It can be scary to experience unusual stomach and digestive system problems. While you are waiting to see your healthcare provider, or as you work with your healthcare provider on a treatment plan, it can be helpful to educate yourself about how your digestive system actually works.
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Learn About Your Insides
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If you experience unusual and ongoing digestive system symptoms, see your healthcare provider to get an accurate diagnosis and develop an optimal treatment plan.
2Your Upper Digestive SystemSEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty ImagesThe process of digestion begins in your mouth as you chew food. Saliva not only adds moisture to food but also adds enzymes that begin the process of breaking down the components of food.As you swallow, food moves into youresophagus, where it travels downward to yourstomach.In yourstomach, the act of digestion begins in earnest. Your stomach stores and churns the food you have consumed and releases pepsin and hydrochloric acid, both of which break down the components of food, resulting in a substance called chyme. After approximately two to three hours, the chyme is moved out of your stomach as it makes its way along your GI tract.
2
Your Upper Digestive SystemSEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty ImagesThe process of digestion begins in your mouth as you chew food. Saliva not only adds moisture to food but also adds enzymes that begin the process of breaking down the components of food.As you swallow, food moves into youresophagus, where it travels downward to yourstomach.In yourstomach, the act of digestion begins in earnest. Your stomach stores and churns the food you have consumed and releases pepsin and hydrochloric acid, both of which break down the components of food, resulting in a substance called chyme. After approximately two to three hours, the chyme is moved out of your stomach as it makes its way along your GI tract.
Your Upper Digestive System
SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
The process of digestion begins in your mouth as you chew food. Saliva not only adds moisture to food but also adds enzymes that begin the process of breaking down the components of food.
As you swallow, food moves into youresophagus, where it travels downward to yourstomach.
In yourstomach, the act of digestion begins in earnest. Your stomach stores and churns the food you have consumed and releases pepsin and hydrochloric acid, both of which break down the components of food, resulting in a substance called chyme. After approximately two to three hours, the chyme is moved out of your stomach as it makes its way along your GI tract.
3
Your Small Intestine
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The digestive process continues as chyme from the stomach enters the small intestine. The main job of the small intestine is to absorb essential nutrients into the bloodstream. The small intestine is made up of three parts:
Parts of the Small Intestine
4Your Liver, Gallbladder, and PancreasPIXOLOGICSTUDIO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty ImagesTheliver,gallbladder,andpancreasall play an important role in the digestion of food. Theliverproduces bile, which is then stored in thegallbladder. Bile is then released into thesmall intestineas needed, where it dissolves fat so that it can be absorbed into the body.Thepancreassecretes bicarbonate, which neutralizes the hydrochloric acid from the stomach, as well asenzymesthat break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
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Your Liver, Gallbladder, and PancreasPIXOLOGICSTUDIO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty ImagesTheliver,gallbladder,andpancreasall play an important role in the digestion of food. Theliverproduces bile, which is then stored in thegallbladder. Bile is then released into thesmall intestineas needed, where it dissolves fat so that it can be absorbed into the body.Thepancreassecretes bicarbonate, which neutralizes the hydrochloric acid from the stomach, as well asenzymesthat break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Your Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas
PIXOLOGICSTUDIO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
Theliver,gallbladder,andpancreasall play an important role in the digestion of food. Theliverproduces bile, which is then stored in thegallbladder. Bile is then released into thesmall intestineas needed, where it dissolves fat so that it can be absorbed into the body.
Thepancreassecretes bicarbonate, which neutralizes the hydrochloric acid from the stomach, as well asenzymesthat break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
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Your Large Intestine
Blausen.com staff (2014). “Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014”. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 2002-4436./Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-3.0
What You Should Know About Your Colon
Typically, the stool is moved into therectumonce or twice a day; pressure from this process stimulates the urge for a bowel movement. This process is not quite so simple in digestive disorders such asirritable bowel syndrome(IBS), in which problems withmotility(movements of the muscles in the large intestine) results in symptoms such asdiarrheaandconstipation. Pelvic floor dyssynergia, which involves problems with coordination between rectum and pelvic floor muscles, can also result in constipation or incomplete evacuation.
6Putting It All TogetherPIXOLOGICSTUDIO / Getty ImagesAs you look at the above picture of your entire digestive system, you now have a better understanding of how food gets digested and where your digestive organs are located. This knowledge can empower you to work with your medical professionals to come up with an optimal treatment plan for addressing your digestive symptoms, whatever they may be.
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Putting It All TogetherPIXOLOGICSTUDIO / Getty ImagesAs you look at the above picture of your entire digestive system, you now have a better understanding of how food gets digested and where your digestive organs are located. This knowledge can empower you to work with your medical professionals to come up with an optimal treatment plan for addressing your digestive symptoms, whatever they may be.
Putting It All Together
PIXOLOGICSTUDIO / Getty Images
As you look at the above picture of your entire digestive system, you now have a better understanding of how food gets digested and where your digestive organs are located. This knowledge can empower you to work with your medical professionals to come up with an optimal treatment plan for addressing your digestive symptoms, whatever they may be.
Frequently Asked Questions
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a collection of organs that allow for food to be swallowed, digested, absorbed, and removed from the body. The organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. The GI tract is one part of the digestive system.
The exact size of the stomach will differ from one person to another. Generally, the average stomach can comfortably hold 1 or 2 cups of food. If we overeat, it’s possible for the stomach to stretch and expand, making extra room for more food.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).NIH National Cancer Institute.Gastrointestinal tract.Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan.4 ways to stop digestive discomfort after a supersized meal.Additional ReadingNIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Your digestive system & how it works.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).NIH National Cancer Institute.Gastrointestinal tract.Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan.4 ways to stop digestive discomfort after a supersized meal.Additional ReadingNIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Your digestive system & how it works.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).NIH National Cancer Institute.Gastrointestinal tract.Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan.4 ways to stop digestive discomfort after a supersized meal.
NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
NIH National Cancer Institute.Gastrointestinal tract.
Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan.4 ways to stop digestive discomfort after a supersized meal.
NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Your digestive system & how it works.
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