Digestive System

Diverticulitis is a condition that occurs when sac-like pouches (diverticular) form in the wall of the colon and become inflamed or infected. When stool or food is not broken down, it becomes trapped in the diverticular resulting in pain, swelling, bleeding and infection of the abdomen. It is similar to appendicitis and has the potential to rupture if left untreated. Diverticulitis can lead to a number of serious problems such as an abscess, bleeding, bowel obstruction, fistula, perforation or peritonitis.

Digestion is the process by which the body breaks down the food we eat into usable
components. Our bodies use food similarly as a car engine uses gas– and this gives
us the energy needed to live. When we put food into our mouths digestion has already started – because digestion means breaking food down into smaller molecules!

At some stage of our lives, most of us will experience a bout of the rather unpleasant condition - diarrhea. Most of us experience two bowel movements per day, and have firm stools. When stools are watery or liquid and very loose – and this occurs three or more times a day, it is known as diarrhea. For most, this condition lasts a day or two, but if it persists, it may be a reason for concern, or point to a more serious condition.

Even though constipation is a common problem of the digestive system, for many people it is an embarrassing subject to discuss. The term constipation often means different things to different people, ranging from less frequent bowel movements than normal to more difficult passage of stools-- or a combination of both. Being constipated can make you feel uncomfortable, bloated, heavy and sluggish. Regular elimination of waste products from the body is vital to maintaining health.

Colon cleanse, also known as colon hydrotherapy, is somewhat of a controversial procedure used to remove impacted waste, mucous, and toxins from the bowel. While the treatment has been around from as early as the times of the
ancient Egyptians, it has recently gained popularity and become a common modern-day technique to detox and cleanse the system of unwanted toxins that build up in the body.

Colitis refers to the acute or chronic inflammation of the membrane lining of the colon (large intestine or bowel) and can have many different causes. It is also the commonly used short name for ulcerative colitis, a condition which causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layers of the lining of the large intestine.

Diarrhea is one of those uncomfortable ailments that arrives unexpectedly and sometimes without warning, and we all experience it at one time or another. However, for some people, diarrhea is a daily occurrence – and just one of the
many symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition that involves swelling and inflammation in the intestines and digestive tract.

While acid reflux is the backflow of caustic stomach acids into the esophagus, bile reflux occurs when bile flows upward from the small intestine into the stomach and esophagus. Bile is a greenish-yellow substance that plays an
important role in helping us to digest foods, absorb fats and eliminate worn-out red blood cells and certain toxins from the body. Bile is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder in a concentrated form, and even a modest amount of fat in a meal signals the gallbladder to release bile.

Belching, also known as burping (medical term is called aerophagia) is quite natural and happens in all of us. It can be uncomfortable but most of all, very embarrassing! It is considered socially unacceptable but in some cultures, belching after eating is a sign of appreciation for the meal.

The further into the atmosphere we climb, the thinner the air around us becomes, with less and less oxygen. Although the air remains constant, the barometric pressure decreases, resulting in fewer oxygen molecules being inhaled-- and it is this lack of oxygen that causes altitude sickness.

When we eat food, our body needs to break it down into usable nutrients and vitamins. The process of this breakdown starts off in the stomach. The stomach
secretes an acid that is essential in the digestive process, as this acid helps in breaking down the food during digestion.

Abdominal swelling, also known as stomach bloating or abdominal distention, is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of intestinal gas. The abdominal wall swells when gas is trapped in the intestines or peritoneal cavity –
gas is produced at a higher rate than normal. Your abdomen feels full and tight, even when you have not eaten.

The abdomen contains all our vital organs. This makes it an important site of the body, as a large concentration of delicate body systems are together, housed in the abdominal cavity. This is why it is important to maintain a healthy weight, especially if you tend to become ‘rounder’ around the belly area. If you are
overweight or obese this can put an added strain on the abdominal cavity and internal organs.

Digestion is both a mechanical and chemical process. For example, the teeth in the mouth help to physically crush and break-up the food into smaller pieces to increase their surface area so that it can be processed chemically in later stages of digestion. The Stomach secrets acids and enzymes which chemically break down the food into very small particles and molecules, so that these can be processed in later stages of digestion.