What should we eat? First part: Physic Human Animal

As a Nurse one of my biggest interests is the Human Nutrition.
Many finding research today confirm how is important a correct nutrition in order to prevent many diseases and treat them with it.

With  global industrialization even the human diet has caught the interest of economy and business. Through the introduction of processed foods and packaged slowly man has forgotten how to feed and about this I would like to emphasize the difference between feeding and eating. The human being can apparently eat anything without "side effect" on health for long time but he cannot feed off on every food.

Nourish the body it means give the correct substances that will be transformed into blood and tissues, energy and healthy cells.
In order to avoid noncommunicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases etc.
and live healthy , knowing the right Human Diet and how to get nutrients from foods ( cereal, proteins,vitamins, seed, fat, ect) we need to know the Digestive  Tract.

The Digestive Tract

• It starts with oral cavity functions : food sensorial analysis: mechanical elaboration by teeth, toungue and palate; lubrification trough mixing mucous and saliva; first digestion of carboifrates and lipids. An important role is played by salivary gland parathyroid, sublingual and submandibular that reverse the product in mouth and is useful because they contein the enzyme amilase and lipase to catalize carboidrates and lipids.
• Pharinx is  a tube placed between mouth and esophagus : pushes the bolus through the larinx into the esophagus
• The esophagus is a muscolar tube that carries solid and liquid from the pharinx to the stomach trough an aperture,esophageal hiatus.
• The stomach is an organ " J shape " that receive the bolus from the esophagus and as a foundamental role about mechanical and chemical digestion, it plays four foundamental stages: accumulation of mass of food ingested, mechanical crushing of bolus, breaking of chemical bonds by acids and enzymes and production of intrinsic factor ( responsible for B12 Vitamin assimilation).
• The small intestine digests the nutrients and glands involved in the digestive process: it is composed by duodenum, jejunum, ileum. Small intestine is foundamental for digestion and absorption.
• Another important role for digestion and nutrition in general is played by Pancreas gland that produce enzyme and ormons useful for digestion of carbohyidrates, lipids and proteins. 
• The liver is the organ responsible for production of bile, but above all is involved in the regulation of blood composition (the true nourishment for all the tissues and organs). The liver stores and removes excess nutrients, vitamins and minerals, summarizes the necessary nutrients and removes waste products.
• The principal function of Large insestine is water absorption and compaction of feces, absorption of vitamins by bacteria, accumulation of fecal material before defecation. it is divided into caecum, colon and rectum.

What digest ?

Digestion is a mechanical and chemical food alteration that allowing the absorption and utilization of nutriments.

• Salive : break down  complex carbohydrates, triglycerides, fatty acids.
• Stomach : break down proteins with low PH , proteasi gastric enzyme.
• Intestine : Water, vitamins

Every day is ingested about 1500 ml of water and the digestive secretons provide other 7000 ml.

Almost all then reabsorbed by various processes then carrying sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, iodide, bicarbonate etc.

Also important are the water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins

Notes

• Give the correct food to our body it means also enanches all physical and mental functions of everyday.
• It prevents and cure insurgence of chronic disease ( incurable ), degenerative like neurological, cardiovascular, limphatics and scheletal disease.
• A proper nutrition helps to keep your perfect weight and lose weight if necessary without food restrictions or particular diet.

In this first part we underlined what the " human machine " is bound to digest. From here we can access to the next article where I will make a full list of healthy and adeguate food for human beings, to keep our body and mind in health.

In the maintime, Enjoy your food and life ! :)
Nurse Julia.