THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

• The length of your entire digestive system from the mouth to anus is approximately 30 feet long.
• The food you eat takes an incredible journey through your body, from top (your mouth) to bottom (your anus).
• Along the way the beneficial parts of your food are absorbed, giving you energy and nutrients.
• Your digestive system is a network of organs that help you digest and absorb nutrition from your food.
• The digestive tract begins at the lips and ends at the anus.
• All of these organs and glands contribute to the physical and chemical breaking down of ingested food and to the eventual elimination of nondigestible wastes.
• The structures and functions of these organs are described step by step in the following districts, starting from the mouth.
• Teeth are responsible for mechanical digestion by breaking down food into smaller pieces.
• The tongue helps in the manipulation of food and plays a role in swallowing.
• Salivary glands produce saliva, containing enzymes like amylase that start the process of chemical digestion.
• The uvula is a small, dangly structure at the back of the throat, playing a role in speech and preventing food from entering the nasal passages during swallowing.
• The epiglottis prevents food and liquids from entering the windpipe (trachea) during swallowing.
• The pharynx is the muscular tube connecting the nose and mouth to the esophagus, facilitating the passage of air and food.
• The larynx, also known as the voice box, houses the vocal cords and plays a crucial role in speech and sound production, as well as protecting the airway during swallowing.
• The esophagus is a muscular tube that transports food from the throat to the stomach, using coordinated muscle contractions called peristalsis.
• In the arena of digestion, the mouth stands as the entrance for food; its teeth serving as the skilled archers breaking down the food into bite-sized particles.
• Salivary glands release enzymes like amylase into your mouth when you chew food.
• Amylase specifically targets complex carbohydrates like starches and begins to break them down into simpler sugars like maltose.
• When a person swallows, food pushes into the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach.
• As food approaches the closed sphincter, the muscle relaxes and lets food pass through to the stomach.
• The stomach transforms into gastronomic arena, a a bustling battleground where food faces the ultimate test of digestion.
• The stomach stores swallowed food and liquid, mixes it with digestive juice, and slowly empties its contents.
• Through rhythmic squeezing and motions, known as peristalsis, the stomach churns and mixes food with gastric juices, forming a semi- liquid substance chyme.
• The Cardia is the opening of the stomach that connects to the esophagus.
• The Fundus is the upper, rounded part of the stomach that stores swallowed food and delivers it to the rest of the stomach for processing.
• The Body is the main, central part of the stomach where most of the digestive processes occur.
• The Pylorus is the lower part of the stomach that connects to the small intestine.
• The Pyloric Sphincter is a muscular valve at the junction of the stomach and small intestine that controls the release of partially digested food (chyme) into the small intestine.
• The Antrum is the lower portion of the stomach, near the pyloric sphincter, and it plays a key role in grinding food into a semi- liquid form called chyme.
• Gastric juices are a combination of digestive fluids produced by the stomach, including hydrochloric acid and enzymes.
• Peristalsis consists of waves of muscular contractions that move the food along the length of the digestive tract.
• The small intestine emerges as the Hunger Games' "Cornucopia", a treasure trove where the real competition for nutrients unfolds.
• The small intestine is a lengthy and convoluted tube where the majority of nutrient absorption takes place.
• The Duodenum is the first and shortest part of the small intestine that receives partially digested food (chyme) from the stomach and mixes it with digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver to facilitate further digestion.
• The Jejunum is the middle part of the small intestine where the majority of nutrient absorption takes place.
• The Ileum is the final part of the small intestine that connects to the large intestine (colon) that absorbs remaining nutrients and water before passing undigested material to the colon.
• Villi are tiny, finger-like projections covering the walls inside your small intestine, increasing its surface area for enhanced nutrient absorption.
• The Pancreas, while not directly part of the small intestine, plays a pivotal role in regulating the power source of the body-glucose-by producing insulin and other digestive enzymes.
• Despite being called the "small" intestine, it's surprisingly long, averaging around 20 feet in adults, making it the longest part of the digestive system and is roughly equivalent to the length of two giraffes laid end to end.
• The Biliary System is a network of organs and ducts involved in the production, storage, and transportation of bile.