At the age of 82, Dr. Felicitas Tobias of La Grange has successfully battled uterine cancer, chronic adrenal exhaustion and diabetes.

With nearly 50 years experience practicing medicine and alternative treatment methods, Tobias believes anyone can do the same.

“I’ve gone from health to disease and back again,” Tobias said. “We can all recover from whatever ailments we have in our bodies, as long as we’re willing to change our lifestyles.”
In part with White Crane Wellness, Tobias will share her insight at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at the Southwest Center on Aging in La Grange.

Tobias graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 1953, and began practicing medicine in 1959. Soon after, she began to feel sick, learning she was diabetic in 1967. By 1972, Tobias was learning and practicing alternative method treatments and was recognized in the ’76 Bicentennial Celebration of American Pioneers in Preventive Health Care.

After a short retirement in 1995, Tobias returned to found the Tobias Healing Institute in La Grange.

Niki Chibucos, director of development and community relations at the Southwest Suburban Center on Aging, looks forward to the inspiration Tobias will give to her audience.

“She’s going to make a huge impression,” she said. “She’s overcome so many health issues herself that she will have a powerful influence.”

Tobias’ message about lifestyle fits right in with the center’s mission, Chibucos said.

“When seniors enjoy good health, they can be independent in the community,” she said. “We’re interested in any program that enhances the health of our seniors and enriches the quality of their lives.”

Air, food and nutrients form the basis of Tobias’ methods. Her treatments focus on removing any barriers in a person’s lifestyle that prevent a person’s body from obtaining these three “life materials.”

“The body requires 40 different nutrients a day,” Tobias said. “And with our soil and the condition of the food supply, it takes a lot of knowledge and money to be able to get all the products with essential nutrients that you need.”

Tobias believes two major factors affect an individual’s health: environment and lifestyle. Luckily, Tobias said environment accounts for 20 percent of a person’s well-being, leaving 80 percent to an individual’s eating habits, exercise schedule and hours devoted to sleep and relaxation.

Tobias takes a special interest in chronic diseases such as diabetes or cancer but also caters to patients hoping to lose weight or look younger. She said her treatments with older adults go beyond remaining active.

“It’s not enough to have energy. You should look good, too,” Tobias said. “If you’re 80 years old, you don’t have to be old and decrepit.”

She said time with her patients motivates her to continue her work, aiming to spend at least an hour in each appointment.

“I was born as a positive thinker,” Tobias said. “I have a goal that gets me up in the morning. I make my changes in myself, and I can do the same for others. I make a change in other people’s lives.”

Admission to the program is free, but registration is required. The Southwest Suburban Center on Aging is located at 111 W. Harris Av., La Grange. For more information, call (708) 354-1323.