The digestive system

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS

All humans and almost all animals have a tube like digestive system. Each ones digestive tract is specially designed to break down the kinds of food it eats. Our bodies survive by food and water. The nutrients and energy we receive from food allow our bodies to repair itself. However, before food can do any of these things, it has to be changed into a form or substance the body can absorb into the bloodstream. In order for this process to take place, food must be digested with our digestive tract system.


The digestive tract is often referred to as the gastrointestinal tract. The digestive tract of the adult is approximately 30 to 35 feet long. Everything we eat has to be broken down into absorbable nutrients while traveling through this tract, which is why it takes so long for food to fully digest. Food is broken down into microscopic particles, or sometimes referred to as molecules, and is separated by digestive organs i...