Intermittent fasting reduces inflammation and oxidative stress,
increasing the number and quality of mitrochondria
Vocabulary
Mastication - chewing
Deglutition - swallowing
Eructation - burping
Emesis - vomiting
Borborygmi - stomach grumbling
Postprandial - post meal
Digestive system is functionally "outside" of the body, and 15 feet long
Four processes of the digestive system - Digestion, absorption, motility,
secretion - the last two are continuously regulated by gut stimuli via
the ENS and CNS
Long reflexes are initiated by sight, smell, and taste of food
Distension of peptides and amino acids initiate short reflexes
Three phrases of digestion
Cephalic phase - oral and esophageal - initiated by stimuli and
characterized by an activated PNS, preparing stomach for food and digestion
Gastric phase - storage, mixing, digestion and protection
Intestinal phase - digestion and absorption through the use of bicarbonate,
mucus, bile, enzymes (enteropeptidase)
Large intestine concentrates waste for excretion
The vagus nerve innervates the upper GI system - esophagus, stomach, pancreas,
intestine, upper colon
The pelvic nerve innervates the lower descending colon, rectum, and anus
PNS is excitatory for GI function, SNS is inhibitory
Spinal cord injury can disrupt GI function - e.g. involuntary defecation
Congenital aganglionic megacolon (Hirschsprung disease) is where there's
improper differentiation between the myenteric (Auerbach's) plexus and the submucosal
(Meissner's) plexus in the distal part of the colon (sigmoid) and rectum
- due in part to a lack of an enteric ganglion along with variable length
of colon and inadequate motility
Accessory organs of GI system include liver and pancreas - and salivary glands
Sphincters include the UES, LES, Pyloric valve (in stomach), internal and external
anal sphincters, ileocecal valve, and sphincter of Oddi - which moves bile from pancreas
to intestines