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In this final lesson of ‘My GI Tract’ series, you will learn how the rectum and anus work together to break down the foods that we consume.

Here’s a quick recap. The digestive process begins in the mouth. It receives the food and breaks it up into small, easy-to-swallow pieces. Enzymes from the saliva break down any starch and the food passes into a long tube called the oesophagus. It carries the food bolus along its length, and contracts (peristalsis) to move food down towards the stomach. The enzymes and acids in the stomach continue the process of breaking down food, before they are released into the small intestine. The small intestine receives food from the stomach and continues to break down the food while absorbing the majority of its nutrients. In the upper section of your small intestine (duodenum), digestion continues as chyme from the stomach mixes with a variety of digestive juices from your pancreas, liver and gallbladder. At end of the journey through the small intestine, most nutrients from digested food have been absorbed. In the large intestine, undigested material, excess fluids, and mucus all combine to form stool. At the lower end of your large intestine, is the rectum, which temporarily stores stool we are ready to expel the stool through the Anus.

Rectum

The rectum has a slight S-shape, with two bends in it. It is roughly an 8-inch chamber that connects the colon to the anus. It receives stool from the colon, sends signals to the brain if there is stool to be released, and stores it until it passes out of the body through the anus. Your rectum is made up of layers of muscles and tissues, with glands on the inside that secret and absorb. When its muscles activate to move waste through, it can contract and shorten, and stretch to accommodate more waste.

The primary function of the rectum is to collect and hold stool until it’s time to release it. Your rectum relaxes and stretches to accommodate the waste as it gradually comes in from your colon. While holding it, your rectum absorbs the remaining water and electrolytes and further solidifies the waste. It secretes mucus to help it pass through smoothly. When it’s full, nerves that detect stretch in the rectal wall (stretch receptors) communicate to your central nervous system that it’s time to release. Increasing pressure will make it increasingly hard to hold it in and trigger the urge to release.

Anus

The last part of the digestive tract, the anus, is the opening at the far end of the digestive tract through which stool leaves the body. It consists of pelvic floor muscles and two anal sphincters (internal and external) that control your bowel movements.

Did you know? Your food’s long journey, typically lasting between 30 and 40 hours!

Let’s continue onto the 8th part of our ‘My GI Tract’ series, and how the large intestine aids our digestion.

The lower GI (gastrointestinal) tract

This is made up of the colon, rectum and anus. The role of the lower GI tract is to solidify the waste product (by absorbing water), store the waste product until it can be eliminated (a bowel movement), and help with the elimination process.

The Large Intestine (Colon)

At end of the journey through the small intestine, most nutrients from digested food have been absorbed. But not everything you eat is an absorbable nutrient. So, what happens to the parts of your food that your body doesn’t need? In the large intestine, undigested material, excess fluids, and mucus all combine to form stool.

The colon is approximately 6-foot long muscular tube that connects the small intestine to the rectum, and is made up of the following:

cecum
ascending (right) colon
transverse (across) colon
descending (left) colon
sigmoid colon (connects to the rectum)

Let’s journey through it!

Waste left over from the digestive process, is passed through the colon by means of peristalsis. It normally takes around 36 hours for stool to get through the colon. The good gut bacteria break down the remaining carbohydrates to produce key vitamins (B and K) that are absorbed through the mucosa. This is why it takes longer in comparison to the small intestine.

The cecum is the reservoir where food from the small intestine arrives in the large intestine. When the cecum is full, it triggers the muscle movements of the colon to begin. Food travels to the ascending colon, and upward and sideways across the transverse colon. Along these, any remaining water and electrolytes are absorbed so that the food waste that arrives in the descending colon is mostly solid. The colon secretes mucus to bind and lubricate the food waste to help it pass through smoothly as it is dehydrated. This soft mass called stool (food debris and bacteria) is then stored in the sigmoid colon (S-shaped) until it becomes full. It is then squeezed (through periodic muscle contractions) and emptied into a pouch called the rectum, to begin the process of elimination (a bowel movement).

Did you know? Stool can sit in the large intestine for up to 48 hours before it is expelled from the body.

Tune in next time, as we continue our journey through the rectum and learn the process of elimination takes place.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch.

Email us info@claritywellbeing.co.uk or call us on 07782 200 112.

In this lesson of ‘My GI Tract’ series, you will learn how the gallbladder and the accessory digestive organs work together to break down the foods that we consume.

Your Gallbladder

Main function is to store bile produced by the liver and then releases as necessary.
A sac-like organ, located in the upper right part of your abdomen and sits just under your liver.
Roughly 3 to 4 inches long, and 1 inch across.

If your liver is Batman, then your gallbladder is its Robin

Think of your liver as a factory and your gallbladder as a warehouse next door. Your liver makes a digestive juice called bile. The bile then passes to the gallbladder, which concentrates and stores it for later use.

What is bile?

Bile aids in digesting fats and is needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. It is a mixture of mainly cholesterol, bilirubin and bile salts. Fats are the most challenging part of food to digest, so you can see how bile has a very important role.

When you digest fatty food, your gallbladder releases bile. This digestive juice passes down a narrow tube (the cystic duct). It goes straight into the first section of your small intestine (the duodenum). There, the strong chemicals go to work by breaking down the fat into a liquid form that you can easily digest.

Did you know? The biliary system is a pipe-like system that carries bile from your liver to your small intestine.

Liver, Gallbladder & Pancreas: Teamwork Trio

Before you begin eating, bile (initially made by your liver) is already stored in the gallbladder. While it’s in storage the bile is concentrated by the removal of water. Then, when you digest fatty food and that fat reaches your duodenum, a hormonal stimulus tells the gallbladder to contract, pushing the stored bile into your digestive tract. The bile travels down your cystic duct into the common bile duct (CBD). The CBD passes through the pancreas (via the pancreatic duct) before it empties into the duodenum. Enzymes from your pancreas (carried via the pancreatic duct) together with the digestive juices from the liver (carried via the hepatic duct) and other enzymes, work together to break down fatty bits into a liquid form that you can digest. This facilitates an easy absorption through the walls of your small intestine and into your blood in the form of energy.

Tune in next time, as we explore part 8 of the ‘My GI Tract’ series to learn just how important our colon is for our digestion.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch.

Email us info@claritywellbeing.co.uk or call us on 07782 200 112.

Welcome to our ‘My GI Tract’ series. We continue our journey along the digestive tract and learn how the liver aids our digestion.

Your Liver

The liver, one of the largest organs in your body and responsible for over 500 functions, is the essential filtration system that breaks down harmful substances in your blood as well as processing key nutrients. This organ helps filter toxins from the blood and produces bile, a solution that helps you digest fats. It’s located just beneath your rib cage on the right side of your body. If you could feel it, it would be rubbery to the touch.

Did you know that your liver is the only organ that can completely regenerate?

The Liver’s Role in Digestion

You liver’s primary job within the digestive system is to process the nutrients absorbed from the small intestine. Bile from the liver secreted into the small intestine also plays an important role in digesting fat and some vitamins.

The liver filters anything that is eaten or consumed, whether it’s food, alcohol, medication or toxins. Essentially, the liver is the body’s chemical factory. It takes the raw materials absorbed by the intestine and created the necessary chemicals your body needs to function. It also creates albumin, a blood protein that transports hormones, drugs and fatty acids through the body.

In addition to its role as a chemical factory, the liver is also a fat factory. When fats are consumed, the liver breaks them down. It also creates bile, which converts excess carbohydrates and proteins and stores them for later use. Bile is highly important for digestion as it helps the body absorb fat into the bloodstream and helps to carry unusable waste products and toxins out of the body through the stool.

A healthy liver = good health

The liver also breaks down toxic substances like alcohol, drugs and medicines. It removes them by excreting waste into the blood, which is then cleansed by the kidneys and removed from the body through the urine.

Your liver is one of the most powerful organs in your body. Love your liver! Tune in next time, as we explore just how important our gallbladder is for our digestion.

A liver cleanse improves the liver’s capacity to remove toxins from your body. This means that you restore your natural defence system so that you can fight virus, infection, inflammation and disease. To find out about liver cleanses and to book your appointment, get in touch with us now.

Email us info@claritywellbeing.co.uk or call us on 07782 200 112.

The Pancreas

Before we move onto the large intestine (otherwise know as the colon), there are three accessory digestive organs – pancreas, liver and gallbladder – that are instrumental in the digestive process. Let’s focus on the pancreas.

Your pancreas is located inside your abdomen, just behind the stomach. It’s about the size of your hand. During digestion, your pancreas makes pancreatic juices called enzymes. These enzymes break down sugars, fats, and starches. Your pancreas also helps your digestive system by making hormones. These are chemical messengers that travel through your blood. Pancreatic hormones help regulate your blood sugar levels and appetite, stimulate stomach acids, and tell your stomach when to empty.

Don’t take your pancreas for granted!

Although the pancreas is mostly known for its blood sugar regulatory function with the production of insulin, the organ produces digestive enzymes that help break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Did you know? Your pancreas makes around 230ml of digestive juice filled with enzymes, daily!

Your pancreas creates natural juices called pancreatic enzymes to break down foods. These juices travel through your pancreas via ducts. They empty into the upper part of your small intestine called the duodenum. Pancreatic enzymes are:

Lipase. This enzyme works together with bile, which your liver produces, to break down fat in your diet. If you don’t have enough lipase, your body will have an issue absorbing fat and the important fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). Symptoms of poor fat absorption include diarrhoea and fatty bowel movements.
Protease. This enzyme breaks down proteins in your diet. It also helps protect you from germs that may live in your intestines, like certain bacteria and yeast. Undigested proteins can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Amylase. This enzyme is predominantly produced by the salivary glands and the pancreas. It helps break down starches into sugar, which your body can use for energy.

Hormones

There are also pancreatic hormones that are produced inside your pancreas. Unlike enzymes that are released into your digestive system, hormones are released into your blood and carry messages to other parts of your digestive system. Insulin is one of them, which aids in the metabolism of sugars for energy.

So, you can see just how essential a role the pancreas plays! Your pancreas is important for digesting food and managing your use of sugar for energy after digestion. Treat it well.

Tune in next time, as we explore just how important our liver is for our digestion.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch.

As part of the ‘My GI Tract’ series, our journey through the GI tract continues with the small intestine. Let’s learn how this part of aids our digestion.

Let’s do a very quick recap. The digestive process begins in the mouth. It receives the food and breaks it up into small, easy-to-swallow pieces. Enzymes from the saliva break down any starch and the food passes into a long tube called the oesophagus. It carries the food bolus along its length, and contracts (peristalsis) to move food down towards the stomach. The enzymes and acids in the stomach continue the process of breaking down food, before they are released into the small intestine.

Did you know?

Did you know that the small intestine (the longest part of the digestive tract) is a long muscular tube and is on average roughly 7 metres long – about 3 times the length of your body?!

Your small intestine

The small intestine runs from your stomach to your large intestine and plays the most significant role in the digestive process. Its purpose is to break down food using enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver. Peristalsis also works in this organ, moving food through and mixing it with digestive juices from the pancreas and liver.

It is made up of three different parts – the duodenum (where the further breakdown of the food takes place), and the jejunum and ileum (these two are mainly responsible for the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream). Part of the small intestine is covered with tiny, finger-like tentacles called villi. The purpose of these villi is to increase the surface area of the small intestine, for maximum nutrient absorption.

A concoction of digestive juices and enzymes are at play

As chime (a semi-fluid paste) enters the small intestines, it mixes with water, bile, pancreatic digestive juices, enzymes and mucus. These contribute to its change in consistency – into more of a liquid form. Bile is critical in the digestion of fats into free fatty acids, and is composed of water, salts, acids, and liquids. It is a medium in which fats and fat-soluble vitamins can dissolve and be carried into the blood stream via the villi.

What remains of the food when it reaches the end of the ileum is a combination of water, electrolytes — such as sodium and chloride — and waste products (plant fibre) and dead cells shed from the lining of your digestive tract into the large intestine (colon).

Tune in next time, as we explore what happens at the next phase of digestion — inside the pancreas.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch with us now.

The Stomach

The stomach is a muscular sac that is located on the left side of the abdominal cavity. This major organ acts as a storage tank for food so that the body has time to digest large meals efficiently. You’ll be surprised if you knew the quantity of food could be stored in your stomach!

“An empty, adult stomach has a capacity of 75 millilitres. But it can stretch and house up to 1 litre of food over the course of a meal. That’s over 10 times the starting capacity!”

The stomach also contains hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes that continue the digestion of food that began in the mouth. Peristalsis continues in the stomach and is the driving force for blending food with the stomach acid. Stomach secretions help make nutrients available for absorption later in the small intestine.

Hydrochloric acid

The hydrochloric acid is strong enough to break apart tightly bound proteins into polypeptide chains (smaller chains of amino acids). It can also eliminate potentially harmful bacteria that may be present in some foods.

So, from glands that line the stomach, acid and enzymes are secreted that continue the breakdown process of the food into smaller and smaller pieces. At the end of this process, the food you placed in your mouth has been transformed into a semi-fluid paste called chyme.

Peristalsis contractions continue

Once the chyme is well mixed, waves of muscle contractions propel it through a valve called the pylorus and releases into the upper section of your small intestine (duodenum).

Once your meal is over, stomach acid secretion comes to a stop. Sometimes, may be excess acid and when too much gastric juice remains in the stomach after a meal, irritation of the stomach lining may occur. To protect itself, the stomach adjusts acid production to stay healthy and keep you comfortable. Stomach contractions continue until all the chyme from the previous meal has entered the small intestine.

Tune in next time, as we explore the next phase of digestion — the small intestine.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch with us now.

Journey through the GI tract PART 2: The Oesophagus and its function

Let’s continue onto the next part on the ‘My GI Tract’ series — the oesophagus, and learn how this part of aids our digestion.

Let’s do a very quick recap. In the first part of the digestive process, the mouth receives the food, tastes it and chewing combines with the saliva breaks it up into small, easy-to-swallow pieces (called the bolus). Enzymes present in the saliva break down any starch. The body also uses saliva to lubricate food as it passes through the mouth, pharynx, and into the rim of a 25-centimeter-long tube called the oesophagus.

The Pharynx

Let’s break this down further. The pharynx (throat) is the transition area from the mouth to the oesophagus and is responsible for passing your food bolus from the mouth to the oesophagus.

The pharynx also plays an important role in the respiratory system, as air from the nasal cavity passes through the pharynx on its way to the larynx (the voice box or glottis) and eventually the lungs. Because the pharynx serves two different functions, it contains a flap of tissue known as the epiglottis that acts as a switch to route food to the oesophagus and air to the larynx. The act of swallowing is a complex process that closes the trachea (the windpipe) — to protect our lungs — and moves food into the oesophagus.

The Oesophagus

Located in your throat near your trachea (windpipe), the oesophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow. The oesophagus is a muscular tube connecting the pharynx to the stomach that is part of the upper gastrointestinal tract. It carries the food bolus along its length, and contracts (peristalsis) to move food down towards the stomach.

Anyone for avocado on toast?

So, let’s take a bite of this tasty avocado on toast. As you swallow this piece, nerves in the surrounding oesophageal tissue sense the bolus’s presence and trigger peristalsis, a series of defined muscular contractions. When the food bolus reaches the lower end of your oesophagus, pressure from the food signals a muscular valve — the lower oesophageal sphincter — to relax and let the food enter your stomach. This sphincter contracts and prevents the contents of the stomach from flowing back into the oesophagus (and therefore avoids heartburn or acid reflux).

Tune in next time, as we explore the next phase of digestion — our major organ of the stomach.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch with us now.

Following on from our last blog on the ‘My GI Tract’ series, let’s begin our journey by diving into the depths of the GI tract, delving into the workings of the oral cavities. We shall learn how this part of this tract aids digestion.

The 1st part of the GI tract and its function: The Mouth

Wouldn’t you agree that eating is by far the most enjoyable part of the digestive process?

The digestive process begins even before you bite into your food. The mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract and encounters all the delicious foods and drinks that you offer it. It receives the food, tastes it and breaks it up into small, easy-to-swallow pieces.

Salivary glands

Your partner offers you some fruit. Anticipating a juicy orange, the sweet aroma entices you to take a bite and glands in your mouth start to get active. That’s why your mouth waters at the sight of food. It begins to produce saliva — a mixture of secretions that help lubricate and break down food. Besides having salivary glands in the lining of your mouth, you have three pairs of larger salivary glands — the parotid, sublingual and submandibular glands.

“The salivary glands in your mouth secrete between 1 and 1.5 litres of saliva daily.”

Once you start eating, chewing (mastication) enables the food to be cut into pieces that are more easily digestible. Saliva is also produced with the chewing motion. Your saliva mixes with the food to begin to break it down into a form your body can absorb and use. It moistens and lubricates food, and turns the food into a moist lump called the bolus, making it easier to swallow.

Enzymes present in the saliva break down any starch

The salivary glands in your mouth secrete saliva, which is rich in the digestive enzyme amylase. Salivary amylase breaks apart starches into two-chain sugars called maltose. This simple sugar is later broken down further into single glucose molecules that can be used as cellular energy.

The tongue

The movement of the tongue is also important in the digestive process. After your food is chewed and mixed with saliva, it is ready to be swallowed. The tongue guides the bolus to the back of the throat. As you swallow, your tongue passes the food into your throat (pharynx) and into your oesophagus.

Tune in next time, as we explore the oesophagus and how it aids digestion.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch with us now.

Your body is amazing. No, really! In this new series on ‘My GI Tract’ we’re going to take an interesting journey through our gastrointestinal (GI) tract and learn how each part of this tract aids digestion.

Over the next few months, we’re going to look at each of the 10 parts of the GI tract with a step-by-step account of the digestive system’s workings. Are you ready to explore just how incredibly unique the digestive system can be? Tune in and get ready for the ride!

Here’s what we shall be exploring:

The 10 parts of the GI tract and their functions: 1. Mouth 2. Oesophagus 3. Stomach 4. Small Intestine 5. Pancreas 6. Liver 7. Gallbladder 8. Colon 9. Rectum 10. Anus

The four main components of the digestive system 1. Gastrointestinal tract 2. Pancreas, liver and gallbladder 3. The body’s enzymes, hormones, nerves, and blood 4. The mesentery

What is the digestive system?

The human digestive system (also known as the digestive tract, the GI tract, the gut or the alimentary canal) is the unsung hero of our torso. It is made up of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and your liver, pancreas and gallbladder.

The GI tract is a muscular tube around 9 meters (30 feet) in length that runs from the mouth to the anus. The digestive tract (where are food is digested) is comprised of a series of organs. The main organs include the oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine (colon), rectum and anus. Helping them along the way are the pancreas, gall bladder and liver adding secretions to help digestion.

What is its function?

The function of the digestive system is to break down foods (from three major food groups – carbohydrates, proteins and fats) into simple components that can be easily absorbed by the body. We eat foods to obtain energy and nourishment. Our body needs nutrients in order to stay healthy and function effectively. Nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. The digestive system breaks down and absorbs nutrients from the food to use for important things like energy, growth and cell repair.

Your gut is the only organ with its own independent nervous system, comprising of 100 million neurons embedded in the gut wall! With this in mind and together with intricate processes, the digestive system is one of the most diverse and complicated systems in the human body.

Tune in next time as we begin our journey into the depths of the GI tract, delving into the workings of the oral cavities.

To find out about how to keep your digestive system working effectively, and to book your appointment, get in touch with us now.