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Why digestion occurs

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It is important to consume some amount of dietary lipid to aid the absorption of lipid-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins can be directly absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestine.

Undigested food enters the colon where water is reabsorbed into the body and excess waste is eliminated from the anus. The final step in digestion is the elimination of undigested food content and waste products. After food passes through the small intestine, the undigested food material enters the colon, where most of the water is reabsorbed. The semi-solid waste is moved through the colon by peristaltic movements of the muscle and is stored in the rectum.

As the rectum expands in response to storage of fecal matter, it triggers the neural signals required to set up the urge to eliminate. The solid waste is eliminated through the anus using peristaltic movements of the rectum.

Intestinal flora : Escherichia coli is one of the many species of bacteria present in the human gut. Diarrhea and constipation are some of the most common health concerns that affect digestion. Constipation is a condition where the feces are hardened because of excess water removal in the colon. In contrast, if not enough water is removed from the feces, it results in diarrhea. Many bacteria, including the ones that cause cholera, affect the proteins involved in water reabsorption in the colon and result in excessive diarrhea.

Emesis, or vomiting, is elimination of food by forceful expulsion through the mouth. It is often in response to an irritant that affects the digestive tract, including, but not limited to, viruses, bacteria, emotions, trauma, and food poisoning. This forceful expulsion of the food is due to the strong contractions produced by the stomach muscles. The process of emesis is regulated by the medulla. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Animal Nutrition and the Digestive System.

Search for:. Digestive System Processes. Ingestion The first step to obtaining nutrition is ingestion, a process where food is taken in through the mouth and broken down by teeth and saliva. Learning Objectives Describe the process of ingestion and its role in the digestive system. Key Takeaways Key Points Food is ingested through the mouth and broken down through mastication chewing. Food must be chewed in order to be swallowed and broken down by digestive enzymes.

While food is being chewed, saliva chemically processes the food to aid in swallowing. Medications and harmful or inedible substances may be ingested as well. Pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, may be transmitted via ingestion, causing diseases like hepatitis A, polio, and cholera. Key Terms ingestion : consuming something orally, whether it be food, drink, medicine, or other substance; the first step of digestion bolus : a round mass of something, especially of chewed food in the mouth or alimentary canal mastication : the process of chewing.

Digestion and Absorption In order for nutrients carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins to be absorbed for energy, food must undergo chemical and mechanical digestion. This act of swallowing, the last voluntary act until defecation, is an example of propulsion , which refers to the movement of food through the digestive tract. It includes both the voluntary process of swallowing and the involuntary process of peristalsis.

Peristalsis consists of sequential, alternating waves of contraction and relaxation of alimentary wall smooth muscles, which act to propel food along Figure 1. These waves also play a role in mixing food with digestive juices. Peristalsis is so powerful that foods and liquids you swallow enter your stomach even if you are standing on your head.

Digestion includes both mechanical and chemical processes. Mechanical digestion is a purely physical process that does not change the chemical nature of the food. Instead, it makes the food smaller to increase both surface area and mobility. It includes mastication , or chewing, as well as tongue movements that help break food into smaller bits and mix food with saliva.

Although there may be a tendency to think that mechanical digestion is limited to the first steps of the digestive process, it occurs after the food leaves the mouth, as well.

Segmentation , which occurs mainly in the small intestine, consists of localized contractions of circular muscle of the muscularis layer of the alimentary canal. These contractions isolate small sections of the intestine, moving their contents back and forth while continuously subdividing, breaking up, and mixing the contents.

By moving food back and forth in the intestinal lumen, segmentation mixes food with digestive juices and facilitates absorption. In chemical digestion , starting in the mouth, digestive secretions break down complex food molecules into their chemical building blocks for example, proteins into separate amino acids.

These secretions vary in composition, but typically contain water, various enzymes, acids, and salts. The process is completed in the small intestine.

Food that has been broken down is of no value to the body unless it enters the bloodstream and its nutrients are put to work. This occurs through the process of absorption , which takes place primarily within the small intestine.

There, most nutrients are absorbed from the lumen of the alimentary canal into the bloodstream through the epithelial cells that make up the mucosa. Lipids are absorbed into lacteals and are transported via the lymphatic vessels to the bloodstream the subclavian veins near the heart. The details of these processes will be discussed later. In defecation , the final step in digestion, undigested materials are removed from the body as feces.

Age-related changes in the digestive system begin in the mouth and can affect virtually every aspect of the digestive system. The sub-mucosa supports the mucosa and allows it to move in a flexible manner during peristalsis. Peristalsis is the contraction and relaxation of the stomach muscles to physically breakdown food and propel it forward. These contractions are created by the muscular wall of the stomach which consists of inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle. The outermost layer of the stomach wall, the serosa consists of an epithelial layer and connective tissue which connects to the surrounding organs.

The mucosa and the sub-mucosa are present as folds termed rugae. When the stomach is distended with food, the rugae are flattened out and appear smooth. There are four main types of cells for stomach secretions spread all over the inner surface of the stomach:. Certain lifestyle habits can help you maintain stomach health and also counter abdominal obesity.

If you notice that certain food types do not agree with you, try to keep away from them. Limit junk food. If you experience bouts of acidity, consider adding to your diet food items that are alkaline in nature.

Take walks, it aids digestion, will help you shed calories, and prevent a condition like GERD from occurring. In fact, a sedentary lifestyle with little or no exercise contributes to stomach-related problems.

The gallbladder concentrates and stores bile as a pear-shaped sac which it can release to help digestion after a fatty meal. The duodenum is a C-shaped tube that receives food from the stomach and prepares it for chemical digestion further along in the intestines. The omentum is a fatty apron that serves a protective role and helps filter immune responses to gut bacteria.

The colon is a large tube that stores feces and also contains helpful bacteria that breaks down food that has not yet been absorbed. The stomach is a muscular sac that is important for absorbing food and preparing food for further digestion. The small intestine is a long tube where the majority of nutrients are absorbed.

The liver is a solid organ that produces bile for fat digestion and is also the first stop for the majority of absorbed nutrients. This is a detailed review of kefir and its health benefits. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is highly nutritious and contains live probiotics. The digestive system is essential to helping your body break down food so it can retrieve nutrients and vitamins while also getting rid of waste…. What does a gastroenterologist do, and when should you see one?

Here's what you should know before making an appointment. Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in children. It can also affect adults. Learn about this condition, symptoms, and…. Polyps are usually abnormal, benign growths of tissue in any organ with blood vessels. But they can become cancerous. Learn what to do if you have…. Weakness in your stomach lining allows digestive juices to damage and inflame it, causing gastritis.

Learn more about causes, diagnosis, and treatment. The details of your poop can provide clues to your state of health. Learn what the sight, smell, size, color, and shape of your poop can tell you. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.


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