Digestion
When you eat, your body breaks food down into forms it can use to build and nourish cells and provide energy. That's digestion.
The digestive system
A series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus, including the:
- esophagus
- stomach
- small intestine
- large intestine
The liver, gallbladder and pancreas help too, making juices that aid digestion.
Digestive disorders
There are many kinds, and symptoms vary widely. In general, see your doctor if you have:
- blood in your stool
- changes in bowel habits
- severe abdominal pain
- unintentional weight loss
- heartburn that antacids don't relieve
Sources
Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Digestive Diseases," National Library of Medicine, with content from the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
1
0
0
0
Comments
Read next
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of a baby under one year old, most often between one and four months. Its cause is unknown, but safe sleep steps can lower the risk.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Most children need at least an hour of physical activity every day. How regular exercise helps children's mood, learning, weight, bones and sleep, and simple ways parents can help them move more.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Most breast changes are not cancer. The common benign breast conditions — fibrocystic changes, cysts, fibroadenomas, papillomas — the symptoms to have checked, how they are diagnosed, and when they need treatment.