Health

For over 150 years, Seventh-day Adventists around the world have sought to promote whole-person health through our health research, health promotion, hospitals, clinics, health retreats and health education in universities and colleges.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church places a strong emphasis on health and wellness, following Christ’s example of bringing health, healing and hope to our members, patients and communities. We believe the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that wellness can be enhanced by living within God’s will. The Adventist health emphasis is based on biblical revelation, the inspired writing of Ellen G. White (co-founder of the church) and on peer-reviewed scientific literature. 

From simple beginnings in 1863, Adventist Health has grown to include health education in our 118 tertiary institutions; health care through our 227 hospitals and sanitariums, and 673 medical clinics. It has had a positive impact on the health and lifestyles of millions of people through major health education initiatives, including the fight against smoking.

Our focus on health research contributed significantly to the field of nutrition, where a whole food plant-based diet is recognised in scientific literature as a major contributor in achieving wellness. Seventh-day Adventists have been enjoying the benefits of practising this lifestyle for over 150 years, with Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, USA being identified as one of the five regions where people live healthier for longer.

Dan Buettner of National Geographic identified Adventist health principles and lifestyles as key contributors to their health and longevity, with Adventists living up to 10 years longer than other Americans.¹

1. Buettner B. The Blue Zones: 9 lessons for living longer from the people who’ve lived the longest. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. 2012.

Today, our vision to promote wellness for all remains one of our core values, and is evident in our philosophy, vision, mission and activities. Through advances in lifestyle research, we have further expanded our understanding of wellness. Our focus is on bringing health, healing and hope to our members, patients and communities, across all 7 Dimensions of Wellness – emotional, physical, social, vocational, intellectual, environmental and spiritual.