Which topic(s) within this module(digestive system) did you struggle to understand and why?
Which topic(s) within this module(digestive system) did you struggle to understand and why?
Introduction
The digestive system is the part of the body that helps you break down food into smaller molecules. It includes organs like the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and colon.
Introduction to the digestive system
The digestive system is a series of organs that work together to break down food into nutrients for the body. The main function of the digestive system is to absorb nutrients from food and pass them into your bloodstream.
The digestive system includes:
Mouth – where you chew and swallow your food.
Small intestine – where most of your digestion occurs, including breaking down proteins into amino acids or sugars into glucose (blood sugar).
Large intestine – where waste is stored until excreted through feces or urine.
What is digestion?
Digestion is the process of breaking down food into smaller pieces so that the body can digest it. It’s a series of chemical reactions that occur in the stomach and intestines, starting with what you eat and ending with waste products leaving your body through urination or defecation.
Digesting food begins when food moves from your mouth into your stomach where it’s mixed with acids secreted by cells lining your stomach wall (the gastric glands). These acids break down proteins into amino acids–the building blocks needed for other processes such as repair or growth–and break down carbohydrates into sugars (sugars).
The digestive system and health
The digestive system is responsible for the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients from food. It also helps to eliminate waste, regulate blood sugar levels and acidity, produce saliva and gastric juices for digestion and more.
Digestive enzymes
Digestive enzymes are needed to break down food. They’re produced in the stomach, but they can also be found in other parts of your digestive system. Digestive enzymes help turn food into energy for your body and help you absorb nutrients from food that you eat.
Digestive enzymes include amylase (which helps digest carbohydrates), pepsin (which breaks down proteins), lipase (which breaks down fats), maltase (a form of intestinal maltose sugar) and lactase (an enzyme that helps us digest lactose).
The liver and its functions
The liver is a vital organ in the body, and its functions include:
Processing the blood by removing toxins and proteins.
Converting food into energy for our bodies.
The liver is located between your ribs on the right side of your abdomen (below your ribcage). It’s also called “the butterball” because when it’s full of fat, it looks like an orange with a big bulge at one end! The liver can regenerate itself if damaged or diseased; this means that there’s no need to worry about having another surgery if you’ve had one before!
With the help of this module, you will be able to understand your body better and treat any ailments.
The digestive system is a series of organs and tissues that help break down food into small particles and nutrients. The mouth, esophagus, stomach and small intestine are part of the digestive system. These organs play an important role in absorbing nutrients from food we eat into our bloodstreams for use throughout our bodies (1).
The large intestine acts as a storage area for waste products produced during digestion; this includes watery substances such as mucus from respiratory tract infections or feces from bacteria in the colon (2).
Conclusion
We hope that you have enjoyed this module and learnt a lot about the digestive system. The next step is to try and understand your own body, so that you can address any ailments before they worsen. We have also written down some easy exercises for you to do at home, which will help improve your health by increasing the amount of enzymes in your body.