Digestion, Absorption and Metabolism

Digestion is the first piece.  Starting in the mouth as food enters the body, then to the digestive tract, food is broken down properly to ensure carbs, fats and proteins and other nutrients go where they belong.  The Digestive tract is a long tube (approximately 26 feet) in the body that has the purpose of digesting foods and absorbing the needed nutrients for the functions of the body. The tract is comprised of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. Digestion is comprised of two parts - chemical and mechanical. Chemically, "juices" aid in breaking the foods down. While mechanical does the squeezing and liquefying to ensure all goes down smoothly and gets broken up, the chemical system adds more juices to break down the foods. For instance, in the mouth, saliva lubricates sugar and starches, moistens fibers, mixes with fatty foods and softens proteins. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid stops the starches, fat float to top of the mixture or paste and breaks down or uncoils proteins. The intestines do a lot of work, breaking sugars and starches down and bind cholesterol and minerals through fiber. Bile enters the small intestine and prepares it for the pancreas that gives another enzyme that splits up the fats. The walls of the small intestine absorbs the small fragments it amino acids. Water is added to the system in he pancreas and small intestine. The large intestine takes in fiber, fluid and minerals. Carbs enter the large intestine after being broken down by bacteria. Protein that has not been digested, which is highly unlikely, is sent to the large intestine. Water is needed and absorbed in the large intestine as well. Mechanically, food enters the mouth then chewing and saliva make it small enough to enter the delicate esophagus. Chewing also aids, in making the nutrients small enough to be absorbed. Peristalsis is the squeezing of the tongue and esophagus leading to the stomach and intestines. The stomach and intestines provide the foods enough fluid to assist in passing. The sphincter lies at the bottom of the esophagus and ensures the process is a forward movement. After food is ground into a paste called chyme, the pyloric valve squirts out little bits into the small intestine. The small intestine directs the food to the large intestine or colon. The undigested and unnecessary nutrients are then made feces and excreted into the end of the digesting and absorption system, the rectum. The absorption piece takes places right after the digestive processes and thanks the digestive system for breaking down and sending it to the proper areas.  Metabolism uses fat to burn for energy. Once metabolism levels drop, the body stores fat and does not burn it off quite enough.  This cause overweight and obesity issues resulting in chronic diseases.  Physical activity can help with increasing metabolism levels to prevent overweight and obesity risks.