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Mary Dahout's
Natural Ways
Holistic Health Education
Products & Services
Phone: 888-275-8893 digestivemiracle@san.rr.com |
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Brief
description of the digestive system |
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Digestive
system consists of several organs responsible for the
break down and elimination of chemical components of
foods: Stomach, Pancreas, Liver, Gallbladder, Small
Intestine, and Large Intestine.
Digestion
begins in the mouth, where saliva, a watery
mixture of mucus, and enzymes moistens and lubricates
masticated food. The second step of digestion
occurs in the stomach, where gastric juices
are secreted and mixed with the food to produce
a liquid substance called chime. The chime travels
from the stomach into the duodenum, where it
is treated by additional enzymes produced by
the liver and pancreas. Our liver manufactures
bile (to help digest fats), which is stored
in the gall bladder and flows through the bile
duct into the duodenum. The pancreas produces
and releases enzymes for protein and carbohydrate
digestion. After the chime is treated with pancreatic
enzymes and bile, it travels through the small
intestine, where some additional enzymes are
secreted by the intestinal wall and the process
of digestion ends. Absorption takes place in
the small intestine. Water is removed in the
large intestine.
Symptoms such as bloating, gas, constipation,
and diarrhea, are mostly attributed to poor
digestion. |
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IBS (IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME), is a functional disorder
characterized by abdominal pain and alteration in bowel
habits. "Up to 20% of the adult population
has symptoms compatible with the diagnosis, but most
never seek medical attention. It is a common problem
presenting to both the gastroenterologist and the primary
physician." (Current Medical Diagnosis
and Treatment, 37th Edition, chapter 14, p602).
Some
of the reasons causing digestive disorders are:
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1. |
Gastritis,
resulting from poisons and irritants, peptic and
acute ulcers, etc. Various foods, alcohol, aspirin,
drugs and toxins may cause gastritis. Emotional
stress has been implicated as one cause of abnormal
pepsin secretion. High consumption of aspirin
is also a possible suspect. No one person is more
at risk than another for developing ulcers, though
the tendency toward stress and hypertension does
seem to run in families. |
2. |
Deficiency
of bile. Liver malfunction or diseases. Many chemicals
or drugs may cause severe injury to the liver.
Alcohol is one of the most common reasons for
irreversible liver changes. |
3. |
Blockage
of biliary tract (gallbladder inflammation, obstruction,
gallstones, infections). |
4. |
Deficiency
of the pancreatic enzymes. Fatty infiltration
of the pancreas is quite common in obesity and
may be to a severe degree. |
5. |
Gut:
lack of peristaltic movement, colon inflammation,
obstructions, etc. In the absence of any obstruction,
a dynamic ileus is a condition in which there
is loss of peristalsis in the intestine. Chronic
intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a syndrome characterized
by symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction
in the absence of any mechanical lesions. |
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