Shaunda
SCI/241
05/16/14
Human Digestion
From what I have learned from the weekly readings and watching the animated digestive tract. When humans digest food, we go through a complex process, in which the food eaten is turned into energy that is needed in order to survive. During the digestion process the food eaten becomes waste that has to be eliminated eventually. I will discuss how this process works in each area of mouth, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
Beginning
The digestion begins before one even takes a bite. When the smell of food makes the moth begin to water; that is the salivary glands getting ready for the food to inter the mouth. Once the food inters the mouth, the saliva along with chewing the food begins the digestion process. This part of the process can take only few seconds depending on the food. The food continues to be digested as it goes through the esophagus and inters the stomach; which is a sac-like organ that has strong muscular walls. The stomach holds food, and is a mixer and grinder of the food eaten. The stomach discharges powerful enzymes and acid, in which continues the process of breaking food down and transforms food into a paste or liquid (Johnson, MD, July). After the food has been in the stomach for two to six hours, again depending on the type of food, it is now moved to the small intestine.
Small Intestine
In the small intestine, the digestion is aided from secretions from the liver and pancreas. The small intestine is about 20 feet long and an inch in diameter. The job of the small intestine is to absorb most of the nutrients from what is eaten and drank. The food along with all the secretions that are not absorbed in the small intestine is then moved into the large intestine.
Large Intestine
In the large intestine servers as a reservoir for the liquids emptied into it. the large intestine does not produces enzymes, at this point all of the digestion has already taken place, but the large intestine is where between 1 quart of water, electrolytes, and some vitamins are absorbed daily. This entire process can take up to 33 hours for men and 47 hours in women according to (Picco, M.D., Oct.), from the time the food inters the mouth until the waste is eliminated from the body.
References
Johnson, MD, K. (July 25, 2012). The Digestive System/Stop 3: The Stomach and Small Intestine. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive- system?page=2
Picco, M.D., M. (Oct. 30, 2012). Digestion: How long does it take? Retrieved from http://http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/digestive-system/an00896
Grosvenor, M. B., & Smolin, L. A. (2012). Visualizing Nutrition: Everyday choices (2th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
References: Johnson, MD, K. (July 25, 2012). The Digestive System/Stop 3: The Stomach and Small Intestine. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive- system?page=2 Picco, M.D., M. (Oct. 30, 2012). Digestion: How long does it take? Retrieved from http://http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/digestive-system/an00896 Grosvenor, M. B., & Smolin, L. A. (2012). Visualizing Nutrition: Everyday choices (2th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
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