Digestive System
The Digestive System
The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract—also called the digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine—which includes the rectum—and anus. Food enters the mouth and passes to the anus through the hollow organs of the GI tract. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system. The digestive system helps the body digest food.
Why is it Important
Digestion is important for breaking down food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before the blood absorbs them and carries them to cells throughout the body. The body breaks down nutrients from food and drink into carbohydrates, protein, fats, and vitamins.
What your food goes through
Food is broken down as it travels from the Mouth, Pharynx, Esophagus, Stomach, Small Intestine, where the Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas help in digestion, to the Large Intestine and waste finally exiting through the anus.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - severe heartburn.
Jaundice (means yellow in french) - Yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes from backup of bile metabolic by-products from the blood into body tissues.
Dysphagia - Difficulty swallowing.
Chron's Disease - a chronic inflammatory disease primarily of the bowel
Can you swallow while you are upside-down
Yes, you can swallow upside down because the muscles around the esophagus are strong enough to push the food up to your stomach.
The Stomach
The Stomach is a sack that receives the food from the esophagus. Your stomach is located just below the heart. The stomach makes digestive juices (acids and enzymes) that help to break our food down into a thick liquid or paste. This thick liquid or paste is called Chyme. Your stomach is a muscular organ that is able to move in order to mix the food with digestive juices. Food usually remains in the stomach for about two hours.
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Does the body digest all the food we eat ?
No because your body produces waste without producing waste your body would have to work really hard to try to use all the food you eat.