 The Digestive System Tucker Trask and Somers Cherry October 10, 2014

General Function Mechanical and Chemical Breakdown of food Absorption of nutrients Disposing of undigested waste called feces

Gastrointestinal Tract  The primary organs of the digestive system form a tube that is open at both ends  Food that enters the tract is digested and it’s nutrients absorbed.  Undigested residue is eliminated from the body as waste matter called feces.

Structure  Primary Organs  Mouth  Pharynx  Esophagus  Stomach  Small Intestine  Large Intestine  Rectum  Anal Canal  Accessory Organs  Teeth  Salivary Glands  Tongue  Liver  Gallbladder  Pancreas  Appendix

Mouth First step in digestion The act of chewing literally breaks the food down into a more easily digested material. Saliva mixes with food to begin the process of breaking it down so that your body can absorb and use it (Teeth, Salivary Glands, Tongue)

Pharynx Controls the act of swallowing Partially a reflex and partially voluntary

Esophagus Muscular tube that extends from the pharynx and behind the trachea to the stomach. Food is pushed down it by a series of contractions called peristalsis.

Stomach Hollow organ that holds food while it is being broken down. Cells in the lining of the stomach secrete a strong acid and powerful enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of food. Once the contents of the stomach are sufficiently broken down they move along to the small intestine.

Small Intestine  22 foot long muscular tube that breaks down food using enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver  There are three segments of the small intestine called the duodenum, jejunum, and the ileum. The duodenum is largely responsible for continuous breaking down process, while the jejunum and ileum are mainly responsible for the breakdown of nutrients.  Contents of the organ start out semi-solid and end in liquid form after passing through the organ (peristalsis). Water, bile (liver), enzymes (pancreas) and mucus contribute to the change.  Once nutrients are sufficiently absorbed peristalsis moves the contents onto the large intestine (colon).

Small Intestine

Large Intestine  6 foot long muscular tube that connects the small intestine and the rectum. Made of the cecum, the ascending right colon, the transverse colon, the descending left colon, and the sigmoid colon which connects to the rectum.  The appendix is a small tube which is attached to the cecum, this part of the organ is highly specialized for processing waste so that emptying the bowls is easy and convenient.  Left over waste is passed by means of peristalsis- first in liquid form and then in solid. Water is removed as stool passes through the colon.  The contents are then stored in the sigmoid colon until a “mass movement” empties it into the rectum.  When the descending colon becomes full of stool it empties it’s contents into the rectum to begin the process of elimination.

Large Intestine

Rectum 8 inch chamber that connects the colon to the anus The rectums job is to receive stool from the colon, to let the person know there is stool to be evacuated, and hold the stool until evacuation happens.

Anal Cavity Two inch long canal consisting of the pelvic floor muscles and the two anal sphincters (internal, external). The pelvic floor muscle creates an angle between rectum and anus that stops stool from coming out when it isn’t supposed to. The internal sphincter is always tight except for when stool enters the rectum. It keeps the stool from coming out when we are unaware. The external sphincter holds the stool in until we reach a toilet and we relax to release the stool.

Interaction with Other Systems  The digestive system works all the time with the circulatory system to get absorbed nutrients distributed throughout your body. The circulatory system also carries chemical signals from our endocrine system that control speed of digestion.  The digestive system obviously also works with the excretory system. While the digestive system works on removing undigested solids the excretory system works on filtering the blood and collects a substance called urine. They both control the amount of water in your system.

7 Ways to Improve Functioning of The Digestive System

foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits can improve your digestive health and help to keep food moving through your digestive tract. Eat a high- fiber diet

Limit the amount of Fat In Your Diet Fatty foods tend to slow down the digestive process, making a person more prone to constipation. Eating lean meats, that contain less fat on them, is an example of limiting the fat in your diet.

Eat On schedule and Stay Hydrated Staying hydrated will help to dissolve fats and soluble fiber, allowing these substances to pass through more easily. Keeping meals on schedule will keep your digestive system on a regular schedule.

Incorporate Probiotics into your Diet these can be found as pills in most drug stores and grocery stores. They help to improve the good bacteria in your body.

 Skipping bad habits such as smoking, excessive caffeine, and alcohol. All of these bad habits will interfere with the functioning of your digestive system and can eventually cause problems such as heartburn and stomach ulcers.

 Regular exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight is good for your digestive health because it help the food to move through your system more easily, reducing constipation.

 Manage stress. Too much stress can cause your digestive system to go into over-drive.

Chron’s Disease Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the lining of the digestive tract. The cause of this disease is unknown; diet and stress have been suspected as well as heredity and a malfunctioning immune system. This disease can be both painful, weakening, and in some cases life threatening. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and fatigue, abdominal pain and cramping, blood in your stool, mouth sores, a reduced appetite and weight loss, and a severe pain around the anus. These pains can range from mild to sever and may affect different areas, typically the small intestine and colon. Although there is no cure for this disease, researchers have found way to control the symptoms and even bring a patient into long-term remission

Hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins in your anus and lower rectum. They may be located in the rectum or under the skin around the anus. Hemorrhoids can be caused from multiple things: straining during bowel movements, sitting on the toilet for long periods of time, chronic diarrhea or constipation, obesity, pregnancy, anal intercourse, and a low-fiber diet. You are most likely to get hemorrhoids when you are older because the tissues that support the veins in your rectum and anus can weaken and stretch with age. Symptoms that come with hemorrhoids are painless bleeding during bowel movements, itching or irritation in your anal region, pain or discomfort, swelling around your anus, a lump near your anus, and leaking of feces. Most doctors suggest lifestyle modifications to reduce the hemorrhoids but there is many other over the counter drugs and even surgical procedures for removal.

 Digestive System Quiz

1. Undigested waste product that is eliminated from the body is called ?

Feces.

2. The main function of the digestive system is to __________ nutrients.

Absorb.

3. What are the three parts of the large intestine?

cecum, colon, and rectum

4. The contents in the small intestine begin as __________ and end in a ________ form after passing through the organ.

semi solid, liquid

5. What is inside your stomach that helps break down food into a thick liquid paste?

acids and enzymes

Bibliography  "10 Tips for Better Digestive Health - Healthy Eating Guide - EverydayHealth.com." EverydayHealth.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct  “Digestion- Eating and Elimination!” Biology4kids.com. Animal Systems:  Digestive System. Andrew Rader Studios, Web. 08 Oct  "Hemorrhoids." Definition. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct  N.p., n.d. Web  Patton, Kevin T. "Organ Systems of The Body." Structure & Function of the Body. By Gary A. Thibodeau. 14th ed. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier, Print.  “Taylor, Tim.””Digestive System.” Innerbody. N.p., Web. 08 Oct  “The Structure and Function of the Digestive System.” Cleveland Clinic.  N.p., Web MD, 24 Aug. 2014