Young Cho, director and CEO of the U.S. Onnetsu Therapy Center, located in the Whole Care Medical Group, in Norcross, is a man on a mission to improve and maintain the health and well-being of everyone using his specific knowledge and practice of Onnetsu. He studied for two years at the Haheonju Onnetsu Health Science, in South Korea, then practiced in Japan and in Australia for 10 years before heading to America.

“The United States is a big country,” says Cho. “Two years ago, I was looking for which city to choose. I tried Los Angeles first and then met Mr. Brandon Lee, the owner of the Whole Care Medical Group, and he had five practitioners already offering variety of healing modalities. He asked me to join them in Norcross.”

The underlying purpose of Onnetsu is to heat up the body. “We lose heat as we get tired. No more pain is our goal,” says Cho. Dr. Tomeko Mitsui developed the theory and practical application of Mitsui Onnetsu therapy, a form of thermal massage, in 1988 in Japan. Improving the natural healing ability within the human body to restore both physical and mental diseases and illnesses while restoring the body's heat to help become immune to diseases are the fundamental principles of Onnetsu therapy.

This philosophy states that a body low in temperature is more susceptible to diseases, and even with the appropriate treatment, it is difficult to be fully cured, allowing the same disease to recur in the future. This is because cold hampers the immune system, which then loses its resistance against diseases. Only by restoring the heat inside the body can the immune system be strengthened to stop the onset of disease.

Cho explains that the benefits of Onnetsu therapy include recovery from past surgeries; increased metabolism, which means loss of weight; death of cancer cells, which are are weak against heat; and effective detox, which includes release of radiation toxins caused by chemotherapy

Onnetsu therapy has the same effect as acupuncture, moxibustion and massage. The heat cures muscle aches and delivers therapeutic heat to the deepest parts of the body. Living a lifestyle that includes nutrition balance, exercise and Onnetsu thermal therapy promotes the optimal state of the body. As Cho says, “With this, we can live with our bodies healthy and strong, without the ailments and diseases.”

After learning how much Americans were paying for expensive hospital treatments, he knew he could show them a better, more cost-effective way to relieve pain and heal by not only giving direct treatments, but by teaching people to self-therapy. Says Cho, “Many people have to pay the hospital, and that’s a lot of money, so I teach them to practice self-healing at home for the whole family; husband, wife and kids, It’s easy to use.”

Treatments may be received at the Center, but on his website, Cho offers a variety of devices that patients can use for devices for Onnetsu self-therapy at home that are made in South Korea and Japan.

Septestone, a gemstone made of seven different types of mineral, was formed 150 million years ago in the Ilwolsan mountain in Youngyanggun, Kyungpook, South Korea. The 36 types of ki emitted from the septestone are tuned to the wavelengths and resonance of each part of the human body, and adjust the harmful wavelengths from disease symptoms into beneficial wavelengths and can block 100 percent of geopathic stress waves from subterranean water veins. It is said that of all the substances on Earth, septestone has the strongest and largest ki-emitting ability.

This marvelous material features prominently in the Onnetsu Dome Bed , which helps raise low body temperature with 36 separate wavelengths that help strengthen the immune system. The exterior is made of cypress wood that emits exceptional phytoncide, which helps improve circulation and natural healing. Septestone pillows are also available. The KMW-2000 and OCN-K personal heaters can be used on the neck, shoulder, chest, leg, back, arm, waist and stomach.

Cho states, “Many of my patients are referred by the Internet and word of mouth. They try it the first time and they are healthy, so they come back and recommend it to others. It’s growing.” There are also onsite classes for people to learn the techniques.

Other complementary services offered at the Whole Care Medical Group include acupuncture, chiropractic, lymph drainage detox therapy, reflexology, massage, integrative therapy and more.

The U.S. Onnetsu Therapy Center is located at 5390 Peachtree Ind. Blvd., in Norcross. For more information, call 770-710-1527 or visit Usonnetsu.org and WholeCareMedical.org.

Jay Workman is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings Atlanta.