Digestion Should Be Effortless
Courtney Brundrett
English 102
Mr. Beech
June 16, 2016
Digestion Should Be Effortless
Digestion is one of the most involuntary processes that takes place in our bodies. Digestion is important because it breaks down food into nutrients which are then absorbed into the body and used for energy, cell repair, and growth (National Institute of Health). Even though the digestion process should be effortless, many issues seem to arise in millions of Americans every day. Many statistics show that digestive issues could be avoided just by simply choosing to eat and live a better lifestyle. Research will show different ways that digestive issues can be avoided. The digestive process and the way that it is abused just by what we put into our bodies on a day to day basis needs to be addressed. The human body is made to withstand whatever is thrown at it on a given day, but the tolerance to continue to survive without any issues starts to significantly dwindle as time moves forward and bad eating habits continue.
Throughout this research the hope is to open many eyes to the severity of making bad eating choices. The benefit of this paper is to provide facts that will help readers grow with knowledge of the digestive system and how to better take care of this involuntary process. With my research I hope to not only further my education, but to continue moving forward with my healthy eating habits as well as influence my family to help them live healthier lives. I was not always a healthy eater, especially when I was younger, but as I have grown in age I notice a tremendous negative impact on my energy levels when I am not eating proper food choices. I notice that I feel more lethargic and lazy throughout my days, even after I have had a full night of sleep, the only possible reason that could be making me feel that way is by making bad nutrition choices. So I decided to change my eating habits, I started drinking more water and cut out my energy drinks, started eating smaller portions of food but eating more frequently throughout the day. I also started making my own lunches that consisted of healthier foods and taking that to work instead of eating whatever food we prepared for the day at work. I decided to make more conscious choices of my food and drink, my energy levels continue to improve daily just by making those few changes.
There are many sources that can give information on digestion, I used online sources and websites to conduct my research. The process of the digestive system has been known for many years, but research continues to develop to help us better understand the process as a whole. The digestive tract starts from the mouth and spans all the way to the anus, passing through the stomach and intestines along the way. Digestion starts in the mouth and ends in the small intestine (NIH). The mouth is the only part of digestion that is voluntary, we have to consciously think of the action we are performing. Once the food is swallowed, the rest of digestion is involuntary, our body does it without us having to think about it. As our food continues through the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract), also known as the digestive tract, it is further broken down and mixed with different digestive juices. Once the food enters the stomach nutrients begin to absorb into the body and blood stream, this continues throughout the small intestine. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas excrete fluids as the food moves farther into the small intestine and aids in the absorption of nutrients. As the excrement leaves the small intestine, it moves into the large intestine where water is absorbed and solid stool is formed. The solid stool is then expelled through the rectum in what is known as a bowel movement. This process is how every healthy individual's digestive tract should work, in an effortless manner, but that is not always the case with every individual.
Some of the researched websites, such as U.S. News Health give detailed articles regarding digestive problems that some people may encounter. One article covers a digestive problem known as acid reflux, correct medical term known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and explains what exactly happens with acid reflux and ways that it can be prevented. I then read that this can be prevented just by eating smaller portions of food and spreading meals out more frequently throughout the day. I then became curious as to how many Americans struggle with this issue every day, or just within a week. According to Healthline.com sixty percent of the adult population experiences acid reflux within a twelve month period, and twenty to thirty percent experience this every week. Just think if everyone were to eat properly, with smaller portions, how much lower those percentages could be.
One of my more interesting web sources came from Mayo Clinic where Celiac disease was the main topic. This disease is also known as Gluten intolerant, which means the digestive tract cannot properly digest gluten and causes many issues with the digestive system if gluten is present. The cause of this disease is unknown and is assumed to have to do with the immune system sensing gluten in the digestive tract and overreacting to its presence in the body. Even though the cause for this disease is unknown in this article, there are still recommendations to choose other food options that do not have gluten present in the ingredients. Celiac disease is not the only disease that has an unknown cause as to why it puts our bodies through these everyday battles, but there are hints towards the likely hood of experiencing these problems are less likely if proper nutrition and health guidelines are followed.
One of the most common problems that everyone has with their digestive system is constipation, something that could be avoided completely, with proper diet and healthy food choices. Constipation generally becomes an issue when an individual is not having enough fiber intake in their diet and not enough regular exercise. Americans spend $725 million a year on laxative to solve this so called "constipation problem" (U.S. News Health). Sadly, these laxatives are not a permanent solution since our body is built to produce regular bowel movements on its own. In reality, our bodies become immune to the laxative, therefore the average American has to take a higher dosage to receive a result from the laxative. This results in taking so many laxatives that it no longer works on our body and will not relieve the constipation. The only other option is doing what should have been done in the first place which is eating healthier and exercising regularly.
The most serious digestive issue would be diabetes. Diabetes is when the pancreas does not excrete the right amount of insulin to regulate the blood sugar levels in the body. There are two types of diabetes, there is Type 1 diabetes, which is generally developed at an early age in life. The pancreas either only secretes a small amount of insulin or no insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is generally developed later in life, and happens because of bad eating habits. The reason diabetes happens is because of bad eating habits and because the body took in so many toxins and too many sugars for such a long time that the pancreas can no longer work properly. The pancreas will shut down and not work properly if it is not being taken care of properly. Some people can control their diabetes through diet, and different pills that help keep blood sugar levels regular. If the blood sugar levels cannot be control through diet or pills there it has to be control through insulin injections the regulate the body's blood sugar. If diabetes is not taken care of properly and managed the way it is supposed to be, it can lead to a slow and painful death because the body will just slowly start to shut down.
I found a tremendous amount of information from my sources that will help me prove my points in this proposal. I still want to find out more information on why diet has such a grave impact on not only the digestive system but the body as a whole. I want to discover more information in detail as to different types of foods that every American should stay away from, such as different foods that are massively sold at stores as well as fast food chains. Finding out this information could help me get an edge to persuade my readers to stay away from these products just by explaining what happens to the digestive process when these agents are introduced to the body.
I am hopeful that I will find more articles that will help me achieve the information needs to prove these points to my readers. I also plan to watch documentaries that are based on eating specific foods and what effects it has on the body. Though I will not be interviewing people, I feel that I will receive plenty of information from future articles and documentaries that will help me prove my points in my final paper. I hope to get to a point where I can do interviews of people and see how digestive issue are affecting the people I come in contact with on a daily bases.
I believe my biggest challenge will be that I am unable to find the "right" information to persuade my audience to change their life style and eating habits. Changing a lifestyle is a big step for a lot of people, it at times seems to be more of a burden than what it is worth. I believe that if I can find the most persuasive information for this paper that I could possibly help quite a few people live longer and healthier lives. I do not have access to a library so I am unsure of other ways that I could develop more information, so if you could shed some light on any other information gathering tactics that could help me find the best information for my readers I am open to the suggestion.
I hope that after my readers have reviewed this paper that they will be more willing to change their eating habits and lifestyles. As Americans, we are surrounded by products that can jeopardize our health every day. If my readers start to understand the importance on eating healthier just by reading my paper, I will sleep happy at night knowing that I have made a difference. I believe that I could emphasize the importance of healthy living to my readers so that they will possibly take the next step to further educate themselves on this matter. I also hope that if my family were to read this paper that it would persuade them enough to live a healthier life style than what they are currently living now.
The importance on eating healthy and providing your body with the necessary exercise it craves is the difference between living a long healthy life where you feel energized rather than just living day by day feeling horrible in your own body. Understanding the effects fast food and mass produced products that we get every day at the store is very valuable information and I hope to provide my readers with the affects of putting those products in our bodies. This topic is very important and should not just being addressed by a college student, it should be addressed by the higher up people that allow these products to be available for consumption. Since those people do not seem to care about addressing these problems that Americans address every day, I look forward to informing as many people as possible on how we as people should value our body. After all, we only get one in a lifetime, so why not take care of our bodies properly.
Works Cited
Angela Haupt. "Acid Reflux Relief- Without a Pill." U.S. News Health. N.P. 30 March. 2012. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Angela Haupt. "8 Common Digestive Problems and How to End Them." U.S. News Health. N.P. 30 March. 2012. Web. 28 May. 2016
Julie-Ann Amos. "Acid Reflux (GERD) Statistics and Facts." Healthline. N.P. 30 June. 2012. Wed. 28 May. 2016.
National Institute of Health. "Your Digestive System and How it Works." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. September 2013. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Celiac Disease: Causes." Mayo Clinic. N.P. 22 May. 2013. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Causes." Mayo Clinic. N.P. 18 February. 2015. Web. 28 May. 2016
National Institute of Health. "Your Digestive System and How it Works." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. September 2013. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Courtney Brundrett
English 102
Mr. Beech
June 16, 2016
Digestion Should Be Effortless
Digestion is one of the most involuntary processes that takes place in our bodies. Digestion is important because it breaks down food into nutrients which are then absorbed into the body and used for energy, cell repair, and growth (National Institute of Health). Even though the digestion process should be effortless, many issues seem to arise in millions of Americans every day. Many statistics show that digestive issues could be avoided just by simply choosing to eat and live a better lifestyle. Research will show different ways that digestive issues can be avoided. The digestive process and the way that it is abused just by what we put into our bodies on a day to day basis needs to be addressed. The human body is made to withstand whatever is thrown at it on a given day, but the tolerance to continue to survive without any issues starts to significantly dwindle as time moves forward and bad eating habits continue.
Throughout this research the hope is to open many eyes to the severity of making bad eating choices. The benefit of this paper is to provide facts that will help readers grow with knowledge of the digestive system and how to better take care of this involuntary process. With my research I hope to not only further my education, but to continue moving forward with my healthy eating habits as well as influence my family to help them live healthier lives. I was not always a healthy eater, especially when I was younger, but as I have grown in age I notice a tremendous negative impact on my energy levels when I am not eating proper food choices. I notice that I feel more lethargic and lazy throughout my days, even after I have had a full night of sleep, the only possible reason that could be making me feel that way is by making bad nutrition choices. So I decided to change my eating habits, I started drinking more water and cut out my energy drinks, started eating smaller portions of food but eating more frequently throughout the day. I also started making my own lunches that consisted of healthier foods and taking that to work instead of eating whatever food we prepared for the day at work. I decided to make more conscious choices of my food and drink, my energy levels continue to improve daily just by making those few changes.
There are many sources that can give information on digestion, I used online sources and websites to conduct my research. The process of the digestive system has been known for many years, but research continues to develop to help us better understand the process as a whole. The digestive tract starts from the mouth and spans all the way to the anus, passing through the stomach and intestines along the way. Digestion starts in the mouth and ends in the small intestine (NIH). The mouth is the only part of digestion that is voluntary, we have to consciously think of the action we are performing. Once the food is swallowed, the rest of digestion is involuntary, our body does it without us having to think about it. As our food continues through the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract), also known as the digestive tract, it is further broken down and mixed with different digestive juices. Once the food enters the stomach nutrients begin to absorb into the body and blood stream, this continues throughout the small intestine. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas excrete fluids as the food moves farther into the small intestine and aids in the absorption of nutrients. As the excrement leaves the small intestine, it moves into the large intestine where water is absorbed and solid stool is formed. The solid stool is then expelled through the rectum in what is known as a bowel movement. This process is how every healthy individual's digestive tract should work, in an effortless manner, but that is not always the case with every individual.
Some of the researched websites, such as U.S. News Health give detailed articles regarding digestive problems that some people may encounter. One article covers a digestive problem known as acid reflux, correct medical term known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and explains what exactly happens with acid reflux and ways that it can be prevented. I then read that this can be prevented just by eating smaller portions of food and spreading meals out more frequently throughout the day. I then became curious as to how many Americans struggle with this issue every day, or just within a week. According to Healthline.com sixty percent of the adult population experiences acid reflux within a twelve month period, and twenty to thirty percent experience this every week. Just think if everyone were to eat properly, with smaller portions, how much lower those percentages could be.
One of my more interesting web sources came from Mayo Clinic where Celiac disease was the main topic. This disease is also known as Gluten intolerant, which means the digestive tract cannot properly digest gluten and causes many issues with the digestive system if gluten is present. The cause of this disease is unknown and is assumed to have to do with the immune system sensing gluten in the digestive tract and overreacting to its presence in the body. Even though the cause for this disease is unknown in this article, there are still recommendations to choose other food options that do not have gluten present in the ingredients. Celiac disease is not the only disease that has an unknown cause as to why it puts our bodies through these everyday battles, but there are hints towards the likely hood of experiencing these problems are less likely if proper nutrition and health guidelines are followed.
One of the most common problems that everyone has with their digestive system is constipation, something that could be avoided completely, with proper diet and healthy food choices. Constipation generally becomes an issue when an individual is not having enough fiber intake in their diet and not enough regular exercise. Americans spend $725 million a year on laxative to solve this so called "constipation problem" (U.S. News Health). Sadly, these laxatives are not a permanent solution since our body is built to produce regular bowel movements on its own. In reality, our bodies become immune to the laxative, therefore the average American has to take a higher dosage to receive a result from the laxative. This results in taking so many laxatives that it no longer works on our body and will not relieve the constipation. The only other option is doing what should have been done in the first place which is eating healthier and exercising regularly.
The most serious digestive issue would be diabetes. Diabetes is when the pancreas does not excrete the right amount of insulin to regulate the blood sugar levels in the body. There are two types of diabetes, there is Type 1 diabetes, which is generally developed at an early age in life. The pancreas either only secretes a small amount of insulin or no insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is generally developed later in life, and happens because of bad eating habits. The reason diabetes happens is because of bad eating habits and because the body took in so many toxins and too many sugars for such a long time that the pancreas can no longer work properly. The pancreas will shut down and not work properly if it is not being taken care of properly. Some people can control their diabetes through diet, and different pills that help keep blood sugar levels regular. If the blood sugar levels cannot be control through diet or pills there it has to be control through insulin injections the regulate the body's blood sugar. If diabetes is not taken care of properly and managed the way it is supposed to be, it can lead to a slow and painful death because the body will just slowly start to shut down.
I found a tremendous amount of information from my sources that will help me prove my points in this proposal. I still want to find out more information on why diet has such a grave impact on not only the digestive system but the body as a whole. I want to discover more information in detail as to different types of foods that every American should stay away from, such as different foods that are massively sold at stores as well as fast food chains. Finding out this information could help me get an edge to persuade my readers to stay away from these products just by explaining what happens to the digestive process when these agents are introduced to the body.
I am hopeful that I will find more articles that will help me achieve the information needs to prove these points to my readers. I also plan to watch documentaries that are based on eating specific foods and what effects it has on the body. Though I will not be interviewing people, I feel that I will receive plenty of information from future articles and documentaries that will help me prove my points in my final paper. I hope to get to a point where I can do interviews of people and see how digestive issue are affecting the people I come in contact with on a daily bases.
I believe my biggest challenge will be that I am unable to find the "right" information to persuade my audience to change their life style and eating habits. Changing a lifestyle is a big step for a lot of people, it at times seems to be more of a burden than what it is worth. I believe that if I can find the most persuasive information for this paper that I could possibly help quite a few people live longer and healthier lives. I do not have access to a library so I am unsure of other ways that I could develop more information, so if you could shed some light on any other information gathering tactics that could help me find the best information for my readers I am open to the suggestion.
I hope that after my readers have reviewed this paper that they will be more willing to change their eating habits and lifestyles. As Americans, we are surrounded by products that can jeopardize our health every day. If my readers start to understand the importance on eating healthier just by reading my paper, I will sleep happy at night knowing that I have made a difference. I believe that I could emphasize the importance of healthy living to my readers so that they will possibly take the next step to further educate themselves on this matter. I also hope that if my family were to read this paper that it would persuade them enough to live a healthier life style than what they are currently living now.
The importance on eating healthy and providing your body with the necessary exercise it craves is the difference between living a long healthy life where you feel energized rather than just living day by day feeling horrible in your own body. Understanding the effects fast food and mass produced products that we get every day at the store is very valuable information and I hope to provide my readers with the affects of putting those products in our bodies. This topic is very important and should not just being addressed by a college student, it should be addressed by the higher up people that allow these products to be available for consumption. Since those people do not seem to care about addressing these problems that Americans address every day, I look forward to informing as many people as possible on how we as people should value our body. After all, we only get one in a lifetime, so why not take care of our bodies properly.
Works Cited
Angela Haupt. "Acid Reflux Relief- Without a Pill." U.S. News Health. N.P. 30 March. 2012. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Angela Haupt. "8 Common Digestive Problems and How to End Them." U.S. News Health. N.P. 30 March. 2012. Web. 28 May. 2016
Julie-Ann Amos. "Acid Reflux (GERD) Statistics and Facts." Healthline. N.P. 30 June. 2012. Wed. 28 May. 2016.
National Institute of Health. "Your Digestive System and How it Works." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. September 2013. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Celiac Disease: Causes." Mayo Clinic. N.P. 22 May. 2013. Web. 28 May. 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Causes." Mayo Clinic. N.P. 18 February. 2015. Web. 28 May. 2016
National Institute of Health. "Your Digestive System and How it Works." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. September 2013. Web. 28 May. 2016.