Poop! Poop! Poop!

What is poop? Now, you’re probably thinking, “Of course, it’s the disgusting stuff that comes out once in a while when we go to the bathroom, who doesn’t know that?” But, think again. We shouldn’t think about poop as ‘disgusting’. It keeps us alive. But, it can be painful at times. Today I will tell you how poop works and all about the digestive system.
 

So, our journey inside the body starts at the mouth. To make it easier for you to swallow different foods, your saliva, or the liquid that makes your mouth drool, helps break down what you are eating and turns it into chemicals called enzymes. Next, our food travels through our Esophagus, which is a pipe that connects your mouth to your stomach. A process called peristalsis, which is the tightening and relaxation of muscles in the intestine to transport the waste products and food to move smoothly through the digestive system. This means food can only travel in one direction, so you could be doing a handstand while eating and the food will still go through the digestive system. 

 

Next, there comes the stomach. The s is tomach is where the food is stored and broken apart even more by the acid and powerful enzymes. From there, food moves into the small intestine. In the small intestine, most nutrients are absorbed and food is broken down more by enzymes released from the pancreas, and bile from the liver. Anything that’s left in the small intestine moves into the large intestine, also known as the colon. The large intestine is about 6 feet long. It is a muscular tube that connects the small intestine to the recutum. It is responsible for processing that waste. On an average, it takes about 36 hours for our poop, or stool, to get through the colon and exit through the anus. “It’s amazing in its ability to break down and absorb nutrients, while simultaneously protecting us from bacteria and other potentially harmful substances.” (Michael Puff, MD). 

 

A common myth about stool is that if you don’t poop once a day, you’re not normal. But, that is not true. It is scientifically proven that if you poop anywhere from three times a day and three times a week, you’re totally fine. In the video “body stuff with doctor Jenson”, Dr. Jenson said, “A lot of people panic about it, although it’s a phony measure.”. So, I want to let everyone know that pooping once a day is not a way to determine your health.

 

So, I hope you learned a lot of new things and now know about the digestive system and that pooping once a day is a phony measure. I hope this essay was helpful to you and maybe other people too. Learning about the digestive system is important. It is learning about what is going on inside your body. So, this is important information. Thank You!