Stay in your chair and join me on an imaginary tour of one of the most interesting chemical factories in the world. The visit is free and very instructive. It doesn’t take long, just ten to twenty minutes, depending on how fast you can Get the information .

Many types of automatic and semi-automatic chemical plants are designed to process all types of raw materials. But none has yet smoothed out the factory you’re going to visit.The simplicity of its design, but the complexity of multiple reactions that take place simultaneously, as well as its high efficiency, self-sufficiency and almost perfect automation, are things that biochemists never cease to admire.

We find this unusual chemical implant in the abdomen. It consists of a pipe that is almost ten meters long and is called the "pipe of life".

Because of its nature, of course, we can’t enter a chemical plant to look at it, but if you look at the graphs in front of you, we embark on a visual tour.

At the beginning of our journey we remember that the first part of this plant is called the small intestine. It is one to one and a half inches in diameter and is about twenty-three feet long. This seems to apply to all adults, regardless of height or weight. We will examine the second part of this chemical plant later: the large intestine. It is officially named because it has an average diameter twice the size of the small intestine. This larger pipe is between five and six feet long. And think about it: a building that houses an entire chemical plant is less than a third of a cubic meter! It is also interesting to note that the walls of this building are stretchable to achieve a gas pressure that can increase the pipe connection of the plant to twice as large: in diameter, not in length.

These are the components

Let’s look now at the “pipes” in this chemical factory. They are not metal elements, but organic, flexible, elastic, made of flesh and blood, which consist of four layers.The outer layer is a thin membrane, actually an extension of the peritoneum or inner wall of the abdomen. Then we come to the second layer; and notice how unusual it is. It consists of two layers of fibers, of which the outer layer extends in the longitudinal direction and the inner circular layer. The fibers that extend longitudinally provide one type of pressure to the contents of the pipe, while the circular fibers exert a different pressure. Two levels are programmed to coordinate your activities. There is no confusion or working at cross-purposes and we are not required to conduct operations. Talk about automation! The creator of this machine, the Creator, really got it first!

The third layer consists of areolar or loosely formed connective tissue that connects the muscle layer to the inner layer. The most important is this fourth inner layer which we will now examine. It is the mucosa that line the inside of the tube. This mucosa is especially important in the small intestine. Why? Because here the inner layer is equipped to inject digestive juices on the one hand into the tube and on the other hand, it is equipped with the ability to absorb digested nutrients into the bloodstream, where they nourish all the cells of the body.

Its chemical activity

But before you continue on this visit, a few words about the stomach and its relationship with the small intestine. Many people mistakenly think of the role the stomach plays in digesting food and absorbing digested nutrients. The stomach just begins to digest protein and doesn't get to carbohydrates (starch and sugar) or fat. The uptake in the stomach appears to be limited to small amounts of sugar and alcohol. In fact, some people have fled without most of their stomachs. In these cases, this wondrous chemical factory automatically adapts to the new circumstances: the small intestine expands the forehead to the proportions of the pockets and can thus take its place in the stomach.

What the stomach does is prepare the food it receives so that it is suitable for further processing in the intestines. Chemically and mechanically, it breaks down the leftovers into something like a medium-thick gray Graševina soup, which is known as "chyme".

Periodically and automatically, the stomach expels part of this chyme through its lower flap (it also has an upper flap). Now look at the lower abdomen.It prevents the intestinal bell from entering the stomach. Because the amount of digestive juices added to food at this chemical plant is roughly the same as the nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream, the hymen maintains roughly the same consistency as it moves through the 23 meters of the small intestine.

This chemical plant contains not only digestive juices supplied by the intestinal lining, but digestive juices from two other sources as well. The liver supplies bile to break down fat with a test tube. And the pancreas, which uses two tubes, basically contains three types of enzymes.They are used to digest proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Certain glands in this chemical factory serve to neutralize the acidity of the chyme that comes from the stomach. Yes, the work of the stomach requires an acidic environment, while the work of the small intestine requires an alkaline environment.

It should be taken after digestion. Indeed, digestion and absorption continue simultaneously without interfering with each other. Absorption is done through these small conical protrusions that you see in the bladder of this bubble. They act as suction pumps. With its help, the broken down parts of proteins and carbohydrates get directly into the blood. However, the fused fat particles first enter the lymph and from there enter the bloodstream.

When the hymen is fully digested and all of its nutrients have been absorbed, the mass will have reached the leading edge of this chemical plant, the base of the twenty-three feet. But our journey doesn't end there because that's when a valve opens allowing the pea-like beans to enter the first part of the colon known as the cecum, which you can now observe. As the mass moves through the colon, water and various mineral elements are absorbed. Here is an important bacterial activity. This "flora" as it is called is absolutely necessary for good health.

Mechanical action

It takes a little more than gravity for the food to be digested and absorbed and go through this chemical factory from start to finish. This requires mechanical action. This is where the two muscle layers described above come into play, which basically generate two types of action: mixing and driving. As soon as the chyme reaches the small intestine from the stomach, rhythmic contractions begin. The circular ligaments in the muscle fibers begin to contract at regular intervals and divide the chyme into segments. Then these muscles relax and others, halfway between those who simply relax, contract. In this way, half of each anterior segment becomes part of a new segment, so that the new surfaces of the chyme are constantly exposed to chemicals and absorbent surfaces in the intestine. These circular muscles automatically contract and relax seven to ten times per minute for about half an hour under normal conditions.

Then the second muscle group is activated automatically. Slow peristalsis moves the chyme forward and never backward. After the chyme has moved a certain distance forward, the peristalsis stops automatically and "rhythmic segmentation", as some call it, continues. It takes two to four hours for the chyme to pass through the twenty-three feet of the first part of this chemical plant. Again, the obturator that protects the entrance to the colon opens at regular intervals. Then the chyme, which contains almost no more nutrients, is forced into the colon or large intestine by a powerful peristaltic effect, completely naturally.

Now let's look at what's going on in the colon. From there, another peristaltic effect forces the dough through the colon as it is freed from excess moisture. First it rises, then it goes down to the stomach until the signal sounds that it must be expelled from the body. This signal is activated by the hypothalamus in the brain. It's a great system, right?

After taking this tour today, you will now have a better understanding of how to maintain your chemical plant in the gut.

When something is wrong

Although ulcers, amoeba viral or parasitic infections and the dreaded cancer can be prevented, things rarely go wrong with this wonderful digestive herb for most of its life. As long as, of course, the person eats well, moves well, gets enough rest and has control over his emotions.

Gas or flatulence is one of the most common problems that many people have. It can be caused by a serious illness or simply by nervousness. But it can also be due to inappropriate eating habits or certain foods that can cause gas, for example,those of cabbage family and certain legumes.

Another problem that many people face, especially those in sedentary occupations, is constipation. Again, the problem may be due to improper eating habits, a balanced diet or lack of enough water for this chemical plant to function properly. Eating unrefined foods and lots of fruit can help, especially plums and figs, and green leafy vegetables. On the other hand, for emergency cases, some may prefer to get medication from pharmacies.

Sometimes things go wrong with the chemical plant and the result is the exact opposite of constipation, which is diarrhea. This can be due to food poisoning, a viral infection or fast eating habits. A simple and proven cure is black tea that has not been added. Another remedy is raw or cooked apple pulp, to which nothing has been added. Some people find that unsweetened grape juice is helpful. And there are other ways.

As the appendix is ​​part of this chemical plant, there is also the risk of appendicitis, perhaps the most common serious disease of the intestinal system. The more moderate and healthy lifestyle, the more regular and normal bowel movements, the less likely the appendix is ​​to cause problems.

Show your appreciation

Biologists have spent a long time studying this chemical factory in the gut, especially its front end, and there is still a lot they don't understand. But, with this short tour, we learned some very interesting things.

Show your appreciation for your gut chemical factory. First, don't overeat. It is better to leave the table and feel that you could have eaten more than you were satisfied. When you eat too much, it puts extra strain on your heart, liver, kidneys, and other parts of your body, in addition to this gut chemical. Eating more than what you need can also lead to being overweight, which has its downsides.

There is also the psychosomatic factor which has already been mentioned. Don't rush to eat and stay in a good mood. Why join a family dinner fight or talk about today's trials and disappointments?

Harmful emotions like worry, anger, and fear consume a lot of energy and can wreak havoc on automated processes in the stomach and intestines.

Show gratitude for him and the rest of your body through wise lifestyle habits. If you do this, you will have minimal discomfort and problems, and you will be more likely to stay healthy and live for many years to come. As for us, it was a pleasure to accompany you on this visit of the chemical plant in the intestine.