Digestion is the body's method of taking the food we eat and breaking it down to obtain vital nutrients that will allow us to live and be healthy. A healthy digestive system is able to process food in an amazingly efficient way as it dissolves chemical bonds and releases individual nutrients, absorbs them into the bloodstream, and eliminates the waste products.
The Digestive Process
According to the Mayo Clinic, digestion begins as the sight, smell or thought of food prompts your salivary glands to release saliva in anticipation of eating. In the mouth, food is mixed with saliva and ground into smaller pieces, then swallowed. A wavelike contraction of muscles in the esophageal lining called peristalsis moves the food into the stomach. Peristalsis continues through the length of the digestive tract and is the main force that propels the food along. The Mayo Clinic indicates that more mixing and digestion takes place in the stomach until the food is in a liquid state and is slowly released into the small intestine. More digestion and absorption happens in the small intestine. The remaining unabsorbed waste travels through the large intestine, water is absorbed and the unwanted elements of the food are then eliminated from the body.
Enzymes
Enzymes play a major role in performing a type of digestion called chemical digestion. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, enzymes are proteins that help break down the chemical structure of food molecules and help with digestion. The body produces several types of enzymes to help break down food. These are found in saliva, in the gastric juices in the stomach, and in the duodenum, the beginning portion of the small intestine, where the pancreas empties the enzymes it produces.
Location
Each area of the digestive system is designed to break down a separate type of food. The Nemours Foundation states that amylase, an enzyme found in saliva, digests starches. The strong enzymes and acid found in the stomach digest protein. Fats and carbohydrates are digested in the duodenum, along with more protein digestion.
Disorders
Our digestive systems are normally able to process what we eat without difficulty. However, disorders may be caused by foods we eat, diseases, or other conditions. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is commonly referred to as "heartburn" and is the result of weakness in the sphincter that closes off the stomach from the esophagus, according to the Nemours Foundation. The discomfort is a result of the strong acidic juices from the stomach entering the esophagus and damaging the tissues. Foreign bacteria can weaken the mucosal lining of the stomach, lowering its natural defense against the strong acid and creating ulcers. Constipation and diarrhea are examples of motility problems that can occur. Inflammatory bowel disease includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Considerations
To encourage a healthy digestive system, eat a diet high in fiber. Fiber, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, is essential to a healthy digestive system, and is found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Drinking an adequate amount of water and maintaining an active lifestyle also contribute to the optimal functioning of your digestive tract.
