Digestive System

Main Functions Digestion Absorption Elimination

Main Organs Where does digestion begin? Teeth – hold, tear, chew foods Salivary glands – secretes juices into mouth Tongue – moves food mass to back of mouth Esophagus - passageway Stomach – churns food & adds gastric juices Small intestines – absorbs nutrients Liver – produces digestive juice (bile) Pancreas – adds more digestive juice for breakdown Gall bladder – stores bile until needed Large intestines – stores unused solid Rectum – holds solid waste, controls release

Common Problems Ulcers Open sores in the mucous membrane of the GI tract Indigestion Overwhelming of the stomach Heart burn Stomach acid passes up to the esophagus Gallstones Crystallized deposits of cholesterol and other substances that collect in the gallbladder Appendicitis Inflammation in the appendix, usually caused by bacteria (lower right)

How to care Drink water Eat healthy (variety & high fiber) Avoid fatty foods Eat food slowly

How it interacts with other systems Circulatory/Cardiovascular takes nutrients from small intestine to rest of body Muscular Muscles contract pushing food through Nervous Tells brain when you are hungry Immune Acid in stomach kills pathogens

Recent Finding Gastric Bypass May Boost Blindness Risk A lack of absorbed vitamin A is the link, researchers say THURSDAY, June 15,2006 (HealthDay News) -- A boom in gastric bypass surgery could lead to an unwelcome trend: an increase in vitamin A deficiency among patients that raises their risk for vision loss. So conclude U.S. researchers who studied the medical histories of patients who were nearly blind or had very poor eyesight but no family history of blindness.