How long absorb food

Indigestion often happens from overeating, eating too fast, or eating foods high in fat. Try to give your body enough time to fully digest your food before sleeping. Eating smaller meals and sticking to foods that digest more quickly can help. The digestion process starts with ingestion. When you take in food, it gets physically broken down into smaller pieces by your teeth.

Your salivary glands are triggered and saliva is released to moisten and lubricate the food. This is where the fun begins. Your swallowing kicks in and moves the food from your mouth into your esophagus. Contractions from a muscle called the peristalsis transports the food down this tube and into another, more familiar muscle, the stomach. Your stomach churns your food and mixes it with naturally produced bodily chemicals.

Gastric juices, acidic fluids, and enzymes breakdown your food at a molecular level and turns it into a creamy paste called chyme. At the start of your small intestine, fluids lubricate the chyme and neutralize its acidity.

Anything left is a waste product, which your body removes. As you chew, glands in your mouth release saliva. This digestive liquid contains enzymes that break down the starches in your food. When you swallow, the food moves down your esophagus — the pipe that connects your mouth to your stomach.

A muscular gate called the lower esophageal sphincter opens to let the food move into your stomach. Acids in your stomach break down the food even more.

This produces a mushy mixture of gastric juices and partially digested food, called chyme. This mixture moves on to your small intestine. In your small intestine, your pancreas and liver contribute their own digestive juices to the mix. Pancreatic juices break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Bile from your gallbladder dissolves fat. Vitamins, other nutrients, and water move through the walls of your small intestine into your bloodstream. The undigested part that remains moves on to your large intestine.

The large intestine absorbs any remaining water and leftover nutrients from the food. The rest becomes solid waste, called stool. Certain conditions can disrupt digestion and leave you with some unpleasant side effects like heartburn, gas, constipation, or diarrhea.

Here are a few:. To keep food moving smoothly through your digestive system and prevent issues like diarrhea and constipation, try these tips:. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are all rich sources of fiber. Fiber helps food move through your digestive system more easily and completely. Studies show red meat produces chemicals that are linked to heart disease.

These beneficial bacteria help crowd out the harmful bugs in your digestive tract. Moving your body keeps your digestive tract moving, too. Taking a walk after meals can prevent gas and bloating. Even a few simple deep breaths before you eat can help. It is also important to get enough sleep every night to reduce stress and aid digestion. As digestion begins with chewing in the mouth, problems with the teeth can interfere with this important step.

Older adults, in particular, can be affected by improper chewing techniques due to dental issues. Brush and floss the teeth daily, and visit a dentist regularly. People with low stomach acid, chronic stress, digestive diseases and other conditions may benefit from taking supplements containing digestive enzymes.

While these are freely available from health stores, it can be helpful to discuss enzyme supplementation with a doctor first. Several medical conditions can cause problems with digestion. People with these conditions should always work with their doctor to manage their symptoms and reduce digestive distress. These conditions can cause issues with digestion, and contribute to symptoms such as heartburn, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.

Those who regularly experience symptoms of poor digestion, such as gas, bloating, constipation, heartburn, or diarrhea, should see a doctor who can rule out any serious conditions. Digestive symptoms that get progressively worse or change abruptly also require medical attention. The time it takes to digest food varies between 24 and 72 hours and depends on several factors. To enjoy optimal digestion, eat a balanced, high-fiber diet, engage in regular exercise, reduce stress, and manage any digestive conditions that may be present.

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