SNS Assignment No 1.

Surname and Initials Student number

Skosana B 214005379
Tleane MT 220143368
Mahlabane B 219334109
Mampa KM 211040785
Mthombeni AG 219171285
Ramashala NP 222196795
Mogoba MM 216954556

The process of Digestion

The Human Digestive System and Nutrition deal with an organism's food intake and
energy consumption. This is an essential mechanism that allows living creatures to
receive energy from a variety of sources. Food goes through a lot of processing before
the nutrients in it are used to produce energy. Digestion (is the process of breaking
down big, water-insoluble food molecules into smaller, water-soluble ones that can be
easily absorbed by the body. This process includes two mechanisms, mechanical and
chemical.). This procedure necessitates the use of specific organs and systems in
humans.

The alimentary canal, as well as many secondary organs and organ systems, are all
involved in the digesting process. Due to our monogastric nature, the procedure is
straightforward in humans. We have a one-chambered stomach because of this nature
the digestion process in our bodies is not complicated.

Some components of the neurological and circulatory systems are also involved in the
digesting process. Digestion is completed by a mix of neurons, bacteria, hormones,
blood, and other digestive system components, this process primarily starts in the
mouth, in which food begins its journey. The teeth, salivary glands, and tongue are just
a few of the additional organs that help with digestion. Food particles are ground into
little bits by teeth, which are moistened with saliva before being pushed into the pharynx
by the tongue.

The mechanical breakdown of food by chewing and the chemical breakdown of food by
digestive enzymes both take place in the mouth at this stage. The digesting enzymes
amylase and lingual lipase are released by the salivary and serous glands of the tongue
and are found in saliva. The mechanical process of digestion begins with chewing, in
which the meal is combined with saliva. This creates a bolus, which is then ingested
and sent down the esophagus into the stomach.

The gastric phase begins the second stage of digestion in the stomach. The meal is
further broken down in the duodenum, which is the first section of the small intestine, by
interacting with stomach acid.
The third stage begins in the duodenum with the intestinal phase, where partially
digested food is mixed with several enzymes produced by the pancreas. Digestion is
helped by the chewing of food carried out by the muscles of chewing scientifically
known as mastication, the tongue, and the teeth, and by the contractions of peristalsis,
and segmentation. Gastric acid, and the production of mucus in the stomach, are
essential for the continuation of digestion.

Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction of muscles that begins in the esophagus and
continues along the wall of the stomach and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. This
initially results in the production of chyme which when fully broken down in the small
intestine is absorbed as chyle into the lymphatic system. Most of the digestion of food
takes place in the small intestine. Water and some minerals are reabsorbed back into
the blood in the colon of the large intestine. The waste products of digestion (feces) are
excreted from the rectum via the anus.
DIAGRAMS OF DIGESTION SYSTEM

Overview
How digestion system function
The process
THE NORMAL OPERATING DIGESTING SYSTEM.

With the normal operating system, the digestion of food follows one interesting
sequence of nutritional processes. These processes of nutrition take place in the
alimentary canal to convert the food molecules into a form that can be used by the
organism.

To those of you who might not be familiar with the term Alimentary canal, it is also
referred to as the Gut in basic terms. It is referred to as a canal because of its natural
structure, it runs from the mouth to the Anus.

Interesting enough, under normal conditions, the process of digestion actually begins in
the mouth the moment food or drink is Ingested. there are mainly two types of Digestion
processes, Mechanical and Chemical Digestion. The one that occurs in the mouth is the
Mechanical Digestion, it involves the tongue and the teeth, the teeth just break the food
into smaller soluble pieces while in the process the tongue mixes the smaller pieces
with Saliva, the saliva contains an enzyme called Salivary Amylase and also mucus
which lubricates the food, this however doesn’t change the chemical composition of the
food pieces in any form. This is otherwise referred to as Mastication.

The end result of mastication is a ball of food rolled together call a Bolus. From the
mouth, the bolus then passes through to the Oesophagus, since the Oesophagus is
made up of muscles and it is relatively small in Diameter, one may ask, “how does the
bolus the fit in Oesophagus and is able to pass through to the next phase of being
processed??”. To answer that, the Oesophagus being made up of muscles means that
it is able to expand and contract whenever. So, when the bolus enters the Oesophagus,
the muscles below it relaxes while the ones above it actually contracts, the top
contraction pushes the bolus downwards. The Contraction-Relaxation motion is done
seamlessly until the food reaches the Stomach.

In the process of all this Happening, chemical digestion is also taking place, hydrolysis
coupled together with some enzymes start breaking down the food molecules. The
introduction of Saliva started it all, Saliva contains several Enzymes, including Salivary
Amylase which catalysis the conversion of the insoluble polysaccharide starch to the
Soluble Simpler sugar called Maltose, but not all of it. It also contains Hydrocarbonate,
which provides the Ideal Alkaline pH conditions for Amylase to work more efficiently.

The Stomach is a Muscular bag with a lining that contains digestive glands. These
Glands aid in the process of digesting in the sense that they produce 3 important
secretions, which are the Mucus, Pepsin, and Hydrochloric Acid. Inside the Stomach
the food is Churned with Gastric juices containing pepsin, a protein-digesting enzyme,
to break the long Protein molecules into smaller amino Acids , but since the gastric
juices may be harmful to the stomach and we only want the gastric juices to affect the
food, the Mucus in the stomach form some sort of a membrane on the inner side of the
stomach protecting the walls from harm.

Now the hydrochloric acid provides the acidic conditions needed for the action of Pepsin
to denature the enzymes in harmful microorganisms that may have been ingested with
the food, thus resulting in the pH in the stomach being too acidic. The acidity also helps
the amylase to perform its function more fluidly. Before the food can proceed to the
next phase, the churning action of the stomach muscles mixes the food into a creamy
liquid called chyme, thereafter it is squeezed through a ring of muscle called the Pyloric
Sphincter to enter the last phase of Digestion in the Small intestine.

The digestion in the small intestine is made possible by enzymes from the pancreas, the
intestine wall and also by bile from the liver. Amylase completes the conversion of
starch to maltose, but the enzymes on the wall of the intestine breaks down Maltose into
Glucose. The bile helps the lipase to convert fat into fatty acid by converting the large
globules of fat into much smaller droplets which the lipase can work efficiently with. With
all the conversions taken place, all the undigested food molecules are expelled in the
form of faeces from the body. (Ron Pickering, 2014)

Diseases of the digestive system

Irritable bowel syndrome

Is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder which is long-term (lasting more than 6 months)
that affects the large intestine. Changes in the functioning of the digestive system can
cause the collection of symptoms referred to as irritable bowel syndrome, which is the
problem with the movement (motility) of the digestive tract and discomfort associated in
some way to their bowel rather than a result of damage to the tissues of the digestive
system.

Inflammatory bowel disorder

Entails two different chronic diseases, which is Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Both diseases consist of inflammation of the wall of the bowel or intestines - hence the
name - leading to the bowel being inflamed, swollen and that develops ulcers and both
diseases can result in serious digestive problems.

In ulcerative colitis, the inflammation includes only the superficial layers of the wall of
the bowel, the innermost lining. The Involvement is limited to the colon and rectum
without skipped areas. Inflammation will be limited to the rectum (referred to as
ulcerative proctitis), but usually is more extensive, extending variable distances to
involves the sigmoid (the last the section of the bowel), descending (section of the large
intestine), transverse (is the longest part and most movable part of the colon), and
ascending colon (which is located on the right side of the abdomen.

Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that brings about deep tissue
inflammation of the digestive lining tract. It affects the gastrointestinal tract, extending
from the mouth to the rectum. It does not affect the entire tract uniformly. It is commonly
found at the end of the small bowel (ileum) to the start of the large bowel (colon).
Gastroesophageal reflux diseases
Takes place when stomach acid frequently flows back into the tube connecting your
mouth and stomach (esophagus). This backwash (acid reflux) can irritate the lining of
your esophagus and cause discomfort. Majority of people experience acid reflux
occasionally. This acid reflux happens at least twice a week, or moderate to acute acid
reflux that occurs at least once a week with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter
medications. Most people can manage the discomfort; some people need stronger
medications or surgery to ease symptoms.

Celiac disease
Celiac disease Is a disease in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten,
resulting in difficulty in digesting food. An immune reaction to ingesting gluten, a protein
found in wheat, barley, and rye. Results in inflammations that harms the small
intestine's lining which lead to medical complications. It also prevents absorption of
some nutrients (malabsorption).

Diverticulitis

Diverticulosis occurs when small, bulging pouches (diverticula) develop in the lining of
the digestive tract. They are found in the lower part of the large intestine (colon).
Diverticular are very common, especially in people over 40, and seldom cause
problems. no symptoms occur, unless the diverticula become inflamed or infected
(diverticulitis), which can result in abdominal pain.

Causes

1. The exact cause of IBS is unknown. The following factors play a vital role:
 The intestine’s muscles contract.
Layers of muscle line walls of intestines, which flex to move food through your
digestive tract. Gas, bloating and diarrhea might result from contractions that are
 stronger and stay longer than usual. Food transit can be slowed by week
intestinal contractions, resulting in firm, dry stools.
 The nervous system is the body’s control system
When your abdomen extends from gas or feces, abnormalities in the nerve in
your digestive system may cause you to feel more uncomfortable than usual.
Due to the lack of coordination between the brain and the intestines, your body
may overreact to the changes in the digestive process, resulting in pain and
diarrhea or constipation.
 Severe infections.
After a severe attack of diarrhea (gastroenteritis) caused by bacteria or a virus,
IBS might develop. IBS may also be linked to an overabundance of
microorganisms in the intestines (bacterial overgrowth).
 Stress in childhood is common.
People who have been exposed to stressful experiences, especially as children
are more likely to develop IBS symptoms.
 Microbes in the stomach are changing.
Changes in bacteria, fungi and viruses, which ordinarily reside in the intestines
and play an important role in health are examples. Microbes in persons with IBS
may differ from those in healthy people, according to research.

2. What causes IBD

Researchers are still attempting to figure out why some people acquire inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD). Three things appear to be at play:

 Genetics: One in every four patients with IBD has a family history of the
condition.
 Immune system response: Normally, the immune system fights infections. The
immune system of persons with IBD misidentifies foods as alien things. It
produces antibodies (proteins) to combat the threat, resulting in IBD symptoms.
 Environmental triggers: People with a family history of IBD may develop the
disease after the exposure to an environmental trigger. These triggers include
smoking, stress, medication use and depression.

3. Cause of GERD
 Frequently acid reflux is the cause of GERD. When you swallow, the lower
esophageal sphincter (a circular band of muscle around the bottom of
esophagus) relaxes, allowing food and drinks to flow into your stomach. The
stomach then closes again. Stomach acid might run back into your esophagus if
the sphincter relaxes or weakens abnormally. The lining of your esophagus is
irritated by the frequent backwash of acid, which often causes it to become
inflamed.

4. Cause of Celiac
 Celiac-disease can be caused by your genes, gluten-containing food, and other
factors, but that exact reason is unknown. Practices in infant feeding,
gastrointestinal illnesses, and gut flora may all play a role. After surgery,
pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or extreme mental stress, celiac might
become active.
The villi that line the small intestine are damaged when the body’s immune
system overreacts to gluten in diet. Vitamin, minerals and other nutrients are
absorbed by villi from the food you ingest. You can’t acquire enough nutrients if
your villi are damaged, no matter how much you consume.

5. Cause of Diverticulitis
 Diverticulitis can be caused by a variety of factors. When pouches form along
your digestive track, usually in your colon, you have diverticular disease (large
intestines). When feces or partially digested food covers the opening of the
diverticular, the pouches (diverticula) can become irritated and diseases.
Although there is no single known cause of diverticular illness, a number of
factors can raise your chances of getting it, include: having obesity, a lack of
 physical activity and certain drugs such as steroids, cause alterations in the gut
microbiome as a result of smoking.

THE SYMPTOMS

[Link] of Irritable bowel syndrome

The most common include:

 Abdominal pain cramping that is related to passing a bowel movement

 Changes in appearance of bowel movement
 Changes in how often you are having a bowel movement

2. Inflammatory bowel disease

 Abdominal pain
 Diarrhea
 Gas and bloating
 Loss of appetite
 Mucus or blood in stool
 Upset stomach

3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease

 Heartburn
 Regurgitation
 The feeling of food caught in your throat
 Chest pain

4. Celiac disease

 Severe blistering skin rash called dermatitis herpetiform and sores in the mouth
 Unexplained anemia
 Musculoskeletal problems
 Tingling sensation in the legs
5. Diverticulitis

 Pain, tenderness, or sensitivity in the left lower side of your abdomen

 Fever
 Nausea
 Chills
 Cramps in the lower abdomen
 Constipation and rectal bleeding

DIAGNOSIS

CELIAC DISEASE - two blood tests can help diagnose it:

 Serology testing-It looks for antibodies in your blood. Elevated levels of certain
antibody proteins indicate an immune reaction to gluten
 Genetic testing-For human leukocyte antigens (HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8) can be
used to rule out celiac disease.

DIVERTICULITIS - the doctor may use diagnose the condition using:

 Colonoscopy-A small camera views the colon’s interior to see the inflamed,
infected pouches.
 Ultrasound-pelvis-It creates pictures of the abdominal organs without using
ionizing radiation.
 Blood and urine tests-It look for signs of infection and inflammations.

INFLAMATORY BOWEL DISORDER - is diagnosed using a combination of endoscopy

and imaging studies, such as contrast radiography, magnetic imaging, or computed
tomography.

GASTROEPHAGEL REFLUX DISEASE – the doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube

equipped with a light and camera (endoscope) down your throat to examine the inside
of your esophagus and stomach. Test results can often be normal when reflux is
present.
IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME - there is no test to definitively diagnose IBS. The
doctor is likely to start with a complete medical history, physical exam and tests to rule
out other conditions, such as celiac diseases.

Treatment for the following digestion diseases:

1. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

 Changes to diet – The doctor may recommend you eat more fiber rich
foods and avoid gluten food products and recommend an eating plan
 Medication – medical treat may differ due to IBS experience paired with
diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain, therefore, rifaximin (an
antibiotic), Laxatives and antispasmodics may be prescribed respectively.
 Probiotics – the doctor may recommend probiotic (which are live
microorganisms, most often bacteria, that are like microorganisms you
normally have in your digestive tract.) These can help replenish and
strengthen the microflora.
 Mental health therapies – this is to help with relaxation training, which
can help you relax your muscles or reduce stress.
(Lin Chang and David Geffen 2017)

2. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

 Prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs – often the first step to treat IBD
and the type of drug the doctor will prescribe depends on the area of your
colon that's affected.
 Prescribed other medication and supplements:
 anti-diarrheal medications – these are fiber supplements to help
relieve mild to moderate diarrhea by adding bulk to your stool.
 Pain relievers – these are recommended for mild pain.
 Vitamins and supplements – These are to help your body absorb
enough daily nutrients.
  Biologics – are a newer category of therapy in which the therapy is
directed toward neutralizing proteins in the body that are causing
inflammation. This therapy can be administered intravenously or
personally injecting yourself.
 Surgery:
 Surgery for ulcerative colitis – This type of surgery involves the
removal of the entire colon and rectum and the production of an
internal pouch attached to the anus that allows bowel movements
without a bag.
 Surgery for Crohn's disease – The surgery consists of the removal
of a damaged portion of the digestive tract and then reconnects the
healthy sections.

(Sandhya Pruthi, Andres J. Acosta and Aminda S. Arora 2020)

3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

 Diet and lifestyle changes – one can exercise and include weight loss
programs. Avoid bad habits such as smoking and lying down immediately
after meals. Avoid foods that decrease the pressure in the lower
esophagus, such as fatty foods, alcohol, and peppermint.
 Prescribed medication – the doctor can recommend:
 antiacids (over the counter medicine) these are best for irregular
and relatively infrequent symptoms of reflux.
 Histamine blockers – these are drugs that help lower acid secretion
and help heal esophageal erosions.
 Endoscopy therapy – in this procedure an endoscopic sewing machine is
used to place sutures in the stomach and increase the anti-reflux barrier.
 Surgery – the surgeon in this procedure, wraps the upper part of your
stomach around the lower esophagus. This enhances the anti-reflux
barrier and can provide permanent relief from reflux.
(Johns Hopkins University 2020)
4. Celiac disease
 Doctor recommended diet changes – including the complete and
permanent removal of gluten from diet. This change needs to be taken
step by step with guidance from the doctor the aim of this is to allow
intestinal villi to heal and to begin absorbing nutrients properly.
(Verneda Lights and Elaine K Luo 2021)
5. Diverticulitis
 Diet – change the diet to include high- fiber food products or used fiber
supplements recommended by the doctor or stick to a fluid-only diet for a
little after diagnosis.
 Medicine – ask the general practitioner for advice of pain-relieving
medication such as paracetamol. Diverticulitis is usually treated at home
with antibiotics prescribed by a general practitioner.
 Surgery – surgery is a type of treatment where a surgeon usually does a
procedure which involves removing the affected section of your large
intestine.
A colectomy surgery can also be done to treat rare complications such as
fistulas, peritonitis, or a blockage in your intestines. Furthermore, a
procedure known as colostomy, where one end of your bowel is diverted
through an opening in your tummy, is done after the colectomy.
(Lauren Harkins et al. 2020)
References

[Link]
WBsqJUcw6SpBvoZEF9fy56dY9fFYDQ
%3A1650731715534&ei=wypkYpeXIMPvkgW7mo5g&oq=what+is+celuacdiseases&gs_
lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIGCAAQDRAKOgcIABBHELADOgcIIxCwAhAnOgYIABAHE
B46CAgAEAcQChAeOgQIABANOggIABAIEA0QHkoECEEYAEoECEYYAFC3BFjPPG
DfUGgDcAF4AYAB0wSIAeojkgEJMi01LjIuMi4zmAEAoAEByAEIwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz
Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
WBuG0sMCoUUKiDqt_aGXJ7dS-3wszQ
%3A1650732699406&ei=my5kYvzBGLGChbIP-
ZCZ0A4&oq=what+is+divertic+disease&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYATIGCAAQBxAeM
gYIABAHEB4yBggAEAcQHjIGCAAQBxAeMgYIABAHEB4yBggAEAcQHjIGCAAQBxAe
MgYIABAHEB4yBggAEAcQHjIGCAAQBxAeSgQIQRgASgQIRhgAUN8EWLkzYPlnaAF
wAXgAgAG_BIgBpSiSAQkyLTcuMy4xLjOYAQCgAQHAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz
Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
regulation/#:~:text=The%20digestive%20system%20ingests%20and,digestion%2C
%20absorption%2C%20and%20defecation Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
overview Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
causes/syc-20360016 Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
%20disease%20causes%20damage%20to,might%20be%20slight%20or%20severe.
Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link] Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link] Accessed
23 April 2022

[Link]
WBvjl9H0AloiyGKlsd21cev5yUzcFg
%3A1650712486597&ei=pt9jYqWMJJHfkgW2y43YAw&oq=what+is+irr&gs_lcp=Cgdnd
3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQkQIyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUI
ABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQ6BwgAEEcQsAM6BwgjE
OoCECc6BAgAEEM6CAgAEIAEELEDSgQIQRgASgQIRhgAUNQUWPc-
YOVRaAJwAXgAgAGYCYgBlyiSAQsyLTMuMy42LTEuMpgBAKABAbABBcgBCMABA
Q&sclient=gws-wiz Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
article_em.htm Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
%27s+disease+and+ulcerative+colitis+image&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiUrvj6wqr3AhU
PhxoKHcDHCmkQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=difference+between+crohn
%27s+disease+and+ulcerative+colitis+image&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoHCCMQ7wMQJz
oFCAAQgAQ6BggAEAgQHjoECAAQGDoECAAQHlC9BViwFWCJKGgAcAB4AIAB0AO
IAcoQkgEHMi02LjAuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=TR5
kYtTTDo-OasCPq8gG&bih=506&biw=1094#imgrc=6nGjF-R8gWMteM Accessed 23
April 2022

[Link]
Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link] Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link] Accessed 23 April 2022

[Link]
overview Accessed 23 April 2022

Johns Hopkins University. 2020. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed 04 23, 2022.
[Link]
gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-treatment
Lauren Harkins et. al. 2020. National Health Services. September 29. Accessed 04 23,
2022. [Link]

.Lin Chang and David Geffen. 2017. National Institude of Diabetes and digestive and
Kidney Diseases. November. Accessed 04 23, 2020. [Link]
information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/treatment..

Sandhya Pruthi, Andres J. Acosta and Aminda S. Arora . 2020. Mayo Clinic Healthy
Living. November 07. Accessed 04 23, 2022. [Link]
conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353320

Verneda Lights and Elaine K Luo. 2021. Healthline website. November 10. Accessed 04
23, 2022. [Link]
symptoms#takeaway