The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) established September as Fruits and Veggies – More Matters Month. Bone and joint health is more than adding exercise or rehabilitation from an injury into your daily routine. We recently talked about the importance of bone health in a blog post, but now we want to talk about the role of your diet and bone health.

The physicians here at OAZ are all advocates of exercise and healthy living. When we include more fruits and veggies into our diet, we provide our body with vitamins and minerals, both important to our bones and muscles.

The following vitamins and minerals are found in fruits and veggies:

• Calcium: It’s essential for healthy bones and teeth and assists with normal functioning of muscles, nerves and some glands.
• Fiber: Diets rich in fiber have shown to decrease risk of coronary heart disease.
• Folate: May reduce women’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect.
• Iron: We need iron for healthy blood and normal functioning of all cells.
• Magnesium: Necessary for healthy bones and is involved with more than 300 enzymes in your body. Inadequate amounts may result in muscle cramps.
• Potassium: Diets rich in potassium may help maintain healthy blood pressure.
• Sodium: Needed for normal cell function. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
• Vitamin A: Keeps skin and eyes healthy. Helps protect against infections.
• Vitamin C: Keeps teeth and gums healthy. Helps heal cuts and wounds.

Remember when you’re filling your plate at home or at a restaurant, the more colorful and the more texture the food has, the better!

Happy eating and for more information on Fruits and Veggies – More Matters Month check out the website here.

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The physicians at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville welcome Dr. James Gasparine to the practice. Dr. Gasparine comes to Zanesville from West Virginia University where he completed his sports medicine fellowship. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from West Virginia Wesleyan College. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from West Virginia University.

Dr. Gasparine is board-certified in family medicine in Florida, West Virginia and Ohio. He completed his residency at the University of South Florida with a concentration in nutrition and weight loss. Dr. Gasparine also worked for the Seminole High School football team as its physician and with Division I collegiate athletics while a resident at the University of South Florida and a fellow at West Virginia University. He manned a medical tent for a World Ironman competition and acted as team physician for the Arena Football League team, the Tampa Bay Storm.

Dr. Gasparine is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association. He will be a strong sports medicine resource for the Zanesville community and throughout southeast Ohio.

Dr. Karl Saunders president of Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville was recently featured in Genesis HealthCare System’s monthly publication, Live Well.

The article discusses Genesis being named an Institute of Quality for total joint replacement by Aetna and Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville partnership in orthopedic care with the health system.

To read the article and the entire May issue, click here.

ZANESVILLE, OHIO – Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville is being recognized for its department of radiology services.

The practice’s Musculoskeletal MRI scanner is among the first 500 in the nation to gain accreditation from the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Magnetic Resonance Laboratories (ICAMRL).

ICAMRL, a nationally-recognized accreditation commission, granted Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville the accreditation as a result of its superior operational and technical use, adherence to procedures and its diagnostic capabilities.

“Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville is committed to providing our patients with high-quality care using state-of-the art equipment,” said Karl Saunders, MD, president of Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville. “We believe in quickly diagnosing our patients’ concerns and getting them back to what’s most important—living life.”

The ICAMRL is a member of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), an organization that provides oversight and management services to each member of its accrediting bodies. The ICAMRL is one of the leading organizations for ensuring medical practices uphold quality diagnostic procedures.

About Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville
Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville is a full service, comprehensive, state-of-the-art orthopaedic center of excellence, with a mission dedicated to relieving pain and restoring an active lifestyle in each patient. Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville has a team of highly skilled, board certified orthopaedic surgeons and specialized health care professionals. For more information, visit www.orthozane.com

Media Contact:
Brynn Burton
Paul Werth Associates
Phone: (614) 224-8114
E-mail: bburton@paulwerth.com

The bone and joint experts at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville remind you to be careful if you’re in the process of moving as the physical intensity of moving can be extreme.

Packing boxes, moving heavy furniture, emptying overhead cabinets – all come with some risk for injury, especially to your back. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for Americans visiting their doctors. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 21.9 million people visited their physician for back pain in 2007 and 4.8 million went to the emergency room for such back ailments.

To avoid heavy-lifting injuries, keep the following tips in mind:
• It is important to separate your feet, shoulder-width apart and bend at the knees while tightening the stomach muscles.
• Try and get help. Ask a friend to help or leave the job to the professionals who are trained to lift properly.
• Do not move a very large or awkwardly shaped item yourself, even if you think it is light enough. You could limit your visual scope or strain your neck or back trying to balance it.
• Use several smaller boxes for heavier items and don’t stack boxes above shoulder level when carrying.
• When moving boxes or any object, remove all obstacles – especially smaller throw rugs – from the walkways and stairways and keep the floor and stairs dry to avoid slipping.

Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville bone and joint experts wish you a successful move!