Understanding Digestive System Disorders

In order to comprehend digestive system disorders it is vital to know how your digestive system is supposed to work. A disorder is simply a system or part of a system that is not performing the way it should. A system is a union of parts, all working together to complete a task or set of tasks. In the case of your digestive system the body parts and organs that are either in the digestive system or helping the digestive system all have the same goal. This is to turn what we eat and drink into nutrients that the body can use to grow cells that are needed for the purpose of bodily functions. Or, it is used to produce energy to fuel those bodily functions.

The digestive system both breaks down the molecules of food and drink into smaller molecules and carries it to another part of the digestive system. Once the molecules are tiny enough for the body to use to manufacture cells or fuel, the digestive system and the parts that aid it then carry these molecules to the cells of the body that metabolize what the digestive system has been digesting. There are six steps that complete the job that the digestive system does. All of these six steps entail movement through the system. A wave-like movement called, “peristalsis”, accomplishes transporting materials through your system. Muscles that drive the food and liquid along the digestive tract accomplish peristalsis. Here are the six steps that are taken during the total process of digesting what we eat and drink:

Step One
The body smells or tastes food or liquids and salivates because of hunger or thirst as part of preparation to eat or drink. We put the food and drink into our mouths and the first step (swallowing) occurs. This first step is a voluntary step. Voluntary, since we decide to swallow, it is an aware act on our part to swallow. Once this first step, swallowing is accomplished all the other movements through the digestive tract are involuntary. Involuntary means that the body automatically performs an act without our having to make the decision for anything to happen. Our nerves control most involuntary movement or actions.

Step Two
Takes place in the esophagus, which is a tube that connects the throat and the stomach. The stomach is the first organ in the involuntary process that is under the direction of our nerves. The esophagus carries what we eat and drink from the back of our throat to the entrance of our stomach.

Step Three
This involves the ring like valve that opens and closes the passage between the esophagus and stomach. When the food gets near to the ring, the muscles around the ring relax and allow food to pass from the esophagus into the stomach.

Step Four
Now that food has entered the stomach, the stomach must process food. It’s job is to store, mix and then empty itself. The stomach’s tasks begin when food enters it.

At the top of the stomach is the large muscle that relaxes in order to accept the large volumes of liquid and food that we take in each day. This is also where the stomach stores the food and liquid right after it accepts any material.

Now, the lower part of the stomach gets into the act, it mixes the food, liquid, and digestive juices that are produced by the stomach. This mixing action is also accomplished by muscle action.

The last task of the stomach is to push its contents into the small intestine.

Step Five
In the small intestine food is digested into much smaller molecules. It dissolves the molecules of food by the juices of the liver, pancreas, and intestine, and further then mixes the contents of the intestine and pushes whatever is left down the system to allow for further digestion.

Step Six
This is the last step in the digestive process and this that the nutrients from all the digested material need to be absorbed by the walls of the intestine. The parts of the materials that are not to be used for as nutrition for the growth of cells or energy for the human body are called wastes. The waste materials are made up of not only the unused parts of what has been digested but also food parts known as fiber, and older cells that have been shed by the mucosa. All of these waste products now moved into the colon. Once in the colon the waste products remain for about one to two days until muscles move them along to be expelled as a bowel movement out your anus.

Disorders of the Digestive System

When any of the tasks of the digestive system do not perform as intended, it is either because of congenital or non-congenital issues with the parts of the body or organs involved in the digestive process. Congenital issues are present at birth, also they may not manifest for years.