, in one sense, are bitter to the belly.

How did cabbage, apples, bananas, strawberries, and fresh tomatoes get on this list?

Tomatoes carry most of the vitamins in a well balanced manner, yet if not cared for properly, they may become very destructive. If they ripen after being pulled, or if there is the contamination with other influences. Tomatoes should be used only when picked rip off the vine.

When there is anxiety or stress, raw apples are contraindicated, as are fruits which are acid producing. Baked apples are OK. 2261-1

Both apples and bananas add silicon to the system. Bananas are very helpful for individuals who are debilitated , but not usually for the arthritic person.

Strawberries seem to be in the same category - well to be taken in some instances, avoided in others.

These foods should be included in your diet.

1. Raw vegetables (except cabbage)

2. Whole grain products (black bread)

3. Nuts

4. Fish, fowl, lamb, wild game.

5. Vegetable juices, citrus fruit juices when cereal is not eaten.

6.Berries and citrus except as described above

7. Cooked leafy vegetables (except cabbage)

8. Potato peelings from the baked potato, but not the bulk of it.

9.Jerusalem artichoke once a week.

10. Watercress and beet tops.

11. Fruits preferable fresh, except apples, bananas and strawberries.

12. Sweet milk and buttermilk in small amounts.

13. Small amounts of honey.

14. Use a vegetable seed oil or peanut/olive oil and vinegar salad dressing.

Cabbage is mentioned several times. Cabbage is a great food, but in osteoarthritis, there is an over acidity in the system. Frequently the acidity is brought on by too little sleep, work situations, arguments which create stress.

Avoid these food combinations:

1. Starches and sweets at the same meal - too much acidity.

2. Several starchy foods together - too much acidity.

3. Meat and potatoes or meat and bread - or meat and starch together.

4. Citrus fruits and cereals at the same meal.

5. Coffee or tea with milk or cream.

With this chapter you can begin to make specific steps toward healing through your diet.

With the guidelines given, you can begin to make specific steps toward healing. There are other steps to take, but this will get you started. It does not take perfection, just choices to improve here and there. Once you get started, you will feel the benefits in your body. But there's lots more to come.