The human digestive system is a bodily process made up of many systems, organs and substances that break down food both physically and chemically for use by the body. But what exactly is human digestion and what happens to food as it moves through the digestive system? “…[digestion] is a group of organs working together to convert food into energy and basic nutrients to feed the entire body” (Tim Taylor). There are three major bodily mechanisms that contribute to the process of digestion. The first mechanism is the breakdown of food, the second mechanism is the process of extracting nutrients from food, and the third mechanism is excretion, or the body’s natural waste system. Each mechanism uses specific bodily organs and chemical compounds to assist in the digestion process. Organs such as the mouth, tongue, throat, liver, esophagus, gallbladder, pancreas, small and large intestines, rectum and anus are all key to the digestive process. These organs and mechanisms come together to convert the food humans eat into energy and nutrients that the body uses to sustain life, and to get rid of unnecessary waste that could be harmful to the body. Although the removal of waste from the human body can be an awkward subject to discuss it is an important part of the digestive system because if left in the body this waste would eventually poison us. The digestive system is interesting, complex and truly important to our daily lives. Without the digestive system energy and nutrients vital to the body could never reach body cells and a person wouldn't be able to do all the things they like to do, such as study, play sports, and hang out with friends.
The body uses various organs and chemicals to break down food. The breakdown of food he...
... middle of paper ...
...ng necessary nutrients, such as stomach acid and saliva. The body also uses a waste system to take out the bad stuff in the body that cannot be used as nutrients or energy. Human beings, and all animals from the tiniest insect to the world’s largest mammal, must remove and dispose of wastes from their bodies. Separate systems work on gaseous, liquid, and solid waste. Waste excretion in living things helps maintain homeostasis which supports the basic ability to survive. There are many systems in the human body, from the circulatory which regulates blood flow throughout the body, to the nervous system and muscular system. Each system has its specific function and purpose in the body. However, it is fair to say that the digestive system, with all its necessary organs, enzymes, chemicals and processes is truly one of the most important systems in the human body.
Homeostasis, what is it? Homeostasis is the balance between systems to keep living organisms alive and healthy. For an organism to maintain homeostasis its body systems must react and respond to changes in both its internal and external environments. Majority of body systems in organisms, like a respiratory or circulatory system in animals, are part of their internal environment. One body system that is very important for maintaining homeostasis and is common among many organisms is a respiratory system. The respiratory system is responsible for disposing of carbon dioxide and in taking oxygen (vice versa for plants). Some parts that make up a respiratory system are the lungs, windpipe, and cilia in animals. Another body system important to homeostasis and common among animals is a circulatory system, used for bringing nutrients like glucose and oxygen to body cells. Some parts that make up a circulatory system are a heart, blood, and tubes for the blood to travel through (veins, arteries, and capillaries) in animals. There are many more body systems important to homeostasis, but if one is disrupted it’s vital for it to be restored to normal.
Through performing dissections, the interrelationships between functioning systems can be further understood. In the dissection of the fetal pig, three interrelationships can be defined: cardiovascular and respiratory, digestive and excretory, and digestive and cardiovascular.
As the digestive system breaks down your food, after it's broken down it turns into energy. Your circulatory system takes some the produced energy and transports it around the body, delivering it and other blood, nutrients, oxygen, and more compounds to every cell in your body. The digestive depends on the circulatory as much as it does vice versa because they need the blood, nutrients, and energy (broken down food) that was produced from both systems. Many digestive organs need to use about 30% of cardiac output. Both the digestive and circulatory systems get rid of unwanted or unneeded materials (waste) and feces (poop). The vial substances are absorbed by the small intestine, where it is put into the bloodstream, so it can be circulated around the body. The most important thing is that with no nutrients and circulation, there's no life.
Large intestine is responsible for the process of waste this can emptying the bowels. Large intestine also are made up with the cecum.
The digestive system, in organisms like the mink and human, is supposed to break down the food being eaten to transfer into energy. This energy helps other functions of the body that would in turn keep it alive. The digestive system includes organs such as the stomach, intestines, liver, etc. Digestion starts at the mouth, though.
The digestive system otherwise known as the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) is a long tube which runs from the mouth to the anus. It operates to break down the food we eat from large macromolecules such as starch, proteins and fats, which can’t be easily absorbed, into readily absorbable molecules such as glucose, fatty acids and amino acids. Once broken down, these molecules can cross the cells lining the small intestine, enter into the circulatory system and be transported around the body finally being used for energy, growth and repair.
The digestive system is a group of organs that works together to convert food into energy and basic nutrients that will feed the entire body. The digestive system breaks down food so nutrients can be absorbed by the body. The digestive system has three main functions. First, it ingests food then breaks it down so nutrients can be absorbed and it also eliminates what cannot be digested.
Pancreas- The pancreas creates a juice that breaks down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. "The pancreas delivers digestive juice to the small intestine through small tubes called ducts" (NIH (5).) The pancreas is not considered part of the GI tract, but it is a necessary organ needed for the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/cancer_center/HTBW/digestive_system.html ( I didnt copy direct quotes, however I had used the idea of the beginning in my research on the digestive system to help the reader better understand the system)
There are many similarities and differences between organisms of different species’ digestive systems. The digestive system of an organism is the system that makes food absorbable into the body. The food that the organism takes into their body is broken down through an organ to make it easier for the body to take the nutrients it needs from the food. The food that is broken down in the digestive system is then turned into energy for the organism.
The human digestion system is very complex. It starts with the mouth, salivary glands, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, large intestine, then ends/exits with the anus. Each step is essential to the whole system. For example, the mouth chews food and mixes it with saliva produced by the salivary glands, and then the pharynx swallows chewed food mixed with saliva, this is followed by the food traveling through the esophagus to the stomach where the food gets a bath and mixes with acids and enzymes. After the stomach, the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder produce, stores, and releases bile and bicarbonates. Bile is produced in the liver and aids in digestion and absorption of fat while the gallbladder stores bile and releases it into the small intestine when needed. Following the process into the small intestine, this is where nutrients will be absorbed into the blood or lymph (most digestion occurs here). Next is the large intestine this is where water and some vitamins and minerals are absorbed. Finally, it is the end of the road, the anus. At...
The body works in amazing ways like a fine tuned machine. All organ systems within the body depend on one another for survival in some way or form at all times. Cherif et al., (2010) state, the body depends on the precise action of each organ to maintain physical, mental, and emotional health of a human being. Also, homeostasis, the regulatory of body temperature plays a survival role in maintaining body functions. The integumentary system (skin) is the largest, and the most important part of the body. The skin is just one of the organ systems that will be discussed (Thibodeau & Patton, 2008). The body is expected to perform specific duties at specific times the organ systems as a whole, the most important organ system the integumentary system, and homeostasis, are what enables the body to perform on demand.
The digestive system is very responsible for taking the whole food that people eat and turns them into energy and nutrients to allow the body to function, grow, and fix itself. The six primary processes of this system are ingestion of food, secretion of fluids and digestive enzymes, mixing and movement of food and waste throughout the body, digestion of food into small pieces, absorbing the nutrients, and the elimination of wastes. Ingestion is the first function of the digestive system, which is also known as the intake of food. The mouth is the reasoning for this process because through the mouth is the way food enters the body. The stomach and the mouth store food until your stomach is ready to digest the food that was just eaten. The reason why people can only eat a few times a day is because your body can only allow a certain amount of food depending on your body weight and type, and it cannot ingest more food than it can process at one time. The next step in Secretion, this happens in the course of the day. The digestive system secretes about 7 liters of fluid daily, but these fluids include saliva, mucus, hydrochloric acid, enzymes, and bile...
The excretory system, which includes the rectum and anus helps the digestive system by getting rid of waste and the digestive system helps the excretory system by breaking down food to be eliminated from the body. Wow! The human body wouldn’t be able to work without one or the other. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading my journey throughout the human digestive system. I hope to write again from where my next journey from here will begin- perhaps it will be in the ocean or along Sydney Water pipes. Until next
The excretory system is a passive biological system that removes excess, unnecessary materials from the body fluids of an organism, so as to help maintain internal chemical homeostasis and prevent damage to the body. The dual function of excretory systems is the elimination of the waste products of metabolism and to drain the body of used up and broken down components in a liquid and gaseous state. In humans and other amniotes most of these substances leave the body as urine and to some degree exhalation, mammals also expel them through sweating.