The Digestive SystemA 12 hour journey

teeth

Your teeth help grind up your food, making it easier to swallow and digest.

Tongue and taste buds

We have taste buds to stop us from eating rotten or dangerous foods.

saliva

The saliva has enzymes that break down the food.

If you are dehydrated, you won’t have enough saliva.

Esophagus (throat) and stomach

The food goes down the esophagus to the stomach.

In the stomach, acid breaks down the food and starts to digest it.

Muscles near your stomach push the food along. This is paristalsis.

These muscles are so strong that we can even eat upside down!

Stomach acid

Stomach acid breaks food down.

Digestive system

Large intestine (colon)

• It takes water out of the waste• It has lots of bacteria that we need

Gallbladder and pancreas

The gallbladder uses bile to help digest fatty foods.

The pancreas makes enzymes for digestion, and makes insulin to control blood sugar.

liver

Your liver weighs almost 1.5 kg.

It is important for storing vitamins and nutrients.

It makes bile.

Your liver can regrow itself.

Rectum and anus

The rectum holds the feces until it is ready to be released.

Eat lots of fiber

Eat lean meats

Fatty meats are harder to digest

Drink a lot of water

Eat “probiotic” foods like yogurt

heartburn

We get heartburn from eating too much, or eating fatty or spicy foods. It is caused by stomach acid.

We can use antacids to stop heartburn.

Exercise often

Exercise helps keep all the systems of your body working better. It can help stop constipation.

Constipation and diarrhea

• Constipation ท้�องผู�ก is when you should poop, but you cannot. Dehydration or illness can cause constipation.

• Diarrhea ท้�องเสีย is when the bowels are too water. It can be caused by bacteria, stress or medicine.

ulcer

Ulcers are holes in your stomach. We don’t exactly know what causes them, but too much aspirin, alcohol and smoking may be part of it.

Colon cancerIt is the most common cancer besides skin cancer.

Drinking alcohol, eating meat often, and eating burned food can increase your risk.

vomiting

If you eat something that could hurt you, you will vomit to protect yourself. The feeling that you want to vomit is called nausea.

hemorrhoidsAbout 50 percent of people will get hemorrhoids sometime.

They can be caused by pregnancy, or straining during a bowel movement, because of constipation.

They cannot easily be cured without surgery.

Owl pellets

Questions

• What is it called when we feel burning in our chest caused by acid?

• What is the first part of our digestive system?• What is a very common cancer of the digestive

system?• What liquid in our mouth helps to digest food?• What is on our tongue that helps us taste food?• What pushes food through our stomach and digestive

system?• What is a hole in your stomach called?