Summary of the Digestive Process

The human body is made up of various organs that work to process food so the body can absorb nutrients and produce energy. The digestive system breaks down and sorts the nutrients into the forms needed for the various tasks needed to support a healthy body. The process begins with the mouth which produces saliva to begin the process of breaking down food so it can travel through the digestive system.

The process involves several organs that each have a specific task throughout the progression of diges-tion. After swallowing, the food moves through the esophagus which is a muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach. The lower esophageal sphincter is a valve that opens to allow the food to enter the stomach. This prevents food from moving backward and creating esophageal dysfunction.

Once the food enters the stomach, the muscular walls of the stomach will use stomach acid and en-zymes to continue breaking the food down into liquid form. At this point, the liquid moves into the small intestine where further breakdown continues as it mixes with enzymes released by the pancreas and bile duct released by the liver. The pancreas breaks down protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The small intes-tine is comprised of three segments. First, the duodenum is the portion that continues to break down the food. The second and third segments, the jejunum and ileum, will then move the nutrients for absorption.

The liver has many functions to perform and is important for filtration and removal of waste. It is also responsible for the process of digestion to make and secrete bile which aids in the purification of blood that absorbs the nutrients sent by the small intestine. At this point, the bile absorbs fats and carries waste produced by the liver that is not able to be removed through the kidneys. Located just under the liver, the gallbladder receives and stores bile from the liver and sends this to the small intestine which aids in the digestion of food. The process ends with the large intestine which processes the waste into material that moves to the rec-tum, which is then pushed through the anus.

 References

(n.d.), 2024, Digestive and Liver Health. University of Michigan Health. Retrieved from: https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/digestive-and-liver-health/your-digestive-system

(n.d.), 2024. How Digestion Works. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/how-digestion-works