Conscious Choice: Uncommon Healers

Laurie and Keith Nemec

About five years ago, I was diagnosed with Graves disease — a hyperthyroid disease, which has some potentially serious consequences. I was told the standard medical remedies, all of which seemed radical to me and had side effects. One was giving the thyroid a dose of radioactivity to decrease its function; another was to surgically remove part of the thyroid. Since none of these remedies was OK with me, I sought alternative methods. However, even many alternative practitioners had nothing else to recommend. I finally found a naturopath who had worked with others who had the same thyroid condition. She listened to me and made some lifestyle suggestions, including some high-dose vitamins. The main therapy, however, was an herbal tincture. I took this regularly for two years and my thyroid function gradually returned to normal. I have blood tests every year to check the thyroid and it is always normal. My suggestion to others who suffer from this condition is to continue to seek alternative remedies. It’s much less expensive for insurance companies (if they even cover it!) and creates less demand on the medical system, as well.

October 2004 | Whole Health: Practitioner Profile

Uncommon Healers

Who: Keith Nemec and his wife, Laurie, are the founders of the Total Health Institute in Wheaton, a holistic treatment center. Keith Nemec is a licensed chiropractic physician and an author and lecturer. The pair also hosts “Your Total Health,” a radio broadcast on AM 1160 from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, and 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Quick Take: Nemec’s treatment philosophy is based on balancing the body, mind and spirit. “The treatment grew from our personal life journey to total health,” Nemec said. “People with everything from major health challenges like cancer to those whose bodies are just beginning to talk to them are lead to the institute,” he said. The Nemecs teach all their patients seven basic steps to total health, or freedom from dis-ease, meaning lack of ease, according to Nemec. He lists healthy breathing, proper water intake, adequate sleep, exercise, fasting or detoxification, prayer and meditation, and most importantly, nutrition. Patients spend time at the institute learning to internalize Nemec’s healthy life practices. Nemec uses chiropractic medicine, energy healing and massage to help patients ready their bodies for the healing process. “The rest is up to them.”

Old vs. New: The body cannot heal if it is out of balance, Nemec said. All too often people seek out treatment before teaching. “No matter how powerful the treatment is, it will be of no value if the patient does not maintain health,” he said. “The classic example is the person who loses 100 pounds on a diet and then gains 110 pounds back,” Nemec said. The treatment, in this case, a diet, did not work because the individual did not change their life-style. “There has to be a revelation,” he said.

Knowing the Difference: Nemec uses the term fasting in an unconventional sense. “Fasting is a permanent life-style change or breaking away from our addictions,” he said. “Foods are the greatest addiction for most people, but sometimes people have to fast from television.” According to Nemec, it is the mind that prevents people from eating the right foods, getting proper rest and practicing regular meditation. “The liver doesn’t want a cookie, the blood doesn’t like it either.” The key to total health is fasting from the Standard American Diet. Adequate sleep is also a commonly neglected element of total health, said Nemec. “For proof, all one has to do is look to nature,” Nemec said. “The animal kingdom, which doesn’t suffer from all the disease that people do, doesn’t stay up all night on their computer.”

Biggest Myth: Total health is not attainable by any fast answers or a quick fix. Health is a lifelong journey. “There are no band-aids,” Nemec said. “All of our patients are lead here by their hearts,” Nemec said. Laurie Nemec screens all of the people interested in joining the Total Health Institute to ensure they are fully committed.

Case Study: “Our patients are also students, just as I am — and always will be — a student of wellness,” Laurie Nemec said. “We created an open healing environment so that people can heal together.”

Personal File: The Nemecs said they treat hundreds of patients annually. The Total Health Institute is located at 23 W. 525 Saint Charles Rd., Wheaton, IL 60188 or 630-871-0000. The Nemec’s radio show can be accessed at the institute Website, www.totalhealthinstitute.com.

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