The esophagus is a hollow tube that carries food and liquids from your throat to your stomach. Early esophageal cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Later, you may have symptoms such as:

• Painful or difficult swallowing
• Weight loss
• A hoarse voice or cough that doesn't go away

You're at greater risk for getting esophageal cancer if you smoke, drink heavily, or have acid reflux. Your risk also goes up as you age

Your doctor uses imaging tests and a biopsy to diagnose esophageal cancer. Treatments include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. You might also need nutritional support, since the cancer or treatment may make it hard to swallow.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Exercise is anything that gets your body moving. Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It has many benefits, including improving your overall health and fitness, and reducing your risk for many chronic (long-term) diseases.

Every physical fitness routine is built on a few simple ideas. These include:

• Make exercise a habit, as your body adapts to the type of activity you do most often. Regular practice will help you improve.
• Build up your activity level slowly to help you continue to get stronger, faster, or more flexible without pushing too hard all at once.
• Challenge yourself by lifting slightly heavier weights, adding a few more minutes to your walk, or increasing your pace.
• Mix up your workouts to keep things interesting and help prevent injuries or burnout.
• Show up regularly, even for short sessions, to help you continue to make progress.

There are many different types of exercise. Before you start, check with your health care provider, especially if you have trouble moving, balancing, or worry that exercise might not be safe for you.

A few main types of exercise include:

• Aerobic exercises such as walking, running, or swimming are sometimes referred to as cardio. This is short for cardiovascular exercise. These exercises increase your breathing and heart rate. They keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your overall fitness.
• Strength, or resistance training, exercises use weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight to build stronger muscles.
• Balance exercises, such as tai chi or standing on one leg, improve your stability and coordination. They may make it easier for you to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls.
• Flexibility exercises, such as stretching or yoga, help your joints move more easily and improve your posture.

Most people benefit from a combination of these types of exercises. Your provider can help you choose the best type or amount of activity for you based on your fitness level and health.

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first. But you can start slowly and break your exercise time into chunks. Even small amounts of exercise can be helpful. You can work your way up to doing the recommended amount of exercise.How much exercise you needdepends on your age and health.

To get started, you don't need fancy equipment, but having the right tools can make it easier and more fun. There are a variety of places where you can exercise and create a routine that fits your lifestyle. This includes:

• At home. Dumbbells, kettlebells, a mat, or resistance bands are versatile and affordable options for strength training and stretching. A treadmill, a stationary bike, or a workout video are a few options for indoor cardio.
• A fitness center, gym, or health club. These places offer equipment, classes, and sometimes personal trainers for guidance and support. Ask if you can try the center before you join, and if staff are available to show you how to use the exercise equipment.
• Outdoors. Try riding a bike, walking your dog, or exploring local parks and trails. Dress for the weather and protect yourself from the sun. If safety is a concern, choose a well-lit neighborhood, a busy park, or even an indoor shopping mall for your walk.

Include activities that strengthen all parts of your body, especially your core, which are the muscles in your abdomen (belly), back, and hips. A strong core helps with balanceand stability and can lower your risk ofback injuries.

If youhaven't exercised in a while, start slowly and talk to your provider if you have health concerns. If you don't feel right, or have any pain, extremeshortness of breath, ordizziness, stop exercising and seek help right away.

Even with the best intentions, it's easy to fall off track. Here are some ways to keep going:

• Choose activities you enjoy. It's easier to make exercise a regular part of your life if you have fun doing it.
• Exercise safely. Use the proper equipment to preventinjuries, listen to your body, and don't overdo it.
• Give yourself goals. Your goals should be challenging, but realistic. It may be helpful to reward yourself when you reach them. The rewards could be something big, like new workout gear, or something smaller, such as a new water bottle or movie tickets.
• Mix it up. Try a new class, playlist, Podcast, or outdoor route when things get stale.
• Find an accountability partner. Exercise with a friend, join a group challenge, or check in with an online community.
• Use wearable technology. A pedometer or an app like a fitness tracker on your phone or other device can help you track your progress.

Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. There are four main types and each type is different. Doing them all will give you more benefits.:

• Endurance, or aerobic, activities increase your breathing and heart rate. Brisk walking or jogging, dancing, swimming, and biking are examples.
• Strength exercises make your muscles stronger. Lifting weights or using a resistance band can build strength.
• Balance exercises help prevent falls
• Flexibility exercises stretch your muscles and can help your body stay limber

If you have not been active, you can start slowly and work up to your goal. How much exercise you need depends on your age and health. Check with your health care provider on what is right for you.

NIH: National Institute on Aging

A fistula is an abnormal connection between two parts inside of the body. Fistulas may develop between different organs, such as between the esophagus and the windpipe or the bowel and the vagina. They can also develop between two blood vessels, such as between an artery and a vein or between two arteries.

Some people are born with a fistula. Other common causes of fistulas include:

• Complications from surgery
• Injury
• Infection
• Diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis

Treatment depends on the cause of the fistula, where it is, and how bad it is. Some fistulas will close on their own. In some cases, you may need antibiotics and/or surgery.

Does your child seem much shorter - or much taller - than other kids his or her age? It could be normal. Some children may be small for their age but still be developing normally. Some children are short or tall because their parents are.

But some children have growth disorders. Growth disorders are problems that prevent children from developing normal height, weight, sexual maturity or other features.

Very slow or very fast growth can sometimes signal a gland problem or disease.

The pituitary gland makes growth hormone, which stimulates the growth of bone and other tissues. Children who have too little of it may be very short. Treatment with growth hormone can stimulate growth.

People can also have too much growth hormone. Usually the cause is a pituitary gland tumor, which is not cancer. Too much growth hormone can cause gigantism in children, where their bones and their body grow too much. In adults, it can cause acromegaly, which makes the hands, feet and face larger than normal. Possible treatments include surgery to remove the tumor, medicines, and radiation therapy.