RFK Jr, IVF and the Push to Get to Root Cause of Health Problems
Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has pledged to eliminate America’s chronic disease epidemic.
It’s a lofty goal and an outcome that can’t come soon enough.
According to data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, upwards of 40% of youth are suffering from one or more persistent issues ranging from obesity to diabetes to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, to name just a few of the many conditions besetting young people.
Adults are faring even worse with six in ten navigating a chronic condition.
Secretary Kennedy has drawn a passionate following because he’s dared to challenge the status quo, especially a culture where medicine is often seen as the answer rather than making it a mission to root out main cause of the problem itself.
In fact, upwards of 43% of children and 66% of adults in the United States are on some form of medication. Not all drugs are equal, of course, and some are lifesaving and an absolute necessity. But many medications are masking larger problems.
Treating the root cause rather than the symptom of a condition is an age-old approach, of course. But with the advent of modern medicine, including the explosion of “Big Pharma” and promises to easily eradicate (albeit temporarily) discomfort by merely popping a pill, drugs are increasingly seen as a solution.
For example, for some, the use of controversial weight-loss medication is now replacing the tried-and-true methods of shedding unwanted pounds. But beware. It was Hippocrates, the Greek physician and philosopher, who was said to have advised, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
In the first chapter of Genesis, we read God’s own words: “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food” (Gen. 1:29).
There are no guarantees in life, but it’s a wise person who pays close attention to their diet, eating what God makes rather than what factories process and manufacture.
Rising rates of infertility is another example of a problem now being aggressively treated with not only medication but even unethical procedures that violate the sanctity of life itself. Often treated with In vitro fertilization, a multi-billion-dollar industry has emerged where embryos are created and then often destroyed after being deemed inferior and unlikely to survive a pregnancy.
Some doctors who perform IVF never really aim to get to the cause of the infertility. Instead, they’re looking for ways around it.
For years, Focus on the Family has provided advice and perspective on ways to minimize the ethical concerns of IVF. With upwards of 16% of women struggling to conceive, though, Christian couples should be aware of other ways to address the heartbreaking condition.
Known as “restorative reproductive medicine,” this approach aims to address the underlying causes of a woman’s inability to get pregnant, which can be many. For example, it might be related to hormones, thyroid, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, or countless other issues.
The best news about this approach is that it’s holistic and focuses on the overall health of the woman. It’s ethical and doesn’t look to cut corners and violate any moral laws. It recognizes that the end doesn’t justify the means.
Couples who are interested in this integrated approach can search in their area under “restorative reproductive medicine.”
Time will tell how successful Secretary Kennedy will be in helping America’s healthcare professionals and their patients shift their focus from pills to the root cause of the problem. To be fair, many doctors have been advocating for this approach for years, only to be rebuffed by those eager for a seemingly quick and easier cure.
