The human digestive system is the means by which tissues and organs receive nutrients to function. The system breaks down food, extracts nutrients from it, and converts these into energy.
The digestive tract begins this involuntary process once you swallow food. Saliva begins breaking the food down, and this is continued by other enzymes in the tract. As digestion continues, the food is moved from organ to organ through muscular contractions called peristalsis.
The largest parts of the digestive system include:
The connection between all of these organs and their fluids requires a delicate balance that can easily be disrupted by numerous factors, including diet, stress, disease, and more.
Common digestive problems include:
Other problems are connected to serious conditions that affect portions of the digestive system, including:
Because your body must function solely on what you feed it, a healthy diet is important.
BodyMaps is an interactive visual search tool that allows users to explore the human body in 3-D. With easy-to-use navigation, users can search multiple layers of the human anatomy, view systems and organs down to their smallest parts, and understand in detail how the human body works.
Using detailed 3-D models of body parts-including muscles, veins, bones, and organs-Body Maps offers a new way to visualize and manage your health. See how the coronary artery delivers blood to the heart, and learn how plaque build-up on artery walls leads to heart disease. Locate the exact location of a pulled muscle or broken bone, and find information on how to prevent injuries. View a cross-section of the human brain, and learn which areas control certain emotions and body functions.
By offering rich, detailed anatomical images alongside links to relevant and useful health information, BodyMaps allows you to leam about your body and your health in a personalized and revolutionary new way.