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The Digestive Process

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What happens to the food we eat?

If the body adjusts o digest each food that we eat, why can it react so differently to different foods?

What is the difference between food intolerance and food allergy?

What disorders are related to digestion?

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Solution Summary

In this solution the digestive process is traced.

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After food is chewed and swallowed it goes through the esophagus to the stomach. In the stomach it is partially broken down and then sent to the small intestine. The small intestine further breaks down the food and absorbs most of the nutrients. The small bowel joins the colon in the right lower abdomen. The colon continues to absorb water and mineral nutrients from the food matter and serves as a storage place for waste matter. Feces is the waste that is leftover after this process. It goes into the rectum. From there it passes out of the body through the anus.
There can be various reasons why the body can react differently to different foods that we eat. Some people may have food allergies where a person's immune system mistakenly believes that something harmless such as certain nuts is harmful. The immune system responds by creating specific antibodies to proteins in that food-antibodies that are designed to fight off "invading proteins" These antibodies can cause the release of certain chemicals in the body. One of these chemicals is known as histamine which can cause allergic reactions such as wheezing, sneezing, ...

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