Download The Digestive System

The Digestive System
By: Balsam, Emily and James.
Table of Contents
The role of the digestive system……………………. 1
Major organs in the digestive system……………. 2-3
How do these organs work together?................ 4-5
How the digestive system is connected to other
systems……………………………………………………… 6-7
5. Levels of organization…………………………………. 8
6. Diseases that affect the digestive system……….. 9-10
7. How to maintain a healthy digestive system….. 11
8. Two professions that work with the digestive
system……………………………………………………….. 12-13
9. Fun Facts…………………………………………………… 14
10. References…………………………………………………. 15-18
1.
2.
3.
4.
The role of the digestive system
The digestive system is a series of organs that turn
food into necessary nutrients that are absorbed
into the body and takes waste out of the body. If
the digestive system were to shut down, the body
wouldn’t be able to get rid of waste or take in
nutrients.
Major organs in the digestive system
The digestive consists of six different organs;
the Esophagus, Mouth, Stomach, Small Intestine,
the Large Intestine and the Rectum (or Anus). The
digestive system also DOES have organs that food
DOES NOT go through, for example; the Liver,
Gallbladder, and the Pancreas.
Major Organs in The Digestive System.
Organ
Movement
Digestive juices
used
Broken down food
particles.
Mouth
Chewing
Saliva
Starches
Esophagus
Swallowing
None
None
Stomach Acids
Protein
Stomach
Upper muscle in
stomach relaxes to
let food enter and
lower muscle
mixes food with
digestive juice
Small Intestine
Peristalsis
Small intestine
digestive juice
Starches, protein, and
carbohydrates
Pancreas
None
Pancreatic juice
Starches, fats, and
protein
Liver
None
Bile acids
Fats
How do these organs work together?
The mouth is the beginning of the digestive
system, the digestion starts here before you even
take the first bite of a meal. The smell of food
triggers the salivary glands in your mouth to
secrete saliva, causing your mouth to water.
Also called the throat, the pharynx is the portion
of the digestive tract that receives the food from
your mouth. Branching off the pharynx is the
esophagus, which carries food to the stomach.
The stomach secretes acid and powerful
enzymes that continue the process of breaking
the food down and changing it to a consistency
of liquid or paste. From there, food moves to the
small intestine. Between meals, the nonliquefiable remnants are released from the
stomach and ushered through the rest of the
intestines to be eliminated. Stool, or waste left
over from the digestive process, passes through
the colon.
Among other functions, the pancreas is the chief factory for digestive enzymes
that are secreted into the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine.
These enzymes break down protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The liver has
multiple functions, but two of its main functions within the digestive system
are to make and secrete an important substance called bile and to process the
blood coming from the small intestine containing the nutrients just absorbed.
The liver purifies this blood of many impurities before traveling to the rest of
the body. The gallbladder is a storage sac for excess bile. Bile made in the liver
travels to the small intestine via the bile ducts. If the intestine doesn't need it,
the bile travels into the gallbladder, where it awaits the signal from the
intestines that food is present. Bile serves two main purposes. First, it helps
absorb fats in the diet, and secondly, it carries waste from the liver that cannot
go through the kidneys.
What are two other body systems that
it is connected to ?
The digestive system is connected to the nervous
system. The nervous system controls movement of
muscles involved in chewing, swallowing and
digestion.
The urinary system is also connected to the
digestive system. The urinary system excretes
nitrogenous and liquid waste out of the human
body.
Levels of organization in humans
Stomach
Muscle tissue
Muscle cell
Two common diseases that affect the
digestive system: Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease is a disease that causes
inflammation and irritation of any part of the
digestive system, but mainly the small intestine.
It’s unknown what causes Crohn’s disease, but
researchers believe it’s the product of a strange
reaction by the body’s immune system. Treatment
could be medications, nutrition supplementation,
surgery, or a combination of the three. This
treatment can help control Crohn’s disease and
make it happen again less often, but there is no
cure.
Two common diseases that affect the
digestive system: colon cancer
When cancerous cells or tumors are present in the
large intestine, this is called colon cancer. Some
risk factors that may increase your chances of
colon cancer include: family history of colon
cancer, physical inactivity, obesity, excessive
drinking and more. It can affect people of all
ages, but is most common in people over the age
of 50. It can cause abdominal pain such as
cramps and gas, constipation and weight loss.
Current treatment options include:
chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
How To Maintain a Healthy Digestive
System
You can maintain a healthy digestive system
by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and foods
with lots of fiber. You also need to make sure you
eat an adequate amount of protein. Make sure you
eat healthy foods- limit the consumption of fatty
and sugar-filled foods. Exercise regularly to keep
everything working properly and pay attention to
your body.
Two professions that work with the
digestive system
A gastroenterologist (a doctor that works
with the digestive system) would work with the
digestive system as well. A gastroenterologist
diagnosis and treats diseases of the digestive
system. A gastroenterologist would work in a
hospital.
Two professions that work with the
digestive system
A dietitian would work with the digestive
system, helping to make better eating choices and
finding better ways to promote health. A dietitian
may work at a health and wellness centre, a
university, outpatient clinics, hospitals, or other
places of that nature.
5 fun facts ! C:
o The small intestine is about 22 feet (7 meters) long, and about an
inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter.
o Each year, more than 270,000 Americans develop a cancer of the
gastrointestinal tract, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach,
colon and rectum.
o Cells along the inner wall of the stomach secrete roughly 2 liters (0.5
gallons) of hydrochloric acid each day, which helps kill bacteria and
aids in digestion.
o Peptic ulcers are painful sores on the lining of the esophagus,
stomach or small intestine, and they affect approximately 50 million
Americans each year, according to a 2007 study in the journal
American Family Physician.
o Borborygmi, or stomach rumblings, are the result of peristalsis in
the stomach and small intestines — that is, they're due to normal
digestion as food, fluid and gases pass through your gastrointestinal
tract.
References
Hawkes, Chris. The Human Body. Italy: Firefly Books Ltd, 2006.
Crohn’s Disease - National Digestive Diseases Information
Clearinghouse
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/crohns/#what
Gastritis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseasesgastritis
Dietitians of Canada - What does a dietitian do?
http://www.dietitians.ca/find-a-dietitian/what-does-a-dietitiando.aspx
College of Dietitians of Alberta website > Public > About Registered
Dietitians > Where do Registered Dietitians work?
http://www.collegeofdietitians.ab.ca/Public/AboutRegisteredDietitian
s/WheredoRegisteredDietitianswork.aspx
Dr. Fadi H. Diab Web Site
http://fadidiab.com/gastroenterologist-do.html
Muscle Tissue
http://www.uoguelph.ca/zoology/devobio/210labs/muscle1.html
Inside Stomach Royalty Free Stock Photo, Pictures, Images, and Stock
Photography
http://www.123rf.com/photo_13884720_inside-stomach.html
Digestive System: Facts, Function & Diseases
http://www.livescience.com/22367-digestive-system.html
5 fun facts
http://www.livescience.com/40187-digestive-system-surprisingfacts.html
Treatment of colorectal cancer – Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancertype/colorectal/treatment/?region=on
Cancer Quest
http://www.cancerquest.org/colon-rectal-cancerrisks.html?gclid=CKLA0_yyirsCFSVgMgoddg4AEQ
What is pancreatic cancer? – Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancertype/pancreatic/overview/?region=bc
ACP: InternistWeekly – 23 September 2008
http://www.acpinternist.org/weekly/archives/2008/9/23/
Human gastrointestinal tract – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_gastrointestinal_tract
(this was used only for the picture on slide 7)