Digestive System

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7  the Digestive System

What is Digestive System?

7.1     The digestive system allows your body to take in and process food to nourish its cells. It is a process from “mouth” to stomach, to intestines where the food is broken down into nutrients, which are absorbed in the blood and then supplied to all parts of the body and wastes which are excreted through bowels, urine, sweat and breath. Other digestive organs, such as the pancreas, liver and gallbladder also contribute to the process of digestion. Basically this means carbohydrates (starch), proteins and fats/oils being broken down into sugar (glucose), amino acids and so called fatty acids respectively. Ayurveda lays stress on digestion rather than nutrition. It is more important how you digest the food rather than how nutritive the food was. Of course nutrition matters but mere nutrition without proper digestion in meaningless!

 The Digestive Tract (Alimentary Canal)

7.2     The digestive tract is a long tube running from the mouth down to the neck and trunk of the body, finally ending at the anus opening. If the human digestive tract were stretched out in a straight line, it would be about 95 cm. long. This long tube is also called the alimentary canal. It consists of the mouth (pharynx), food pipe (oesophagus), the stomach, the small intestine and the large intestine. During an average lifetime about 65 tonnes of food and drink passes through the alimentary canal.

   The Mouth (Pharynx) and Saliva

7.3     Saliva is produced chiefly by three pairs of salivary glands in the body. One pair is in front of the ears, one under the tongue, and one under the lower jaw. The largest glands, in front of the ears, secrete large quantities of watery saliva to moisten and to soften the food for easy chewing. The glands near the lower jaw secrete saliva to make the food slippery for easy swallowing. Which of the glands will produce the most saliva depends on the food we take in. If we bite a juicy apple, our lower glands will function to make the food slippery, as it need not be moistened. If we eat dry crackers, the glands in front of the ears will work to produce large quantities of watery saliva. The nerves in our lips, tongue, teeth and jaw muscles help us to know what we are eating. They send messages to the brain about how cold or hot our food is and whether it is rough or smooth, hard or soft.