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The Digestive System



             Chemical digestion also happens in the mouth. This digestion initiates through amylase or the saliva. The saliva contains enzymes that start breaking down vital chemicals in the food so it can be easily digested. It also allows the food to pass more easily though the mouth by giving it moisture. Saliva is released at several areas inside the mouth from three different salivary glands: the parotid, the sublingual, and the submandicular. This saliva stays with the food after deglutination or swallowing. From there, the food is taken to the stomach.
             On its way there, the chunk that was just swallowed is now considered a bolus since it's technically not food anymore. If one coughed up a bolus, no one would want to eat it again. After deglutination, The bolus travels through the pharynx. The special thing about the pharynx is that it is a pathway for both the digestive and reparatory systems. The epiglottis closes the path to the trachea which also leads to the dilation of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). Through that complicated process which happens in about a second, the bolus is brought to the esophagus which uses muscle contractions, called peristalsis, to push the bolus to the stomach though the diaphragm. The bolus moves through the hiatus which is an opening that goes through the diaphragm.
             The stomach is a wonderful organ. Its shapes and features express the epitome of digestion. It consists of three main parts: the fundus, the body, and the pylorus. On the superior side of the stomach, there is a lesser curve while the corresponding greater curve is on the inferior side of the stomach. Moreover, the rugae or folds within the stomach allow it to expand when more food is added. As the bolus enters the stomach through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), it is intricately churned with hydrochloric acid and other important enzymes, including protease, to break it down even further.


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