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Gastrointestinal/Digestive System

Gastrointestinal/Digestive System. By Kristen Tharan & Lauren Wilson. What is the Digestive System?. The digestive system is the group of organs in the body that assists in the breakdown of food.

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Gastrointestinal/Digestive System

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  1. Gastrointestinal/Digestive System By Kristen Tharan & Lauren Wilson

  2. What is the Digestive System? • The digestive system is the group of organs in the body that assists in the breakdown of food. • The system is made up of the alimentary canal/digestive tract which is the long tube of organs that runs from the mouth to the anus. An adult’s digestive tract is about 30 feet (9 meters) long.

  3. What Organs Make Up the Digestive System? • Mouth • Pharynx • Esophagus • Liver • Gallbladder • Stomach • Pancreas • Small Intestine • Large Intestine • Appendix • Rectum • Anus

  4. The Process of Digestion • Digestion begins in the mouth • Salivary glands begin producing saliva • Digestive enzyme called amylase starts to break down some carbohydrates

  5. Swallowing moves the food into the throat or pharynx • Food travels down from the throat into the esophagus • Waves of muscle contractions force food down through the esophagus into the stomach A person is unable to feel the movement of the esophagus, stomach and intestines as food travels through the digestive tract.

  6. The stomach muscles mix the food with acids and enzymes, breaking it into smaller more digestible pieces • An acidic environment is needed for the digestion that takes place in the stomach • Glands in the stomach lining produce about 3 quarts of these digestive juices each day

  7. Some substances (water, salt, sugars and alcohol) are absorbed directly through the stomach wall • Most other substances require further digestion and travel into the intestine When empty, an adult’s stomach has a volume of 1/5 of a cup but it can expand to hold more than 8 cups of food after a large meal.

  8. By the time food is ready to leave the stomach, it has been processed into a thick liquid • It is squirted into the small intestine so that the body can absorb the nutrients into the blood stream • The inner wall of the small intestine is covered with millions of microscopic finger-like objects called villi • Nutrients are absorbed into the body through these villi

  9. The liver, gallbladder and pancreas are not part of the alimentary canal but are essential for digestion

  10. Pancreas • produces enzymes that help digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates • makes a substance that neutralizes stomach acid • Liver • produces bile to help the body absorb fat • plays a major role in the handling and processing of nutrients • Gallbladder • stores bile until it is needed

  11. From the small intestine, food that has not been digested travels to the large intestine • The main function of the large intestine is to remove water from the undigested matter and from solid waste that can be excreted

  12. The large intestine is made up of three parts: • Cecum – allows food to travel from small to large intestine; the appendix hangs at the end of the cecum • Colon – holds waste • Rectum – stores feces until it leaves the digestive system through the anus

  13. What can go wrong in the Digestive System? • Nearly everyone has a digestive problem at one time or another • Some conditions, such as indigestion or mild diarrhea, are common • They result in mild discomfort or get better on their on; easy to treat • Others, such as inflammatory bowel disease, can be long lasting or troublesome A doctor that specializes in the digestive system is called a GI specialist or Gastroenterologist

  14. Digestive Disease • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) • Digestive disease of the large intestine • Common in women • Caused by a miscommunication between the brain and the intestinal tract • Miscommunication due to: • Psychological stress • Hormones • Immune System • Neurotransmitters

  15. IBS continued… • Symptoms include: • Abdominal pain or discomfort • Bloating or cramping • Diarrhea or Constipation • Symptoms may be brought on by: • Eating (though no particular foods have been associated with IBS) • Stress • Trapped gas • Hormonal changes (Menstrual Cycle)

  16. Study Guide • Be able to define what the Digestive System is/does • Be familiar with the organs that make up the digestive system and be able to accurately label them on a diagram • Know the process of the digestive system from beginning to end • Be able to identify the 3 parts of the large intestine • Be able to identify the main function of the large intestine • Be familiar with the length of an adult’s digestive tract • Be able to identify the conditions that occur when something is wrong in the digestive system • Be able to discuss irritable bowel syndrome: know what specific organ is affected, symptoms and causes

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