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Digestion is a several-step process that begins the moment you put a piece of food in your mouth or sip a drink.
Breaking it down
When you begin chewing, glands in your mouth and throat begin to secrete saliva. This process can start with the sight or smell of food. The liquid aids digestion, moistens your mouth, reduces infections in the mouth and throat, and helps protect your teeth and gums. You have 3 major pairs of salivary glands:
Parotid glands, the largest, are on both sides of your face, in front of your ears
Submandibular glands are underneath your jawbone
Sublingual glands are underneath your tongue
Your upper digestive tract and your esophagus also contain smaller clusters of salivary glands. Saliva contains special enzymes that help digest the starches in your food. An enzyme called amylase breaks down starches (complex carbohydrates) into sugars, which your body can more easily absorb. Saliva also contains an enzyme called lingual lipase, which breaks down fats.
A condition known as dry mouth (xerostomia) occurs when you don’t have enough saliva in your mouth. This can make it difficult for you to chew and swallow food. Stress or dehydration can cause occasional xerostomia. Certain medicines or more serious conditions such as diabetes and Sjogren syndrome can also cause it. To reduce the symptoms of dry mouth, drink plenty of water, take sips of water while eating, and don't have caffeinated or alcoholic beverages. These can make dry mouth worse.
How does it taste?
When your saliva begins to break down your food, the taste buds on your tongue and on the roof of your mouth sense how the food tastes. Taste buds contain gustatory cells, which send taste signals to the brain. This is how you sense the 5 basic tastes of food: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and savory. Nerves in your nose, mouth, eyes, and throat let you experience the other qualities of food, like the heat of spicy foods and the coolness of peppermint.
The role of your teeth
Your teeth are also part of the digestive process. Teeth break down food for swallowing and further digestion. The incisors, located in the middle front of the lower and upper jaws, cut and gnaw pieces of food. The molars, in the back of the mouth, grind and chew. To keep your teeth at their healthiest, follow these simple preventive measures:
Eat a healthy diet rich in protein, fruits and vegetables, calcium, and whole grains.
Limit eating and drinking between meals.
Limit sugary foods and beverages.
Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and floss once a day.
Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and exams.
On to the stomach
After you chew and swallow your food, it enters your esophagus. This tube connects your throat to your stomach. A series of muscular contractions, known as peristalsis, pushes your food downward and into your stomach. There, it mixes with more digestive enzymes to continue the breakdown process.
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Digestive enzymes play an indispensable role in your gut health. They facilitate the proper breakdown of food, allowing your body to absorb the nutrients it needs in order to function properly. Digestive enzyme deficiency can prevent your body from getting the essential nutrients, resulting in a
variety of gastrointestinal problems, including bloating, stomach cramps, and excessive gas. Let’s delve deeper into the role of enzymes in keeping your gut healthy and fully functional. The digestive system consists of organs
that are responsible for taking in the foods and liquids you consume and breaking them down into substances that your body can use for energy, growth, and tissue repair. The digestive system comprises your mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, rectum, anus, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, and salivary glands. The whole digestive process starts in your mouth, wherein salivary glands secrete digestive enzymes. As has been established, digestive enzymes are
responsible for the breakdown of food and liquid into smaller molecules, allowing them to be absorbed into your body. Your stomach produces digestive juices that render food particles soluble, initiate digestion (particularly of proteins), and convert these food particles into one semiliquid mass, thereby preparing it for further digestion in your small intestine.The Role of Digestive Enzymes in Optimal Digestive Function
Your gallbladder works with your liver and pancreas to send bile and digestive enzymes to your small intestine. The nutrients are absorbed through the wall of your small intestine and distributed all around your body through your bloodstream.
Without enzymes, nutrients in food would just come out as waste products, which will then be excreted when you move your bowels.
There are different types of digestive enzymes, but the main types are the following:
· Amylases
They convert complex carbohydrates into simple sugars.
· Lipases
They process and absorb fats, converting them into fatty acids—which are important for the health of cell membranes—and glycerol.
· Proteases
They break down proteins into amino acids, which are needed to repair body tissues and perform a number of other functions.
Lack of Digestive Enzymes = Poor Digestive Health
Digestive enzyme deficiency can lead to a condition called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), which is a culprit in slow and uncomfortable digestion. This causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, unexplained weight loss, and unusual stools—which are yellow, greasy, and/or foul-smelling (caused by steatorrhea, a condition characterized by the presence of excess fat in feces).
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a common complication of celiac disease. This is an inherited autoimmune disorder, which prompts your immune system to attack itself when you consume foods that contain gluten. Celiac disease causes damage to your small intestine and prevents nutrients from being absorbed properly into your body. This malabsorption eventually leads to malnutrition.
Digestive Healthcare in Greater Austin
At Austin Gastroenterology (AG), we specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases and liver disorders. We use the latest medical and diagnostic technologies to determine the best healthcare solutions for all your GI needs. We are the largest physician group in central Texas and see patients from 18 offices throughout the greater Austin area.
If you would like to find out more about the services we provide or to schedule an appointment, you can call us at the location most convenient to you, or alternatively, use our online appointment request form.