Digestive System Basics

The digestive, or gastrointestinal (GI) system doesn’t just represent our bowels, it actually starts in our mouth, then continues with the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and then finishes with….well I  think you get the picture.

We can describe the digestive system as a hollow tube stretching from mouth to anus. While it goes through our body, some argue this organ is actually outside the body because, in a healthy digestive tract there is a distinct barrier between the tract and the rest of the body.
 
The digestive system is also supported by the pancreas, liver and gallbladder, all of which supply us with digestive juices, hormones, and enzymes that help to break down the foods we eat.
 
This amazing, complex body system turns the foods we eat into energy and provides nutrients that help us thrive. The food we eat today, literally becomes who and what we are tomorrow! The food we eat impacts how we look, think, and feel. If we fill our bodies with junk, that is how we end up looking, thinking and feeling. However, when we make the commitment to fueling ourselves with wholesome nourishing foods, we see this reflected in our bodies as someone who is healthy, happy and thriving!