A decade of delight

Having spent the majority of my career in publishing sales and marketing, I always dreamed about starting my own publication someday.

That dream came true 10 years ago this month with the launch of Healthy Living. Our company started with a splash—literally.

It seems like it was yesterday when the original Akers team stepped into the fountain in front of Leesburg City Hall to have staff photos taken. We were wet and wild that night, and it was certainly a sign of all the wonderful times to come.

As I reflect on the past decade, I grin from ear to ear. Healthy Living has achieved so much. National celebrities and athletes such as Guy Fieri and Tyson Gay have graced our cover. We followed the weight-loss efforts of two locals—B.E. Thompson and Traci Oliver—and provided monthly updates throughout their successful journeys. The publication has placed in the category of “Best Overall Magazine” by the Florida Magazine Association every year since 2010.

All of those achievements are quite extraordinary. However, what makes my heart fill with pride the most is when members of the community approach me and explain how Healthy Living has made a difference in their lives. Impacting lives is—and always has been—the ultimate objective of this publication.

Our success would not have been possible without our faithful readers. Throughout the years, you guys have sent us wonderful story ideas, provided us with unconditional support, and faithfully picked up your copy of the magazine at the beginning of each month. I love hearing when Scott Hegg, our distribution manager, has to refill our display racks.

Despite our accomplishments over the past decade, we’re not content to rest on our laurels. In the next 10 years, we will work extremely hard to help Healthy Living reach new heights.

Here’s to a happy and healthy October.

Doug Akers / President doug@akersmediagroup.com

Kendra Akers / Publisher/Editor-In-Chief kendra@akersmediagroup.com

Jamie Ezra Mark jamie@akersmediagroup.com editorial, design & photography

Leigh Neely Managing Editor leigh@akersmediagroup.com

James Combs Staff Writer james@akersmediagroup.com

Theresa Campbell Staff Writer theresa@akersmediagroup.com

Chris Gerbasi Staff Writer chris@akersmediagroup.com

Paula F. Howard Staff Writer paula@akersmediagroup.com

Jason Fugate Creative Director jason@akersmediagroup.com

Volkan Ulgen Art Director volkan@akersmediagroup.com

Josh Clark Senior Designer josh@akersmediagroup.com

Michael Gaulin Production Director michael@akersmediagroup.com

Anthony Rao Staff Photographer anthony@akersmediagroup.com

Nicole Hamel Staff Photographer nicole@akersmediagroup.com contributing writers

Dr. Richard T. Bosshardt, Dave Ramsey, Joy Stephenson-Laws , Dr. Sherrie Campbell , Julie Potiker, Jennifer Longmore, Crystal Oculee, Carol Tuttle, Pamela Yellen, Jo Ann Simon sales & marketing

Tim McRae

Vice President, Sales tim@akersmediagroup.com

Melanie Melvin Director of Marketing Melanie@akersmediagroup.com

Jacquelyn Singer Advertising Executive jacquelyn@akersmediagroup.com

Kendra Akers

Judi Murphy Advertising Executive judi@akersmediagroup.com

Shaena Chastain Sales Assistant shaena@akersmediagroup.com administration

Deb Matlock Director of Client Services deb@akersmediagroup.com

Aubrey Akers Simmons aubrey@akersmediagroup.com distribution

Scott Hegg / Distribution Manager scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com digital social media

Garrett Reardon / Digital Specialist garrett@akersmediagroup.com

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

The latest editions of Healthy Living, Lake & Sumter Style, Village Style, and Welcome to Lake County

Get Yours

Subscriptions: Order a subscription of your favorite magazine to be delivered directly to your home for just $84. Each subscription includes 12 consecutive issues of Healthy Living, Lake & Sumter Style, or Village Style. Choose 2 or more magazines for $108 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

Healthmatters

FIORDIFRUTTA!

The staff recently received samples of Rigoni di Asiago Fiordifrutta and loved it. Unlike jams and preserves, these delicious fruit spreads are sweetened with apple juice. Each jar contains more than 3 pounds of perfectly ripened organic, non-GMO fruit with 30 percent fewer calories than other brands. Fiordifrutta means “the finest fruits,” which this certainly is, and you can get a variety of flavors including pink grapefruit, black currant, and pomegranate, or raspberry, strawberry, and wild blueberry. Rigoni di Asiago Fiordifrutta is certified USDA organic, non-GMO and Star-Kosher. It is gluten-free and available in stores nationwide and online in 250g (8.82-ounce) and 270g (9.17-ounce) glass jars. For more information, visit rigonidiasiago-usa.com/.

Aha Recognizes Cfh

FHW TOPS OUT!

Florida Hospital Waterman recently celebrated a “Topping Out” ceremony with the placement of the building’s highest structural element. Members of the community were invited to visit the Tavares campus and sign the tower’s special beam.

Construction on the four-story tower began in July 2017 and should be completed by July 2019. It adds more than 111,000 square feet of patient care space, expands the emergency room department to 58 beds, and adds a 24-bed women and children’s unit on the second floor of the tower. Floors three and four will be shelled for future growth.

Central Florida Health, which includes Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, was recently recognized by the American Heart Association. The two hospitals received the highestlevel AHA Workplace Health Gold Achievement Award for the second consecutive year, according to a news release.

“It is an honor to receive this award for the second year in a row,” says Juli Romero-Gomez, RN, coordinator of the Healthy You, Healthy Us Wellness Program at CFH. “It is a true testament to all of the hard work and health changes being made individually and system-wide.”

More than 1,000 companies completed the assessment this year and out of those, only 75 percent received gold, silver, or bronze recognition. Benchmarking reports are sent to companies to allow them to identify areas for improvement to advance performance and recognition, helping their workforce move toward ideal heart health.

Source: Disabled-world.com

Central Florida Health Recognized

Central Florida Health was nationally recognized for achievements in quality care and value, according to a news release. Central Florida Health comprises Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, and the two participated along with 91 other hospitals in a joint quality improvement effort with the help of a working committee of the Florida Hospital Association.

Accomplishments included a 40 percent reduction in clostridium difficile hospital-acquired infections; a 21 percent reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infections; a 23 percent reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections; and a 21-percent reduction in methicillin-resistant staphylococcus areus infections.

The program is still in effect, though its overall goal was to improve patient safety measures by sharing and implementing best practices in FHA hospitals.

Phyllis Baum, RN, chief quality officer for CFH, served in a leadership capacity on the committee. “It was an honor to serve and to ultimately achieve these improvements,” she says in the release. “CFH hospitals remain steadfast in their ongoing commitment to continuously improve the quality of care—each patient, every day, and every time.”

Good Gummies

Rainbow Light Probiolicious Probiotic Gummies were recently sent to the staff, and two of us participated in a test. What we discovered is the delicious gummies do what they promise to do, which is improve digestive health. Being gluten-free and containing no artificial sweeteners, the gummy supplements are also dairy-free. The beauty is these supplements can be taken by children or adults. The dosage for children ages 4-12 is one gummy per day and for children over 12 to adults, it’s two gummies per day. Get information at rainbowlight.com, and check out the informative blog, Living Well, that provides lots of information about a variety