The Importance of Digestive System

How is it so that something as simple as a piece of steak can be turned into fuel for our bodies once it is consumed? It happens through this one system with many functioning parts known as the digestive system. When it comes to the human body the digestive system is very important. It gives our bodies the ability to process foods, extract the nutrients we need from the foods, and eliminate the wastes (smartlivingnetwork). Without these abilities our bodies wouldn’t be able to function. So what is the digestive system exactly? It is a complex series of organs that processes the food we eat. Altogether this system is about 6-9 meters of muscular tubes running from the mouth to the anus. According to Robert Sullivan, the organs of this system are based on the process of turning food, absorbing nutrients for energy, and getting rid of body wastes (Sullivan, 2008). The digestive system consists of the following: mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, large intestine, rectum, and anus (slideshare).

Types of Digestion

There are 2 different types of digestion: chemical digestion and mechanical digestion (slideshare).

Mechanical digestion is simply digestion that is achieved through a movement, or mechanism (stek). There are 2 types of this: mastication and peristalsis. The first step of digestion takes place in the mouth. Mastication, or chewing, begins the process of breaking down food into nutrients. This is important because smaller pieces of food are more readily digested through chemical digestion (Coulter, 2010). The second type, peristalsis, is just the involuntary contractions responsible for the movement of food through the esophagus and intestinal tracts.

Chemical digestion is done with t...

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...cending colon is meant to obtain the resulting waste materials. The transverse colon absorbs the fluids and salts. Finally, the third and last part of the colon; this is known as the rectum. This is where the fecal matter is stored until they are ready to leave. The process of feces leaving the body is known as a bowel movement. This occurs to get rid of unneeded materials and bacteria. Without a regular bowel movement, bacteria can begin to build up and lead to many diseases and disorders.

As you can see, the digestive system is a very unique complex system. It is also extremely critical for the human body and each part has to work correctly in order to keep the digestive system working properly. It isn’t something we think about daily, but in reality it is something that we should be appreciative for every day. Without this system we would not have life.