AJ News

Emily Culley Abington Journal Correspondent

CLARKS SUMMIT - In the past few years there has been a great deal of attention on natural remedies to treat ailments ranging from headaches to arthritis. Many people have turned to Asian Body Work Therapy and natural herbs. Asian Body Work Therapy uses acupuncture points and non -invasive spinal alignment to restore an individual’s natural state of health.

Locals interested in these methods can look into Sunrise Healing Arts, located in The Abington Wellness Center on West Grove Street, Clarks Summit. Formerly located in Throop, Sunrise Healing Arts has been operating in Clarks Summit for the past four years.

Peter Veltri, whose father Peter, Sr. is President of Sunrise, first became interested in alternative medicine when he was diagnosed with a type of dystonia disorder that caused severe problems with his hand. Veltri was told that the damage to his hand was incurable. “I was a world class musician.” He said, “It derailed my career. I tried pretty much everything.”

At the time there was a woman practicing much the same methods as Sunrise Healing Arts does today. “This impressed me,” Veltri said, describing it as, “pretty powerful stuff.” After exploring herbs and Asian Body Work Therapy, Veltri was gradually able to regain use of his hand enough to play guitar .

Now, Veltri is board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, to practice Asian Body Work Therapy, which he describes as “acupuncture without the needles.” It is designed to balance the body’s energy and improve circulation.

He also mixes personalized herbal remedies for a variety of ailments, the most common being allergies, PMS, menopause, digestive problems and chronic pain. The title for someone who uses herbs to treat health issues is an herbalist. Veltri described an herbalist as, “using herbs rather than pharmaceuticals without the side effects (of drugs) and the chance to get well, something you don’t get with pharmaceuticals. They’re like a band aid; they don’t treat the root of the problem.”

When asked how he believed Sunrise Healing Arts benefited his community, he said, “Many people who come in were told that nothing could be done for their condition but they’ve come in here and gotten results.” Veltri suggested that people not attempt to “cure themselves,” however. “A lot of people don’t have results with herbs because they don’t understand the intricacies.”