Digestion

Functions of Digestive System Digestion - breaks down food Absorption - absorbs nutrients in blood Elimination - rids wastes from body

Body parts (organs) Mouth & Teeth – chews food; with the addition of saliva, starts the breakdown of food Esophagus - muscles move the food down the esophagus; Pepsin Stomach - saclike organ enclosed in a muscular wall (3 layers thick); Chyme Small Intestine - (20-23 feet long and 1” in diameter) fingerlike villi absorb nutrients that are carried throughout the body by blood

Organs (cont.) Large Intestine - (also called colon) It is 5-6 feet and 2.5” in diameter Absorbs water and eliminates undigested food. Water, vitamins, and mineral salts are absorbed into the bloodstream in the colon. Pancreas and Liver - add secretions to break the food down further

Care of Digestive system Eat variety of food Avoid fried food Eat high fiber foods Don’t hurry through meals Drink plenty of water Don’t drink carbonated beverages Don’t “stress eat”

Problems Indigestion - burning discomfort in upper abdomen Heartburn - burning pain in center of chest Gas Nausea and vomiting - it’s the reverse of the digestion process Diarrhea - if food passes too quickly through the large intestine it cannot absorb enough water

Problems (cont.) Constipation - Feces are dry and hard; bowel movements are difficult

Recent Findings Band Adjustment Illustration of laparoscopic placement of LAP-BAND® around stomach. Adjusting the size of the opening between the two parts of the stomach controls how much food passes from the upper to the lower part of the stomach.

Interactions with other Systems (a few mentioned below) Muscular – muscles push and move food throughout the system Circulatory/Cardiovascular – nutrients are absorbed throughout the digestive system and distributed through blood Urinary – helps to filter out waste Immune – gastric juices help to kill bacteria; nutrients in food helps our body fight off infection