NTENTS

July 2016

Featuring

20 // TRANSFO

Transformations

It’s never too late life. We’re showc transformations ever. One woma director. Anothe

WRITERS: JAMES

JAMES COMBS / THERESA CAMPBELL

32 // RISING ABOVE

With that sweet, innocent smile and cheerful, outgoing personality, few realize 7-year-old Ava Barnes battles Type 1 diabetes and Celiac disease. Monitoring her blood-sugar levels and watching what she eats are enormous responsibilities for a girl her age, but Ava doesn’t allow the disease to dampen her enthusiasm for life.

WRITER: JAMES COMBS

Healthybody

LET’S MAKE A DILL

38 Reel in nutrition by preparing this creamy dill salmon recipe.

GET A LEG UP

40 There are things you can do to avoid varicose and spider veins.

TO BEAUTIFY…OR NOT TO BEAUTIFY

42 Cosmetic and skin-care products may lead to chemical exposure.

Healthymind

SWEET DREAMS

46 Restful sleep is vital to health and well-being.

STRESS BUSTER

48 Mindfulness can help keep your worries away.

HEALTHY

Spirit

JUGGLING ACT

52 Strike a healthy balance between work and play.

SMILE IN THE MIRROR ges in your rgone more than d pantr y es we’re .

54 Enhance self-esteem by embracing your strengths and weaknesses.

It’s never too late to make positive, meaningful changes in your life. We’re showcasing several people who have undergone transformations and, because of it, are enjoying life more than ever. One woman went from a career in fashion to food pantry director. Another woman became a professional bodybuilder at age 36. These are just two of the inspirational stories we’re highlighting this month.

Healthyfinance

DAVE SAYS

60 Financial expert Dave Ramsey offers commonsense financial strategies.

RIGHT ON THE MONEY

62 Common pitfalls of high amounts of debt.

ON THE COVER:

MODEL: MAX WETTSTEIN

PHOTOGRAPHER: FRANZ KRACHTUS OF HOLLYWOOD PIXELS

PHOTOSHOP: JOSH CLARK

DIGITIZE YOUR LIFE.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Order a subscription of your favorite magazine to be delivered directly to your home for just $72. Each subscription includes 12 consecutive issues of Lake & Sumter Style, Village Style or Healthy Living. Choose 2 or more magazines for $85 per year. To order, call 352.787.4112 or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: If you are a seasonal resident or have moved, send your address change request to general@ akersmediagroup.com or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

BACK ISSUES: Order a single issue by mail for $7, or 2 or more single issues for $9. To pick up a back issue from our office, please call 24 hours in advance.

KENDRA AKERS publisher/editor-in-chief kendra@akersmediagroup.com

DOUG AKERS vice president doug@akersmediagroup.com

JAMIE EZRA MARK chief creative officer jamie@akersmediagroup.com

EDITORIAL // DESIGN // PHOTOGRAPHY

JAMES COMBS staff writer james@akersmediagroup.com

LEIGH NEELY managing editor leigh@akersmediagroup.com

MICHELLE CLARK staff writer michelle@akersmediagroup.com

THERESA CAMPBELL staff writer theresa@akersmediagroup.com

DEBBI KIDDY staff writer debbie@akersmediagroup.com

JOE DELEON creative director joe@akersmediagroup.com

STEVEN J. CODRARO senior art director steve@akersmediagroup.com

JOSH CLARK senior designer josh@akersmediagroup.com

MICHAEL GAULIN production director michael@akersmediagroup.com

FRED LOPEZ chief photographer fred@akersmediagroup.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS//PHOTOGRAPHERS

JAIMIE ALONSO B.E. CONRAD FRED HILTON

LIZA WILLIAMS

You know the feeling—the familiar pleasure of sliding into the worn denim of a favorite pair of jeans. These jeans look great with your husband’s T-shirt, and they look great with pearls. You know the jeans—they are the old friend in your closet that never let you down and can make you feel sexy when you need it the most.

More than likely, these jeans have frays and even a few patches. But that’s why you love them. Do we feel the same way about our bodies? Is our skin something we can feel comfortable in?

Can we feel good in our skin despite its imperfections?

I believe we can, but how? First, we take an honest look at ourselves. Sure there are imperfections and flaws. And yes, some of them are permanent, but more often than not, many can be improved or eliminated.

KIM BADEN-KRISTENSEN FRANZ KRACHTUS

NIKO BERRY

PHOENIX GRIFFEN DAVE RAMSEY

SALES // MARKETING

TIM MCRAE vice president of sales tim@akersmediagroup.com

HEIDI RESSLER account representative heidi@akersmediagroup.com

DAVID COTE director of marketing david@akersmediagroup.com

That’s precisely why this month’s issue is themed “Look Good, Feel Good.” In a society where beauty presents prestige and power, leading a healthier lifestyle and enhancing your image will boost how you feel about yourself on the inside. And when you feel good on the inside, your confidence radiates outward, attracting others to you.

MIKE STEGALL senior account representative mike@akersmediagroup.com

LYNNE KELLEY account representative lynne@akersmediagroup.com

MELANIE MELVIN director of client services melanie@akerscreative.com

ADMINISTRATION

DEB MATLOCK office manager deb@akersmediagroup.com

AUBREY AKERS advertising coordinator aubrey@akersmediagroup.com

SHAENA CHASTAIN receptionist shaena@akersmediagroup.com

DISTRIBUTION

SCOTT HEGG distribution manager scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com

Perhaps no one embodies this more than Leesburg native Max Wettstein, who graces our cover for the second time. He is a stunning example of someone who cultivated his God-given gifts. Max was introduced to a healthy lifestyle at a very young age by his father. He embraced the belief that your body is a temple, and fitness became a way of life for him. Today, at the age of 46, Max has enjoyed a lifelong career as a fitness model and was featured on the covers of many prominent health and fitness magazines.

I think you’ll also enjoy the stories of those who found fulfillment in ways that didn’t involve a fitness regimen. These people discovered that sometimes it takes a complete life transformation to feel great on the inside, which radiates happiness on the outside.

If we make an effort to improve our lives, then we can feel good knowing we’ve done all we can do with what God gave us. Much like we appreciate that triedand-true pair of jeans, it’s important that we feel good in our own genes.

Until next month, Kendra Akers Aker

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