Digest This

Dr. Chock points out that is not to suggest, however, that all digestive disorders can be easily diagnosed and treated by the primary care physician. There are specialists and even sub- specialists for that kind of detailed examination. "Perhaps 80 percent of the digestive disorders are common enough for primary care physicians to treat initially," says Dr. Chock. "Another 20 percent are cases that fall under specialty care." He also highlighted that there is enough medical information available for primary care physicians to diagnose and treat the majority of cases that come in their offices. YOUR GI TRACT If you feel you have a digestive disorder or similar issue, go see your primary care physician immediately. Dr. Chock, however, feels it helps to learn how our digestive system works. Understanding more about digestive disorders requires some research into the function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In the simplest terms, it is an elaborate system that processes all the foods that we ingest. According to Dr. Chock, everything we eat or drink must be thoroughly processed by the GI tract and other organs; a process that takes anywhere from hours to days, depending on our choice of foods and our general health. Any disruption in the processing of food leads to problems in our gut, and could be a sign of further complications that are clinically known as digestive disorders; although they are also referred to as digestive diseases. A FOOD PROCESSOR Dr. Chock reminds us to think of your GI tract as a food processor. The digestive process begins once we chew our food and the complex chemicals (saliva to colon microbes) breakdown food into smaller more manageable pieces. Swallowing large portions of food can cause blockage. Smaller pieces of food reduces stress on the esophagus and allows the stomach metabolize your food properly. According to Dr. Chock, the number of times to chew food varies, but meats and vegetables should be chewed up to 30 times; and soft foods 10 times, according to experts. The GI tract is a long muscular tube that functions as the processor for the food, as it moves through our body. Hollow and solid type organs like salary glands, stomach, intestines, colon, liver, pancreas and gallbladder are interconnected to the GI tract. These organs help to process food and extract nutrients and filter toxins. The GI tract or the organs within it, however, can become irritated and inflamed leading to disorders like hepatitis, cholecystitis, colitis or gastritis to name a few diseases. 35 DiGEST THIS

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