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Fire destroys home in Syracuse

Jessica Yadegaran

JIM STEVENS/Contra Costa Times
Robert Rose, 81, who has suffered from constant heartburn for years, is battling esophageal cancer. He is shown at his home in San Ramon, Calif.

Don't ignore acid reflux -- it can lead to cancer

Last updated Monday, May 7, 2012 - 2:56pm

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- James Revier, of San Jose, Calif., had no idea his heartburn was anything more than a nuisance until six years ago, when a piece of beef became logged in his esophagus and sent him to the emergency room.

The on-call internist removed the meat and suggested Revier see a gastroenterologist for the lingering redness. It's a good thing he did. Revier had developed Barrett's esophagus, a condition caused by prolonged acid reflux. Over time, it produces cellular changes which can lead to adenocarcinoma, a type of esophageal cancer.

Features, Acid reflux, Esophageal cancer, Obesity Read more Comments

LAURA A. ODA/Oakland Tribune
Tony Briggs, director and owner of Turtle Island Yoga, demonstrates the correct way to do the head to knee Yoga pose, stressing the use of the supplemental equipment that is meant to help prevent injury, at the Berkeley Yoga Center in Berkeley, Calif.

Considering yoga? Listen to your body to prevent injuries

Jessica Yadegaran Contra Costa Times

Last updated Monday, February 27, 2012 - 4:45pm

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Mark Goldman was a relative newcomer to yoga when he found himself teetering in standing lotus pose with an instructor barking over him like a drill sergeant.

"You can get into this pose," the yogi said. "Push harder."

Goldman, a "typical Silicon Valley" go-getter who works in high tech sales, took the bait. The harder the better, he thought. He deepened his squat, forcing his knee down. Then -- snap.

He'd torn his meniscus, the tissue that aids motion in the knee. Surgery would repair it. However, it would take Goldman, a longtime runner with a stiff body, years to develop a mindful yoga practice more in line with what Indians intended when they developed the lifestyle 5,000 years ago.

Features, Health, Yoga Read more Comments