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How digestion works
Digestion is a complex process that is essential for keeping us alive, active and healthy. The human digestive process works day and night to provide our bodies with the nutrients we need - usually without us being aware of it. Chewing and swallowing our food are just the first steps on a long process of digestion. With each step, the nutrients are separated from the waste, which is finally eliminated from the body when we go to the toilet. This section presents information on each different step within the process of digestion, and explains what happens when you become constipated. =How digestion works
How food moves through your body
There are special muscles along the entire length of the digestive system. These muscles contract in a co-ordinated, wave-like motion that mixes the food with the body's digestive fluids and pushes the contents forward. The name for this wave-like muscular movement is "peristalsis". Peristalsis pushes the food down the (1) oesophagus, into the (2) stomach, through the (3) small intestine, and finally through the (4) colon. How digestion works
Swallowing
The first step in the digestion process happens when we chew and swallow food or drink a liquid. Although we are able to start swallowing by choice, once it begins, the whole process becomes involuntary and the digestive processes continue automatically. The (1) oesophagus is the tube-like organ through which swallowed food is propelled on its way to the (2) stomach. How digestion works
The stomach
The (2) stomach holds the swallowed food and liquid while digestive juices are added. The digestive juices are very acidic, and they help to break the food down into easy-to-digest elements. Muscles around the lower part of the stomach mix the food and the digestive juices, which helps the digestive process. The stomach then gradually empties its contents slowly into the small intestine. How digestion works
The small intestine
The (3) small intestine has the task of absorbing most of the nutritional elements from food. Peristalsis, the wave-like movement of muscles, pushes its contents along its length. Many different kinds of digestive juices are added and steadily break down the food into separate elements that the body needs. These nutrients are absorbed through the wall of the intestine and enter the blood stream. The remaining contents are then pushed into the colon, for the last remaining nutrients and the excess water to be removed. How digestion works
The small intestine
The (3) small intestine has the task of absorbing most of the nutritional elements from food. Peristalsis, the wave-like movement of muscles, pushes its contents along its length. Many different kinds of digestive juices are added and steadily break down the food into separate elements that the body needs. These nutrients are absorbed through the wall of the intestine and enter the blood stream. The remaining contents are then pushed into the colon, for the last remaining nutrients and the excess water to be removed. How digestion works
The colon
The main task of the (4) colon is to absorb remaining minerals which are not yet absorbed from the small intestines and excess water from its contents. Unlike the stomach and small intestine, the colon does not use any added digestive juices. Instead, naturally-occurring bacteria break down the waste material, helping to release the remaining nutrients. Peristalsis slowly pushes the waste material along the colon, until it is ready to be expelled from the body. Constipation occurs when this peristaltic movement in the colon fails, and the waste cannot be eliminated normally.
Digestion is a complex process that is essential for keeping us alive, active and healthy. The human digestive process works day and night to provide our bodies with the nutrients we need - usually without us being aware of it. Chewing and swallowing our food are just the first steps on a long process of digestion. With each step, the nutrients are separated from the waste, which is finally eliminated from the body when we go to the toilet. This section presents information on each different step within the process of digestion, and explains what happens when you become constipated. =How digestion works
How food moves through your body
There are special muscles along the entire length of the digestive system. These muscles contract in a co-ordinated, wave-like motion that mixes the food with the body's digestive fluids and pushes the contents forward. The name for this wave-like muscular movement is "peristalsis". Peristalsis pushes the food down the (1) oesophagus, into the (2) stomach, through the (3) small intestine, and finally through the (4) colon. How digestion works
Swallowing
The first step in the digestion process happens when we chew and swallow food or drink a liquid. Although we are able to start swallowing by choice, once it begins, the whole process becomes involuntary and the digestive processes continue automatically. The (1) oesophagus is the tube-like organ through which swallowed food is propelled on its way to the (2) stomach. How digestion works
The stomach
The (2) stomach holds the swallowed food and liquid while digestive juices are added. The digestive juices are very acidic, and they help to break the food down into easy-to-digest elements. Muscles around the lower part of the stomach mix the food and the digestive juices, which helps the digestive process. The stomach then gradually empties its contents slowly into the small intestine. How digestion works
The small intestine
The (3) small intestine has the task of absorbing most of the nutritional elements from food. Peristalsis, the wave-like movement of muscles, pushes its contents along its length. Many different kinds of digestive juices are added and steadily break down the food into separate elements that the body needs. These nutrients are absorbed through the wall of the intestine and enter the blood stream. The remaining contents are then pushed into the colon, for the last remaining nutrients and the excess water to be removed. How digestion works
The small intestine
The (3) small intestine has the task of absorbing most of the nutritional elements from food. Peristalsis, the wave-like movement of muscles, pushes its contents along its length. Many different kinds of digestive juices are added and steadily break down the food into separate elements that the body needs. These nutrients are absorbed through the wall of the intestine and enter the blood stream. The remaining contents are then pushed into the colon, for the last remaining nutrients and the excess water to be removed. How digestion works
The colon
The main task of the (4) colon is to absorb remaining minerals which are not yet absorbed from the small intestines and excess water from its contents. Unlike the stomach and small intestine, the colon does not use any added digestive juices. Instead, naturally-occurring bacteria break down the waste material, helping to release the remaining nutrients. Peristalsis slowly pushes the waste material along the colon, until it is ready to be expelled from the body. Constipation occurs when this peristaltic movement in the colon fails, and the waste cannot be eliminated normally.
