ÿþ<html> <title>Nutter's Bulk & Natural Foods - Article on Digestion, The Five Steps in Digestion</title> <meta name="description" content="There are five main steps in the digestive process, ingestion, propulsion, digestion, absorption, elimination..."> <meta name="keywords" content="digestion, eat, eating, food, five steps of digestion, impaired, digestive system, nutrients, five main steps, digestive process, ingestion, propulsion, digestion, absorption, elimination, mechanical digestion, chemical digestions, accessory digestive organs, teeth, salivary glands, enzymes, digestive enzymes, mouth, lipase, lysozyme, amylase, bolus, esophagus, peristalsis, esophageal hiatus, parasympathetic nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, gastric juices, pH, chyme, pyloric valve, duodenum, microvilli, villi, pancreatic ducts, bile, ileocecal valve, vitamin K, B vitamins, large intestine, beneficial bacteria"> <STYLE> A:visited {text-decoration:none} A:active {text-decoration:none} </head> <center> <table width=800 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0> <td width=800 valign=top> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=4 color="#E0E0E0"> <a href="index.php"><font color=white>Home</a> | <a href="stores.html"><font color=white>Locate A Store</a> | <a href="wellbeing.html"><font color=white>Wellbeing Information</a> | <a href="recipes.html"><font color=white>Recipes</a> </table> <table width=800 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0> <td width=800 valign=top> <a href="artsindex.html"><font face="Times New Roman" size=4" color=red> <br> DIGESTION is a simple, yet detailed series of events that occurs the same way every time we eat. Each step of the way, unique procedures are in place that prepares the food for the next step. Through all five steps, each of these procedures has to function properly or the next step of the process of digestion could be impaired. <br> Understanding how your digestive system works allows you to provide it what it needs to perform at peak capacity so that your body can, in turn, extract the nutrients you need to not simply survive, but thrive. <br> There are five main steps in the digestive process: <LI>Ingestion <LI>Digestion <LI>Elimination Let's take a look at the first step, <i>ingestion,</i> in more detail. <br> <b>1. INGESTION</b><br> Ingestion is a two-step process, consisting of <i>mechanical </i>and <i>chemical digestion</i>, assisted by the <i>accessory digestive organs</i>. <br> <b>Accessory Before The Fact</b>  Accessory Digestive Organs<br> <br> <img src="monsterteeth.jpg" align=right hspace=12 vspace=12 border=1> <LI>In the mechanical portion of the process, your teeth (and to some extent, your tongue) are the first of the two accessory organs to come into play. </OL> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br> <OL type=1> <LI>Saliva lets you "taste" your food by dissolving food's chemicals. <LI><i>Lysozyme</i> (the enzyme that helps in the destruction of cell walls of certain bacteria) cleanses the mouth. </OL> <b>2. PROPULSION</b><br> So, now that you've chewed the fat and tasted it (as it were), the broken down food in your mouth is referred to as a <i>bolus</i>. <br> <b>The Journey through Your Esophagus</b><br> <img src="peristalsis.jpg" align=right hspace=12 vspace=1 border=0> When you swallow, the bolus begins its journey down your esophagus thanks to a process called <i>peristalsis</i>, which also occurs in other steps of the digestive process. <br> Peristalsis is defined as "alternating waves of contraction and relaxation" in the walls of your esophagus, which squeezes the food along the tract. <br> After this tossing, turning, and churning through your esophagus, the bolus arrives at, and moves through, the opening into the stomach from the esophagus known as the <i>esophageal hiatus.</i><br> <b>The Parasympathetic Nervous System</b>  Your Food's Traffic Cop<br> The action of transporting food through the esophagus is controlled by your <i>parasympathetic nervous system </i>(PNS). This system is also known as the "rest and digest" system (you actually <i>digest</i> better when you <i>rest</i>). The neural sensors of the PNS involved in your digestive reflexes are located in the walls of every one of your gastro-intestinal tract (digestive system) organs. <br> There are certain minerals that are important to your parasympathetic nervous system so that it can effectively carry out its role in the five elements of the digestive process:<br> Potassium: <LI>is important for a healthy nervous system <LI>helps prevent stroke <LI>works with sodium to control water balance in the body <LI>aids in maintaining stable blood pressure <br> <UL> <LI>assists in calcium and potassium uptake <LI>helps prevent muscle weakness <LI>aids in the maintaining the body's normal body temperature <br> <UL> <LI>needed for muscular growth and contraction <LI>helps maintain a regular heart beat <LI>aids in neuromuscular activity <br> <UL> <LI>sodium deficiency can result in an impaired sense of taste </UL> You can get all these minerals from the food you eat, and you can help your body use them efficiently by eating slowly, calmly, and at regular times every day. <a href=" vmaasindex.html"><font color=blue><b>CLICK HERE</font></b></a> for a complete listing of where you can find these four minerals in the foods we commonly eat. <br> <b>3. DIGESTION</b><br> Once the bolus enters the stomach, chemical breakdown continues. If you've still got food on your plate, the sight, smell, and taste of this food further stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system to increase the secretion of gastric juices. The smooth lining of the stomach is dotted with millions of deep gastric pits, which lead into gastric glands that secrete gastric juices.<font size=1>1</font> <br> Gastric juices are highly acidic; in humans they are between a pH of 1 and 3 (7 being neutral, 14 being alkaline). They are close to colorless and contain enzymes that assist with the breakdown of food and the destruction of harmful bacteria. <br> It's in your stomach that the bolus is turned into a creamy, paste-like substance of partially digested food, water, hydrochloric acid and various digestive enzymes, called <i>chyme.</i> (pronounced <i>k-ime</i>). Depending on how much you've eaten, and quickly you've managed to eat it, your stomach will digest the bolus into chyme in anywhere between 40 minutes to a few hours. <br> In your stomach, peristaltic waves mix and move the chyme, finally funneling it through the <i>pyloric valve</i> into <i>duodenum</i>, or first subsection of your small intestine. <br> <b>4. ABSORPTION</b><br> <br> <br> <LI>It is the first and foremost site of absorption of nutrients from the chyme by tremendously absorptive surfaces called microvilli, villi and circular folds designed to increase the surface area specifically for absorption. <LI>Bile also enters the duodenum through the bile duct and helps break down any fats in the chyme. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Did you know that your mouth is home to billions of bacteria? Some of these bacteria are friendly, protective probiotic bacteria that act as your first line of defense against the unfriendly bacteria and viruses that enter through your mouth and nose. Chewing just one piece of CulturedCare Probiotic Gum with BLIS K12 daily will populate your mouth with these infection-fighting probiotics and help protect your throat, mouth, nose and ears. See www.culturedcare.com for more information. <br> <b>References:</b><br> 1. Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology, Seventh Edition <br> <font face="Times New Roman" size=3><i><b>Carol Roy is a Natural Health Practitioner, registered with Natural Health Practitioners Canada, who received her diploma from the Alternative Medicine College of Canada in Montreal, Quebec. With 9 years experience in her area of expertise, naturopathic medicine, Carol has also trained to become a fully qualified Reiki Master, Quantum Touch ® Practitioner and Reflexologist.</b></font></i> <center>The suggestions by Nutters Bulk & Natural Foods and the contents of this article<br>are recommendations only and not a substitute for any medical advice or a <br>replacement for any prescriptions. Seek medical advice for any health concerns.<br>Consult your health care provider before using any recommendations herein.</center><br> </table> <table width=800> <td width=800> </td></tr> <tr> <center><font face="Arial" size=2 color="#E0E0E0"> <a href="stores.html"><b><font color="#E0E0E0">Locate A Store</b></a><font size=2> </table> </body>