Understanding Your Digestive System

When you swallow food, it moves towards your stomach via the esophagus. Stomach acid begins to break down the food, before it moves through to the small intestine.

As it moves through the small intestine, the food continues to be broken down by bile and various enzymes.

The large intestine is next, where water and electrolytes are removed from the food and it is further digested as it makes its way through, headed towards towards rectum, where the waste waits to be excreted.

Irritable bowel syndrome affects the large intestine, also called the colon.