The Digestive System

The Digestive System Function: Changes food you eat into nutrients that your cells can use and removes wastee. Alimentary Canal: The complete digestive system (mouth to rectum). Digestion: Food is changed so that it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Forms of Digestion Mechanical Chemical Foods are physically broken down into smaller pieces Food is broken down by moving it. Chemical Chemicals produced by the body break foods down into their smaller building blocks. For example, proteins are broken down into amino acids; large sugars are broken down to glucose

Parts of the Digestive System Teeth: Grinds your food. Salivary Glands: Produce the saliva in your mouth. Tongue: Helps to push food into your esophagus.

Parts of the Digestive System Esophagus: The tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Epiglottis: The flap of skin that covers the trachea Uvula: Covers the nasal passage

Peristalsis Waves

Parts of the Digestive System Stomach: Stores all the food. (warehouse for food) Sphincter muscles: The muscles found at each end of the stomach. Chyme:The mixture of partially digested food and digestive juices that is formed in the stomach.

How food moves through the Digestive System !! Peristalsis Waves: Smooth muscle that moves food through the digestive system. Absorption: The process where digested food gets into the blood stream

Absorption in the Small Intestine Villi: Tiny projections on the inner walls of the small intestine where absorption takes place. Most chemical digestion takes place here.

Parts of the Digestive System Duodenum: The tube that runs from the stomach to the small intestine. Small Intestine: Where digestion first takes place.

Parts of the Digestive System Colon Large Intestine: Three Parts: Ascending Colon Traverse Colon Descending Colon Appendix: Attached to the beginning of the Ascending Colon

Other Parts of the Digestive System Liver: Makes bile and sends it to the gall bladder. Bile: A substance produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Gall Bladder: Receives bile from the liver and stores the bile

Other Parts of the Digestive System Pancreas: Breaks down sugars and starches.

The Human Digestive System This link provided us with a great review activity for learning the Digestive System parts. Back

The Process of Removing Waste Kidneys: Filter the water and dissolved wastes in the body. Ureters: Narrow tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to the bladder. Bladder: Urine is stored in the bladder Urethra: A narrow tube that carries urine from the body

Problems of the Digestive System Indigestion: Stomach too acidic, may be caused by eating too fast or too much or by spicy or acidic foods. Diarrhea: Watery feces; caused by bacteria, virus, food poisoning, nutritional deficiencies. Ulcers: Sores on the inner walls of the stomach or small Intestines.

Problems of the Digestive System Cirrhosis: Destruction on liver tissue; caused by drinking too much alcohol. Gallstones: Crystals in gallbladder; may block passage of bile to small intestines.

Problems of the Digestive System Kidney Stones: Crystals in the kidney; may block passage of urine to the bladder.

Problems of the Digestive System Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix

Problems of the Digestive System Colon Cancer: Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in large intestine.

Care of the Digestive System The best way to take care of the digestive is to practice healthful eating habits Eat a variety of food from different food groups, low in fat high in fiber. Do not hurry through your meals. Enjoy your food Eat enough food to satisfy your hunger. Drink plenty of water. Have regular dental checkups