The food in my stomach... Now what?

Health Corner with Trena Barishnikov

Remember in the first health tip, “What did I just eat?”, I mentioned how enzymes in our saliva aid in the digestion process by breaking down some carbohydrates and starches? Well, this is just the beginning of the digestion process. Hopefully after reading my article, you are now paying more attention to chewing your food well. So, let us continue our journey of digestion. Food travels down the esophagus into the stomach. The stomach churns the undigested food mixing it with gastric juices and enzymes that further aid in breaking down some proteins and fats. Through this process the food is liquefied into what is called chyme.

Did you know that food generally stays in the stomach somewhere between two to four hours and that chronic stress lengthens the amount of time that food stays in the stomach?

Digestion and absorption continues as this liquefied mixture passes into the small intestine.

The pancreas and liver produce enzymes that continue to aid in digestion by further breaking down this mixture of food into smaller molecules that are able to easily pass into the bloodstream.

So, different parts of digestive system employ their own enzymes to break down food. But production of all these enzymes heavily depends upon nutrients and vitamins we get from our food. So, the more nutritious your food is, the better it will be digested, and the more your body will benefit. Unfortunately, many people do not eat a well balanced diet, but rather eat foods that fill their belly but are void of nutrition increasing stress on digestive system. Remember what you eat will either aid or hinder your digestion, and subsequently will determine how much your body will benefit from what you ate. So, think twice before you take that bite.

The information provided is for educational use only and is not intended to diagnose and treat any health conditions.