Pathogenic vs Salutogenic

This week I want to discuss the topic of pathogenesis vs salutogenesis, as this topic will come into play in future weeks as we discuss more and more health topics.

Genesis means creation. What you focus on expands. 

According to Webster Dictionary, pathogenesis ‘means the origination and development of a disease’. Therefore pathogenesis is the study of disease, diagnosis and treatment of those diagnoses. This is typically what we find in most forms of healthcare. When we link the word patho to genesis we focus on the creation of disease. 

According to Webster Dictionary, salutogenesis is "how people stay well when encountering periods of stress.” For the salutogenic approach to health the focus is on what causes people to be well, creating and building health. 

With these two approaches to healthcare you can see that the questions asked are vastly different. With different questions you get different answers for not only your overall health and wellbeing but your outcomes as well. 

Some things I would like for you to consider this week. Let me ask you this: if you have no symptoms does it mean you are healthy?  If you have symptoms does it mean you aren't healthy?
Have you ever eaten a meal that just did not agree with you, I am talking diarrhea, fever, and pucking. Would you consider yourself healthy at this moment? There was a time not too long ago I would have said man I am sick. But am I truly sick or is my body expressing health in the best way that it can to get rid of whatever toxic little parasites or bacteria I ingested. 

Or consider this. What is the first sign of a heart attack? If you answered death you are correct.  Typically death is the first sign and most of the time the person would state they are healthy, they do not have any signs of symptoms of something wrong. But likely their arteries have been clogged and not functioning at their best for days, weeks, months, probably even years. 

When you want to create health, the conversations are different, the goals are different, the outcomes are different.