(1885– ; 1885–1891, as Pacific Health Journal and Temperance Advocate; January 1892–June 1904, as Pacific Health Journal; June-December 1915, as Health and Temperance; January 1916–August 1981, as Life and Health; September 1981–December 1984, as Your Life and Health; absorbed Health 1948; bimonthly; RH ; 1994 circulation 27,000).
Subtitled “A Magazine for Healthful Living,” it is a health magazine that promotes an improved quality of life through emphasis on proper nutrition and exercise, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and positive family relationships. Its focus is disease prevention and longevity. Its aim is similar to that of the first Seventh-day Adventist health journal, the Health Reformer, as set forth in its first issue, 20 years earlier: “[It is] our ardent desire to do all that lies in our power to instruct and benefit the people in relation to the right method of living. . . .
“It shall be our great object to lay before our readers facts of vital importance in relation to the health reform, and aim to instruct the people how to avoid sickness, or if sick, how to regain their health, and that without poisons. . . .
“Sickness has come to be the ruling condition of mankind, and health the exception; and a better state of things cannot be expected until the laws of life and health are better understood and obeyed” (1:8, August 1866).
Vibrant Life began in 1885 as a bimonthly, the Pacific Health Journal and Temperance Advocate (monthly from 1888 on). It had been suggested in 1884 by the newly opened health institution called the Rural Health Retreat (now the St. Helena Hospital and Health Center) as a joint venture with the Pacific Press. It was for many years published for the sanitarium by the Pacific Press in Oakland.
In August 1901 the Pacific Health Journal was announced as “the health organ of the Pacific Union Conference,” and with the September number the headquarters were transferred to San Francisco. Financial responsibility was retained by the California Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association, which had been named in the editorial box since April 1899. In March 1904 the Pacific Union Conference voted to transfer their health journal to the Review and Herald Publishing Association: “Whereas, There is need of a low-priced, popular health journal, on which all our people can unite in giving a large circulation; and—
“Whereas, It should bear such a general name, and be published in such a place, as will make it a representative of the whole field; therefore—
“ 7. We recommend, ( a )That our brethren at Washington, D.C., be invited to publish such a journal, and that we pledge to it our hearty support; and ( b ) that the Pacific Health Journal be offered to the Review and Herald, of Washington, D.C., and that they be invited to change its name and make-up as they may deem necessary to accomplish the purpose mentioned above” ( Review and Herald 81:17, May 12, 1904).
The Review and Herald , announcing the transfer, beginning with the July number, printed the following statement, to appear in the final (June) number of the Health Journal: “It is the purpose of the new publishers to make the magazine a worthy exponent of the true principles of health and temperance reform in their broadest application to the physical and spiritual welfare of the people. We intend to make the instruction simple and practical, dealing with those questions which enter so largely into the common experiences of the home life, seeking to stimulate the desire for the better way of living, and to impart as much help as possible in the application of right principles” (81:5, May 19, 1904).
Thus the Pacific Health Journal moved to Washington, D.C., and came out in July 1904 as Life and Health , which name it retained, with the exception of the period from June to December 1915, when it was called Health and Temperance.
A general medical council of the North American Division held in Kansas City Aug. 22–25, 1961, recommended: “1. Designation of Life and Health as the official magazine for Medical Missionary Day.
“2. Assignment of a portion of the Medical Missionary Day offering for Life and Health subscriptions to be sent as the pastor’s or church’s gift to community leaders, physicians, dentists, schools, libraries and hospitals, and
“3. Encouragement to our own church members, physicians, dentists, and medical and educational institutions to subscribe to Life and Health.”
In July 1972 major changes were made in Life and Health. Both the format and the journalistic approach were altered in order to appeal more directly to the non- SDA reader and thus enlarge the magazine’s potential as a missionary journal. Even more emphasis was given to prevention, and feature articles were referenced with documentation from scientific sources. Several special issues on prevention were published.
Since the January 1985 issue, when the name was changed to Vibrant Life , the magazine has been published bimonthly. A yearlong pilot program indicated the magazine should be directed toward Seventh-day Adventist Church members, encouraging them to use it as a witnessing tool.
In 1987 the staff was expanded to include senior editors in the areas of exercise and fitness, nutrition, substance abuse, family and general medicine, respectively. This new direction resulted in Vibrant Life being used as an outreach journal by chaplains in SDA hospitals. A partnership was formed in 1987 between Vibrant Life and the Christian Lifestyle Magazine television program whereby the journal would be considered by the television program as its official print medium, and would be promoted on television stations nationwide. The magazine is also sold by literature evangelists.
In 1991 Vibrant Life was repositioned to appeal to younger, non- SDA readers (age 35 and over), in order to expand the magazine’s potential as a missionary journal. Columns and special features on self-improvement, women, family, and overcoming personal obstacles were added.
A braille edition of Life and Health , composed mostly of extracts from the ink print edition, was published by the Christian Record Braille Foundation, Lincoln, Nebraska, first issued in 1952 and continued until 1982. Its circulation of about 6,000 extended outside the United States and Canada to about 80 other countries.
Editors: J. H. Waggoner, 1885–1887; J. N. Loughborough, 1887–1890; W. P. Burke, M.D., 1891–1892; M. C. Wilcox, 1892; W. H. Maxson, M.D., 1892–1897; A. J. Sanderson, M.D., 1897–1899; G. H. Heald, M.D., 1899–1917; H. W. Miller, M.D., February 1917–June 1919; L. A. Hansen, 1919–1933; A. W. Truman, 1933–1935; L. A. Hansen, 1936; Francis D. Nichol, 1937–1946; J. Wayne McFarland, M.D., 1946–1949; J. DeWitt Fox, M.D., 1949–1972; M. G. Hardinge, M.D., 1972–1975; Don Hawley, 1975–1977; Leo Van Dolson, 1978–1979; Joyce McClintock, 1979–1981; Robert S. Smith (acting), 1981–1982; Thomas A. Davis (acting), 1982–1984; Ralph Blodgett, 1984–1988; Raymond H. Woolsey, 1988–1991; Barbara Jackson-Hall, 1991–1995; Larry R. Becker, 1995– .
Editors of the Braille Edition: C. W. Degering, 1952–1960; C. G. Cross, 1960–1964; B. Y. Baughman, 1964–1965; R. A. Gibson, 1965–1971; Richard Kaiser, 1971–1973; C. G. Cross, 1973–1974; Richard Kaiser, 1974–1982.