Oh the gastrointestinal tract!
Mouth: chews and mixes food with saliva
Pharynx: Directs food from mouth to esophagus
Salivary glands: secrete saliva (containing starch-digesting enzymes)
Epiglottis: protects airway during swallowing
Trachea: allows air to pass to and from lungs
Esophagus: passes food from mouth to the stomach
Esophageal sphincters: allow passage from mouth to esophagus and from esophagus to stomach
Stomach: adds acids, enzymes, and fluids; churns, mixes, and grinds foods to a liquid mass
Pyloric sphincter: allows passage from stomach to small intestine
Liver: manufactures bile salts, detergent-like substances to help digest fats
Gallbladder: stores bile until needed
Bile duct: conducts bile from the gallbladder to the small intestine
Appendix: stores lymph cells
Small intestine: secretes enzymes that digest all energy-yielding nutrients to smaller nutrient particles
Ileocecal valve (sphincter): allows passage from small to large intestine
Pancreas: manufactures enzymes to digest all energy-yielding nutrients and releases bicarbonate to neutralize acid chyme that enters the small intestine
Pancreatic duct: conducts pancreatic juice from the pancreas to the small intestine
Large intestine (colon): reabsorbs water and minerals; passes waste along with water to the rectum
Rectum: stores waste prior to elimination
Anus: holds rectum closed
Can you believe all of that is in your body doing its job right now to help you poop in a few? Yeah gross, but amazing!