Know Your Gastrointestinal Tract

Terms You Should Know about Gastrointestinal Tract

Absorption: The process of passing of nutrients from the intestine into the blood stream. 
Anus: Opening at the end of the rectum that allows solid waste to be eliminated
Colon: The large intestine.
Digestion: The process of breaking down of food into its simple chemical compounds so that it can be absorbed.
Duodenum: The first portion of the small intestine.
Ileum: The last portion of the small intestine that connects to the large intestine. 
Immune System: The body's natural defense system that fights disease. 
Inflammation: A response to tissue injury that causes redness, swelling, and pain.
Jejunum: The middle portion of the small intestine. 
Large Intestine: Also known as the colon. 
Rectum: Lowest portion of the colon. 
Small Intestine: The organ that connects the stomach to the large intestine and absorbs nutrients. 

Gastrointestinal Tract 

The gastrointestinal tract(GIT) is a highly specialized organ system that allows us to consume a variety of foodstuffs to meet our nutrient needs. It is in the gastrointestinal tract that food is converted into compounds that can be absorbed by the body. 

The digestive system ( digestion help ) is a series of hollow organs from the mouth to the anus. The walls of these hollow organs are composed of muscles arranged in layers that propel the contents by peristalsis ( in waves) away from the mouth. The digestion help system is lined by a tissue known as mucosa. In the mouth, stomach and small intestine, the mucosa contains tiny glands that produce juices which help in digesting the fold. Liver, gall bladder and the pancreas are the organs which are connected to the gastrointestinal tract. These organs produce digestive juices that flow through small tubes (ducts) into the small intestine. The faecal matter is stored in the colon (large intestine), so that its elimination can occur at a convenient time and in a convenient form. 

The digestion help system is connected to the vascular, lymphatic and nervous systems to facilitate regulation of the digestive response, delivery of absorbed compounds to the organs of the body and the regulation of food intake. A primary function of  gastrointestinal tract is to extract nutrients from the complex mixture of foods that are consumed. The gastrointestinal tract also metabolises and eliminates the non-nutrient and toxic compounds present in the food. 

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