digestive
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digestive
[dĭ-jes´tiv]Four passageways meet at the back of the throat: the oral and nasal passages, the larynx, and the esophagus. In the act of swallowing, the entrances to the nasal passages and the larynx are each sealed off momentarily by the soft palate and the epiglottis, so that the food can pass into the esophagus without straying into the respiratory tract.
The average adult stomach holds about 1.5 liters. The stomach reaches its peak of digestive activity nearly 2 hours after a meal and may empty in 3 to 4½ hours; a heavy meal may take as long as 6 hours to pass into the small intestine.
The small intestine is about 6 meters (20 feet) long. The lining of the small intestine has deep folds and fingerlike projections called villi that give it a surface of about 9 square meters (100 square feet) through which absorption of food can take place.
The duodenum, a C-shaped curve with a length of about 25 cm (10 in), is the first and widest part of the small intestine. Into it flows the pancreatic juice, with enzymes that break down starch, protein, and fats. The common bile duct also empties into the duodenum. The bile emulsifies fats for the action of the fat-splitting enzymes.
Just below the duodenum is the jejunum, the longest portion of the small intestine, and beyond that is the ileum, the last and narrowest section of the small intestine. Along this whole length, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are broken down into sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, and glycerin. The lining of the small intestine absorbs these nutrient compounds as rapidly as they are produced. The bulky and unusable parts of the diet pass into the large intestine.
Along the 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) or so of the large intestine, the liquid in the waste is gradually reabsorbed through the intestinal walls. Thus the waste is formed into fairly solid feces and pushed down into the rectum for eventual evacuation. This takes from 10 to 20 hours. The evacuation consists of bacteria, cells cast off from the intestines, some mucus, and such indigestible substances as cellulose. The normal dark brown color of the feces is caused by bile pigments.
di·ges·tive
(di-jes'tiv, dī-),digestive
(dī-jĕs′tĭv, dĭ-)di·ges·tive
(di-jes'tiv)digestive,
digestive
Patient discussion about digestive
Q. My aunt suffered from digestive disorder a few months back. My aunt suffered from digestive disorder a few months back. First we were told that this symptom reveal that she is suffering from fibromyalgia. Later another doctor diagnosed her and said that she is not affected by fibromyalgia. So we like to know actually what is fibromyalgia sometimes mistaken for?
Q. It feels like I cannot breath properly, my chest feels heavy and Whenever i eats something it gets even more. If i don't eat much i get gases problem. I am regularly having constipation if i don't take proper medicine. Mostly i have been diagnosed as Digestive System problem, stomach problem, dryness in body and no Problem with my breathing system just cause of gases which causes my chest to remain heavy. I am worried because i never gets my real power in breathing and my digestive system is not getting well. Kindly suggest.
Q. What is the connection between Acid Reflux and Autism? I heard about a digestive issue called Acid reflux. Some people say that this is related to Autism. What is the connection between Acid Reflux and Autism?
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