From “What’s Wrong?” to “How Do We Rebuild?”

Two powerful frameworks we use at GHRI for chronic health concerns.

If you’ve been dealing with stubborn health concerns—like elevated cholesterol markers, blood sugar swings, extra weight that won’t budge, fatigue, inflammation, or “mystery symptoms”—you’ve probably noticed something frustrating:

You can do “all the right things” and still feel stuck.

At Geauga Holistic Rehabilitation Institute, we use two complementary models to make sense of chronic, complex patterns and to build a clearer, step-by-step plan:

• Salugenesis (Robert Naviaux, MD/PhD): a biology-of-healing model focused on how the body moves through stages of recovery (and what happens when it gets stuck).

• Salutogenesis (Aaron Antonovsky, PhD): a health-creation model focused on how people build resilience and momentum through stress—using internal and external resources.

Together, these models help us answer two critical questions:

1. What does your body need in order to shift from “defense mode” into repair and restoration?

2. What do you need (practically and emotionally) to follow a plan long enough to see real change?

1) Salugenesis: the body’s healing cycle

(and why chronic issues can persist)

Salugenesis describes healing as a three-phase biological cycle that requires energy and coordinated changes in metabolism and mitochondria (your cells’ energy “hubs”). In Naviaux’s work, these phases are commonly described as:

• Phase 1: Inflammation/Defense

• Phase 2: Repair/Proliferation

• Phase 3: Differentiation/Resolution & rebuilding 

This is a helpful reframe for chronic metabolic concerns because many “modern” health problems aren’t just about one lab number. They’re often about the body staying stuck in an adaptive survival state—where it’s prioritizing short-term protection over long-term repair.

What “stuck healing” can look like in real life

When a system stays in a prolonged stress/defense pattern, you may see things like:

• Blood sugar volatility, cravings, energy crashes

• Inflammation patterns that won’t settle

• Sleep that doesn’t restore

• Sluggish weight loss despite effort

• Lipid markers that don’t respond as expected

• Blood pressure and cardiovascular strain trends

Salugenesis helps us think less in terms of “force the body to change” and more like:“What signals of safety, resources, and timing does the body need to complete the next phase of healing?”

2) Salutogenesis: building health by building capacity

Salutogenesis comes from the study of why some people stay well (or regain wellness) even under stress. Instead of focusing only on risk factors and disease, it focuses on the origins of health—and the resources that move you toward better function over time.

A core concept is Sense of Coherence (SOC)—the degree to which life (and your health plan) feels:

• Comprehensible: “This makes sense.”

• Manageable: “I can actually do this.”

• Meaningful: “This matters enough to me to keep going.”

Salutogenesis also highlights the importance of resources, often called Generalized Resistance Resources (GRRs)—things like support systems, skills, routines, finances, access to care, self-efficacy, and community.

Why this matters for lipids, blood sugar, weight, and cardiovascular health

Most “metabolic improvement” plans fail for one of two reasons:

1. The plan is biologically mismatched (too intense too soon, or not targeted to the real drivers).

2. The plan is life-mismatched (too complicated, too rigid, too overwhelming).

Salutogenesis keeps us honest: if the plan isn’t doable and meaningful, it won’t last long enough to work.

How we use both models together at GHRI

Think of it like this:

Salugenesis answers: “What stage is your body in—and what does it need next?”

Salutogenesis answers: “What support and structure do you need to follow through?”

Here’s what that looks like for common chronic metabolic concerns.

Lipid support (cholesterol patterns)

• Salugenesis lens: Are we dealing with a short-term “firefighting” physiology (stress/inflammation), a repair phase, or a rebuilding phase? What foundational inputs (sleep, nutrient status, inflammation balance, digestion, movement tolerance) need to be stabilized before pushing aggressive interventions?

• Salutogenesis lens: Can you understand your markers and your “why”? Do you have a sustainable food structure and routine you can keep? Do you have support at home and a plan that fits your real schedule?

Blood sugar support (insulin resistance patterns)

• Salugenesis lens: Is the body perceiving threat (sleep debt, stress load, inflammation), driving glucose instability as a survival strategy? Are we over-prescribing intensity (fasting/exercise/carb restriction) when your system needs stabilization first?

• Salutogenesis lens: Are your meals, timing, and movement “manageable,” or are they perfectionistic and brittle? Do you have a fallback plan for hard days?

Cardiovascular support (blood pressure, vascular tone, resilience)

• Salugenesis lens: What does your nervous system and inflammatory load suggest about recovery capacity? Is your body in a chronic “high-alert” pattern that keeps cardiovascular demand elevated?

• Salutogenesis lens: Are we building calming routines and social supports that lower strain over time—and do you feel confident you can maintain them?

Weight management

• Salugenesis lens: Weight is often a downstream outcome of energy regulation, inflammation balance, sleep quality, and stress physiology. We ask: what’s blocking the healing cycle from completing?

• Salutogenesis lens: We aim for a plan that creates momentum—clear, simple, repeatable steps that fit your life, not a temporary “bootcamp” you can’t sustain.

What you can expect from this approach

When we apply these frameworks well, the goal is that you feel:

• More clarity: “I finally understand what we’re doing and why.” (comprehensible)

• More traction: “This is realistic—I can follow it.” (manageable)

• More purpose: “This connects to what I want my life to look like.” (meaningful)

• More capacity over time: better energy, more stable cravings, improved recovery, better tolerance to exercise, and steadier metabolic progress—because the plan matches your current phase.

A quick note on what this is (and isn’t)

These models don’t replace medical diagnosis or urgent care. They’re organizing frameworks—a way to build a smarter, more personalized strategy for chronic patterns that don’t respond well to one-size-fits-all advice.

Want help applying this to your case?

If you’re dealing with chronic concerns like lipids, blood sugar, cardiovascular resilience, weight management, fatigue, or inflammation patterns, we can help you figure out:

1. Where you are in the healing cycle (salugenesis), and

2. What resources and structure will make your plan workable (salutogenesis).

If you’ve been stuck for a while, you don’t need more random tips—you need a clear plan.

In a Complimentary Consultation, we’ll listen to your story, clarify your top priorities, and outline what support would make the biggest difference right now.

Schedule your complimentary consultation and let’s build momentum.

Schedule TODAY!