Digestive
System
Digestive System
The function of the digestive system is digestion
and absorption. Digestion is the breakdown of
food into small molecules, which are then
absorbed into the body. The digestive system is
divided into two major parts: The digestive tract
(alimentary canal) is a continuous tube with two
openings: the mouth and the anus.
Mouth
The digestive process starts in your
mouth when you chew. Your salivary
glands make saliva, a digestive juice,
which moistens food so it moves more
easily through your esophagus into your
stomach.
Saliva
Saliva or spit, begins to form
in your mouth.
When you do eat, the saliva
breaks down the chemicals
in the food a bit, which helps
make the food mushy and
easy to swallow. Your
tongue helps out, pushing
the food around while you
chew with your teeth.
Bolus
When you're ready to
swallow, the tongue
pushes a tiny bit of
mushed-up food called a
bolus toward the back of
your throat and into the
opening of your
esophagus, the second part
of the digestive tract.
Esophagus
The esophagus is
like a stretchy
pipe that's about
10 inches (25
centimeters) long.
It moves food
from the back of
your throat to
your stomach.
Epiglottis
When you swallow a small
ball of mushed-up food or
liquids, a special flap called
the epiglottis flops down
over the opening of your
windpipe to make sure the
food enters the esophagus
and not the windpipe
Stomach
Your stomach, which is attached to the end of the
esophagus,
It has three important jobs:
• to store the food you've eaten
• to break down the food into a liquidy mixture
• to slowly empty that liquidy mixture into the small
intestine.
The stomach is like a mixer, churning and mashing
together all the small balls of food that came down the
esophagus into smaller and smaller pieces.
Gastric juices
juices that also come from the
stomach's walls. In addition to
breaking down food, gastric juices
also help kill bacteria that might be
in the eaten food.
Small intestine
The small intestine is a long tube that's about 1½ inches to
2 inches (about 3.5 to 5 centimeters) around, and it's
packed inside you beneath your stomach.
The small intestine breaks down the food mixture even
more so your body can absorb all the vitamins, minerals,
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Pancreas
The pancreas is an organ located in the
abdomen. It plays an essential role in
converting the food we eat into fuel for the
body's cells. The pancreas has two main
functions: an exocrine function that helps in
digestion and an endocrine function that
regulates blood sugar.
Liver
The liver is an organ only found in
vertebrates which detoxifies various
metabolites, synthesizes proteins and
produces biochemicals necessary for
digestion and growth. In humans, it is
located in the right upper quadrant of the
abdomen, below the diaphragm.
Large Intestine
Function. The large intestine has 3 primary
functions: absorbing water and
electrolytes, producing and absorbing
vitamins, and forming and propelling
feces toward the rectum for elimination.
Maintaining a healthy
digestive system
Good (healthy) digestion is a 'silent'
process - digestion in some form is taking
place while we rest, eat, sleep or work.
We generally only become aware of
digestion when something goes wrong
(eg, if you eat foods that don't agree with
your body or drink too much alcohol or
say, if you become constipated or have
gas).
Eat a healthy diet
Eat foods rich in fibre (vegetables, fruit and
wholegrains/cereals). Fibre encourages
passage of material through the digestive
system and gives the correct consistency
and bulk to stools. Ideally you should
consume at least 30 grams of fibre per day.
A balanced diet that is rich in fibre may
reduce the risk of developing diverticular
disease, heart disease, or colorectal cancer.
Drink plenty of fluids
Drink plenty of fluids especially water. Water
helps to dissolve some
nutrients, encourages
passage of waste through
the digestive system and
helps soften stools.
Exercise regularly
Regular cardiovascular exercise helps to
strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and
reduces sluggishness by stimulating the
intestinal muscles to push digestive contents
through your system.
Reduce/manage stress
levels
You may have noticed a
feeling of unease in the
abdomen during times
of stress. Stress effects
the nerves of the
digestive system and
can upset the intricate
balance of digestion.
Quit smoking
Smoking lowers the pressure at the
junction between the stomach and
esophagus, promoting backflow of
stomach acid into the esophagus
(reflux) - which can result in
heartburn and other complications.