Basics of the Digestive System
The basic need for the digestive system is to provide human body with the energy to perform human functions. This energy is needed for life processes such as growth, movement, reproduction etc. (Walker & Wood, 2003). The food consumed by the human body is the source of all this energy. The food is a mixture of nutrients and chemicals. Every single piece of food is broken down into a form that the cells can absorb. It is the function of the digestive system to break down the food into soluble molecules that can be taken to all parts of the body by blood (Beckett & Gallagher, 2001). The word digestion is derived from the Latin word, digerere, which means “to arrange”. This is what digestive system does, it breaks down food and arranges its different components into molecules your body can use (Morrison, 2001). There are many organs involved in the digestive system and there are also many steps that follow one another for digestion to work. There are also many chemicals involved in the process.
How is the Digestive System Controlled?
The digestive system is controlled by the hormone and nerve regulators. Hormones are released by the cells present in the lining of the stomach and the small intestine. These hormones are responsible for the production of digestive juices and they also regulate appetite. The digestive system is controlled by two types of nerves, extrinsic nerves and intrinsic nerves. Extrinsic nerves are the outside nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the digestive organs. These nerves control the production of chemicals in the digestive system that cause the muscles in the organs to contract or relax based on the food’s need to be digested. The intrinsic nerves are the inside nerves in the digestive system that are triggered when food reaches the walls of the hollow organs. The nerves releases different substances that control the movement of food and the production of the digestive juices (Wallace, 2013).
The basic need for the digestive system is to provide human body with the energy to perform human functions. This energy is needed for life processes such as growth, movement, reproduction etc. (Walker & Wood, 2003). The food consumed by the human body is the source of all this energy. The food is a mixture of nutrients and chemicals. Every single piece of food is broken down into a form that the cells can absorb. It is the function of the digestive system to break down the food into soluble molecules that can be taken to all parts of the body by blood (Beckett & Gallagher, 2001). The word digestion is derived from the Latin word, digerere, which means “to arrange”. This is what digestive system does, it breaks down food and arranges its different components into molecules your body can use (Morrison, 2001). There are many organs involved in the digestive system and there are also many steps that follow one another for digestion to work. There are also many chemicals involved in the process.
How is the Digestive System Controlled?
The digestive system is controlled by the hormone and nerve regulators. Hormones are released by the cells present in the lining of the stomach and the small intestine. These hormones are responsible for the production of digestive juices and they also regulate appetite. The digestive system is controlled by two types of nerves, extrinsic nerves and intrinsic nerves. Extrinsic nerves are the outside nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the digestive organs. These nerves control the production of chemicals in the digestive system that cause the muscles in the organs to contract or relax based on the food’s need to be digested. The intrinsic nerves are the inside nerves in the digestive system that are triggered when food reaches the walls of the hollow organs. The nerves releases different substances that control the movement of food and the production of the digestive juices (Wallace, 2013).