ACTIVITY FOR THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Activity 1. The Food Journey
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How does the food change in consistency and form?
The digestive system in our bodies is designed to regulate and break down the fuel that comes from the food that we eat. When food is exposed to different substances and travels through different processes in different regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, it changes in form and consistency. The process of breaking down food into smaller pieces begins in the mouth. Salivary amylase, which acts on starch to chemically digest food, is combined with the food once it has been taken in by the mouth. This results in the formation of a semi-solid mass known as a bolus. Subsequently, the bolus is further broken up into smaller pieces inside the stomach. The complex carbohydrates in the bolus are broken down into simpler ones by the stomach's digestive juices and the enzymes that are created there. These stomach activities cause the bolus to change into a chyme, which is a fluid-like substance. After, it travels to the small intestine, where the duodenum, a portion of the small intestine, is where the digestive enzymes from the pancreas, liver, and small intestine further operate on the chyme. The chyme is then ready for the bacteria to eliminate in the large intestine. Additionally, the chyme's water content is absorbed, solidifying or semi-solidifying the chyme and causing excrement to develop.
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How could the body absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat?
One of the most important reasons why we need to eat a healthy and balanced diet is to get our body’s needed nutrients from these fibers and proteins. The process of nutrient absorption is mostly carried out by the small intestine, one of the digestive system's organs in the latter part of the digestion. By enabling enzymes to convert complex substances into simpler forms, it promotes absorption. Now, it starts with the muscles of the small intestine drive the food mixture forward and this combines it with digestive fluids from the pancreas, liver, and gut, to aid in digestion. Then, the lining of the small intestine allows the blood to absorb and then distribute proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates to the rest of the body through the circulatory system. The nutrients that are then absorbed are utilized by the circulatory system for development, energy, and equilibrium which then helps in the betterment of the body if we give ourselves enough energy by eating clean and healthy food in our daily intake.
References
Digestive System Explained. (2014, August 31). BetterHealth Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/digestive-system
Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. H. (2017). Tortora’s Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. Wiley.
Your digestive system and How it works. (2023, February 28). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works