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 FindingsBand AdjustmentIllustration 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