What is our digestive system and why is it so important?

When we get diagnosed with IBD there is a lot to learn, about the condition, the treatment options, what to expect and much more. It is also perhaps the first time we ever even focus on our digestive system and the role that is plays in our health. I was speaking to a fellow IBD’er the other day about how little we knew about the digestive system when we were first diagnosed, how little information we are given, and how we had to go out and do our own research. This is something that also comes up a lot in clinic so I thought I would do an educational series all about our digestive system, what it is, what its for, how it works and why its important, as well as looking into each part of the digestive system, its function and how IBD can impact it, to help you. I hope that having all this information in one place will help you to learn more about how our body works and how IBD impacts it. If you have any questions you’d like me to answer as I go through please let me know!

To kick off, I thought it would be helpful to start with an overview of the digestive system before we get into the detail over the next few weeks.

What is our digestive system?

Our digestive system is made up of a few different parts our gastrointestinal tract (aka GI tract, digestive tract), our liver, pancreas and gallbladder.

Our GI tract is a number of hollow organs all joined together to form one long tube from our mouth to our bum (aka anus) and is around 5 meters long (longer than the height of a double decker bus)! Our digestive tract is also made up of lots of folds and protrusions and if it was stretched and laid out it would be about half the size of a badminton court (around 6m by 3m for those non badminton players (which includes me!))!

These hollow organs are our mouth, oesophagus (the tube that connects our mouth to our stomach), stomach, small intestine and large intestine. Our liver, pancreas and gallbladder are solid organs.

Why is our digestive system so important?

Our digestive system is so important because it breaks down the food we eat so our body’s can use the nutrients to function properly and stay healthy. Most parts of our body require nutrients from our food to work, like our immune system and our brain. Our food provides us with proteins, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water and it is our digestive systems job to break the food down small enough so our body can absorb and use these nutrients to make our body work properly.

How does our digestive system work?   

Our digestive system is essentially like a conveyor belt for our food (as well as having other important roles too) and each part helps in one or more of the following; breaking down our food, keeping it moving through, and absorbing nutrients. Once the food has been broken down, our body takes the nutrients off the conveyor belt and takes them to where they are needed in other parts of our body – it’s like a very efficient factory in there! Most nutrients are absorbed in our small intestine but there are some that are absorbed in our large intestine too. This is why nutrient deficiencies are more common in Crohn’s which affects the small intestine, than ulcerative colitis.

That’s all for today but next week I’ll be diving a little deeper, into our mouth to be precise, and look at its role in our digestive system and digestive processes.  

I have written a free e-book to help you find a way forward for your everyday life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Whether you are right at the beginning of your journey with IBD or have been living with your condition for years and feel like you have tried almost everything, there are things you can do everyday, beyond the medication you are taking, to help you take back control.

Disclaimer: All content found on the nalmclinic.com website, including: text, video, or other formats have been created for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor, consultant or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

We are all wonderfully unique and what works for one person may not work for another so please seek help and advice before changing your diet to work out the right way forward for you.