intestines?

also got from “I am joe’s intestine”

intestines are important for absorbing nutrients & water from the ingested food, and converting it to energy
small intestine is first
- consists of duodenum, then jejunum, then ileum
large intestine is after

digestion begins with mouth

mouth engages in mechanical digestion & rips apart food into smaller pieces
it travels down the esophogus into the stomach
the stomach breaks it down using gastric juices, and is then released into small intestine through a gatekeeper valve (the pyloric valve??)
- food received from stomach is highly acidic

in small intestine

duodenum produces secretin, which empties into the bloodstream
this substance causes the pancreas to secrete its alkaline digestive juice, which are released into the duodenum
- the juice neutralizes the acid
- also has 3 proteins that deconstruct proteins & fats into basic building blocks
- saliva, gastric juices from stomach, bile from liver & intestinal juices from innumerable glands are also released here
is lined with villi, which take the processed food & put it into circulation through the body
different muscles with different jobs
- one churns together food & digestive juices
- another produces a wavelike action, which pushes the contents along a few inches
whatever is left is passed onto large intestine

in large intestine

the water is extracted from the gruel from small intestine
- water is returned to bloodstream
- this is left with a semi-solid waste, which is stored in the part of the colon nearest the rectum

diverticulosis is a condition where the walls weaken & small enlargements appear

enteritis is an inflammation of the intestinal lining, which is caused by viruses, chemicals or bacteria

ulcerative colitis, which is when ulcers line the big gut

if ulcer is big, then it can eat away at the walls of the colon to cause hemorrhage