1 00:00:09,500 --> 00:00:11,700 JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN: HI, I'M JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, AND WELCOME TO 2 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:13,033 SCIENCE TREK: THE WEB SHOW. 3 00:00:13,033 --> 00:00:15,767 AND WELCOME TO THE OFFICES OF IDAHO GASTROENTEROLOGY IN 4 00:00:15,767 --> 00:00:16,967 MERIDIAN. 5 00:00:16,967 --> 00:00:19,500 JOINING ME NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DIGESTIVE 6 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:22,967 SYSTEM ARE DR. MATTHEW SERICATI AND DR. BRIAN STORY. 7 00:00:22,967 --> 00:00:24,133 THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US. 8 00:00:24,133 --> 00:00:26,400 DR. BRIAN STORY: THANKS FOR HAVING US. 9 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,767 DR. MATTHEW SERICATI: WE'RE GLAD TO BE HERE. 10 00:00:28,767 --> 00:00:31,600 CARTAN-HANSEN: OKAY, LET'S GO TO YOUR QUESTIONS. 11 00:00:31,967 --> 00:00:34,767 (MUSIC) 12 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,600 RONAN: HI, MY NAME IS RONAN. 13 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,667 AND I AM FROM MRS. FREELAND'S SECOND-GRADE CLASS FROM MOSCOW, 14 00:00:41,667 --> 00:00:43,133 IDAHO. 15 00:00:43,133 --> 00:00:47,333 AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW DO YOU DIGEST YOUR FOOD? 16 00:00:47,333 --> 00:00:50,066 DR. SERICATI: SO YOU DIGEST YOUR FOOD, REALLY, WITH SEVERAL 17 00:00:50,066 --> 00:00:51,567 DIFFERENT STEPS. 18 00:00:51,567 --> 00:00:55,233 THE FIRST STEP STARTS WHEN YOUR BRAIN TELLS YOU YOU'RE HUNGRY. 19 00:00:55,233 --> 00:00:57,867 IT'S GOING TO TURN ON WHAT ARE CALLED HORMONES. 20 00:00:57,867 --> 00:01:01,500 HORMONES ARE SIGNALS TO YOUR INTESTINAL TRACT TO START MOVING 21 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:04,600 BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO START EATING. 22 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,667 ONCE YOU DO THAT, YOU START DEVELOPING WHAT'S CALLED 23 00:01:07,667 --> 00:01:09,400 "SALIVA." 24 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,333 SALIVA IS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "SPIT." 25 00:01:12,333 --> 00:01:15,300 IT'S THE LUBRICATION THAT HELPS YOUR FOOD GO DOWN FROM YOUR 26 00:01:15,300 --> 00:01:16,867 MOUTH TO YOUR STOMACH. 27 00:01:16,867 --> 00:01:19,433 NOW, REMEMBER, IT'S ALSO REAY IMPORTANT TO CHEW YOUR FOOD. 28 00:01:19,433 --> 00:01:22,433 AND YOUR MOM AND DAD TELL YOU THAT ALL THE TIME, AND THEY'RE 29 00:01:22,433 --> 00:01:23,700 NOT KIDDING. 30 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:25,233 THAT STARTS BREAKING FOOD DOWN. 31 00:01:25,233 --> 00:01:28,200 NOW, ONCE IT GETS INTO YOUR MOUTH, IT'S GOING TO GO DOWN 32 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,233 INTO YOUR STOMACH, AND IT'S GOING TO USE COORDINATED MUSCLES 33 00:01:31,233 --> 00:01:33,934 ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ESOPHAGUS TO PUSH IT DOWN INTO THE 34 00:01:33,934 --> 00:01:35,233 STOMACH. 35 00:01:35,233 --> 00:01:37,767 THE OTHER THING THAT HELPS IT IS GRAVITY. 36 00:01:37,767 --> 00:01:40,500 WHEN YOU THROW A BALL UP IN THE AIR AND IT COMES DOWN AT YOU, 37 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:43,300 SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE SITTING UPRIGHT AND YOU EAT 38 00:01:43,300 --> 00:01:45,934 FOOD, IT FALLS INTO YOUR STOMACH MORE EASILY. 39 00:01:45,934 --> 00:01:48,767 NOW, WHEN THE STOMACH SEES THE FOOD, IT'S TURNING ON ITS ACID 40 00:01:48,767 --> 00:01:50,233 PUMPS. 41 00:01:50,233 --> 00:01:53,033 ACID PUMPS ARE REALLY GOOD AT BREAKING FOOD DOWN BECAUSE THE 42 00:01:53,033 --> 00:01:55,934 FOOD ISN'T DESIGNED TO BE IN SUCH AN ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT. 43 00:01:55,934 --> 00:01:58,767 AS THE FOOD STARTS TO BREAK DOWN, THE STOMACH STARTS TO 44 00:01:58,767 --> 00:02:01,867 RUMBLE AND GRUMBLE AND STARTS PUSHING IT OUT OF THERE AFTER 45 00:02:01,867 --> 00:02:03,333 IT'S MUSHED IT UP SOME. 46 00:02:03,333 --> 00:02:05,800 SO IT MAKES THE FOOD LOOK MORE LIKE MUSH. 47 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,767 AS IT PUSHES IT OUT OF THE STOMACH, IT GOES INTO THE SMALL 48 00:02:08,767 --> 00:02:10,133 INTESTINE. 49 00:02:10,133 --> 00:02:12,934 NOW, THE SMALL INTESTINE LOOKS LIKE A BUNCH OF LITTLE FINGERS, 50 00:02:12,934 --> 00:02:14,700 ALSO KNOWN AS "VILLI." 51 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:17,600 THOSE VILLI ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR ABSORBING THE NUTRIENTS OUT 52 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,400 OF THE FOOD INTO YOUR SYSTEM. 53 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,700 AND YOU HAVE ABOUT 25 OR 30 FEET OF THAT SMALL INTESTINE TO GET 54 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:25,300 AS MANY NUTRIENTS AS YOU CAN GET OUT. 55 00:02:25,300 --> 00:02:28,200 AS SOON AS IT HITS YOUR LARGE INTESTINE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 56 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,433 THE "COLON," THERE'S A LOT OF EXTRA FLUIDS IN THERE THAT THE 57 00:02:31,433 --> 00:02:34,567 BODY WANTS TO TAKE BACK, SO THE COLON'S JOB IS TO SUCK THOSE 58 00:02:34,567 --> 00:02:38,567 FLUIDS BACK OUT INTO YOUR SYSTEM SO YOU DON'T GET DEHYDRATED. 59 00:02:38,567 --> 00:02:41,700 AND THEN, FINALLY, YOU'LL END UP GOING POOP WITH THE WASTE THAT 60 00:02:41,700 --> 00:02:45,567 THE BODY DIDN'T NEED WHEN YOU ATE THE FOOD. 61 00:02:45,567 --> 00:02:46,767 LIAM: MY NAME IS LIAM. 62 00:02:46,767 --> 00:02:53,433 AND MY QUESTION IS WHY DOESN'T THE ACID HURT YOUR STOMACH? 63 00:02:53,433 --> 00:02:57,066 DR. STORY: ACID DOESN'T HURT OUR STOMACH BECAUSE OUR STOMACH DO 64 00:02:57,066 --> 00:03:00,200 A VERY NICE JOB OF PROTECTING ITSELF FROM THE ACID THAT'S 65 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,033 WITHIN THE STOMACH AND PREVENTING IT FROM CAUSING 66 00:03:03,033 --> 00:03:04,433 INJURY. 67 00:03:04,433 --> 00:03:07,500 SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BARRIERS, LIKE A THICK WALL, WE HAVE A LOT 68 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:09,200 OF MUCUS. 69 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,200 AND THIS MUCUS LAYER CAN SPREAD OUT AND ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE A BIG 70 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:13,967 BOOGER. 71 00:03:13,967 --> 00:03:17,333 IT JUST HELPS TO PROTECT THAT FOOD -- OR THAT ACID FROM 72 00:03:17,333 --> 00:03:21,033 ATTACKING THE LINING AND CAUSING INJURY. 73 00:03:21,033 --> 00:03:24,133 OTHER THINGS THAT CAN HELP ARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL FOOD WE 74 00:03:24,133 --> 00:03:27,667 EAT CAN ACTUALLY PREVENT THE ACID FROM CAUSING THAT INJURY, 75 00:03:27,667 --> 00:03:29,200 AS WELL. 76 00:03:30,066 --> 00:03:31,500 BRITAIN: HI, MY NAME IS BRITAIN. 77 00:03:31,500 --> 00:03:36,066 AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT CAUSES YOU TO FEEL QUEASY? 78 00:03:36,066 --> 00:03:39,033 DR. STORY: FEELING QUEASY USUALLY WILL START WHEN YOUR 79 00:03:39,033 --> 00:03:42,400 STOMACH DOESN'T LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU ATE. 80 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,200 AND SOMETIMES THE STOMACH REACTION IS TO SEND SIGNALS FROM 81 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,133 YOUR STOMACH TO YOUR BRAIN SAYING, I DON'T THINK I LIKE HOW 82 00:03:48,133 --> 00:03:49,767 THAT MADE ME FEEL. 83 00:03:49,767 --> 00:03:53,500 THE OTHER THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE STOMACH IS RATHER THAN 84 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:56,600 SQUEEZING THINGS THROUGH INTO THE SMALL INTESTINE, IT CAN STOP 85 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,133 SQUEEZING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN FLUIDS AND FOOD BUILD 86 00:04:00,133 --> 00:04:02,767 UP AND STAY IN THE LINING OF THE STOMACH. 87 00:04:02,767 --> 00:04:05,500 THE LINING OF THE STOMACH DOESN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL, SO IT 88 00:04:05,500 --> 00:04:08,233 STARTS SENDING SIGNALS FEELING KIND OF CRUMMY. 89 00:04:08,233 --> 00:04:12,600 RYDER: HI, MY NAME IS RYDER, AND MY QUESTION IS WHERE DOES FOOD 90 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,600 GET STUCK IN YOUR THROAT WHEN YOU CHOKE? 91 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,066 DR. SERICATI: SO WHEN YOU CHOKE, THE FOOD USUALLY GETS STUCK IN 92 00:04:20,066 --> 00:04:23,500 THE BACK OF YOUR MOUTH AND THE BEGINNING PART OF YOUR ESOPHAGUS 93 00:04:23,500 --> 00:04:25,700 OR SWALLOW TUBE. 94 00:04:25,700 --> 00:04:29,500 AND IN THAT AREA YOU HAVE A FANCY FLAP CALLED THE 95 00:04:29,500 --> 00:04:33,066 "EPIGLOTTIS" THAT BLOCKS THE AIRWAY FROM LETTING FOOD GO DOWN 96 00:04:33,066 --> 00:04:34,700 INTO THE LUNGS. 97 00:04:34,700 --> 00:04:37,333 WHEN IT GOES BACK INTO THAT AREA, USUALLY EITHER SOME FOOD 98 00:04:37,333 --> 00:04:40,033 MADE IT AROUND THAT FANCY FLAP, AND IT GOT INTO THE LUNGS, OR 99 00:04:40,033 --> 00:04:43,800 SOMETHING GOT STUCK IN THERE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO COUGH OR 100 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,600 CHOKE UNTIL YOU SPIT IT OUT. 101 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:46,867 JACK: HI, MY NAME IS JACK. 102 00:04:46,867 --> 00:04:50,600 AND MY QUESTION IS HOW BIG IS THE AVERAGE STOMACH? 103 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,700 DR. STORY: THE AVERAGE STOMACH IS USUALLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF A 104 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:55,133 FIST. 105 00:04:55,133 --> 00:04:58,800 WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AMOUNT THAT IT CAN HOLD, IT CAN USUALLY HOLD 106 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:04,400 ABOUT ONE LITER OR ONE QUART, AND THAT'S USUALLY ABOUT FOUR 107 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,300 CUPS OF WATER, FOUR CUPS OF MILK. 108 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:11,133 THAT IS ROUGHLY ABOUT ONE QUART. 109 00:05:11,133 --> 00:05:14,600 AND WHEN FULLY DISTENDED, THE STOMACH CAN ACTUALLY HOLD ABOUT 110 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,500 ONE GALLON OF FLUID. 111 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:18,233 JONNY: MY NAME IS JONNY. 112 00:05:18,233 --> 00:05:23,700 AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT DOES FOOD LOOK LIKE WHEN IT GOES DOWN 113 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:26,333 YOUR THROAT? 114 00:05:26,333 --> 00:05:29,500 DR. STORY: SO FOOD GOING DOWN THE THROAT LOOKS PRETTY MUCH 115 00:05:29,500 --> 00:05:32,500 EXACTLY LIKE THE FOOD THAT WE CHEW. 116 00:05:32,500 --> 00:05:35,500 SO IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO SHOW A FRIEND WHAT YOUR FOOD LOOKS 117 00:05:35,500 --> 00:05:38,767 LIKE AFTER YOU'VE BEEN CHEWING IT FOR A WHILE, THAT'S BASICALLY 118 00:05:38,767 --> 00:05:41,500 EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS IT'S GOING DOWN INTO YOUR 119 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:42,700 ESOPHAGUS. 120 00:05:42,700 --> 00:05:45,800 AND, EVENTUALLY, WHEN IT GETS INTO YOUR STOMACH, WE HAVE SOME 121 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:51,500 VERY LOOSE, CHEWED-UP FOOD THAT IS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT COLORS, 122 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:55,967 AND REALLY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE FOOD THAT WE STARTED WITH AT 123 00:05:55,967 --> 00:05:57,700 ALL. 124 00:05:57,700 --> 00:05:59,767 ADDY: HI, MY NAME IS ADDY. 125 00:05:59,767 --> 00:06:03,700 AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED 126 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:06,500 TO THE DIGESTIVE TRACT? 127 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:09,333 DR. SERICATI: SO IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO YOUR DIGESTIVE 128 00:06:09,333 --> 00:06:12,667 SYSTEM, IT WOULD PROBABLY LET YOU KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING 129 00:06:12,667 --> 00:06:13,967 WRONG. 130 00:06:13,967 --> 00:06:17,033 AND SINCE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF BAD THINGS 131 00:06:17,033 --> 00:06:20,233 THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, THERE'S A LOT 132 00:06:20,233 --> 00:06:23,033 OF DIFFERENT THINGS IT WILL TELL YOU. 133 00:06:23,033 --> 00:06:25,800 SOMETIMES IT WOULD TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT FEELING WELL, AND YOU 134 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:27,066 WOULD THROW UP. 135 00:06:27,066 --> 00:06:29,867 SOMETIMES IT WOULD SAY I'M NOT FEELING WELL AT ALL, AND YOU 136 00:06:29,867 --> 00:06:31,333 WOULD THROW UP BLOOD. 137 00:06:31,333 --> 00:06:34,600 SOMETIMES YOU GET LOOSE STOOLS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DIARRHEA. 138 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,333 SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T HAVE A POOP. 139 00:06:36,333 --> 00:06:38,967 OTHER TIMES IT'S JUST THAT YOUR BELLY HURTS. 140 00:06:38,967 --> 00:06:41,500 AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT SIGNALS THAT YOUR DIGESTIVE 141 00:06:41,500 --> 00:06:44,500 TRACT CAN TELL YOU WHEN IT IS NOT HAPPY, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO 142 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:45,400 LISTEN TO IT. 143 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:46,700 HENRY: HI, MY NAME IS HENRY. 144 00:06:46,700 --> 00:06:48,967 AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU HICCUP. 145 00:06:48,967 --> 00:06:51,600 DR. STORY: HICCUPPING USUALLY INVOLVES SPASMING OF THE 146 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:52,867 DIAPHRAGM. 147 00:06:52,867 --> 00:06:56,667 AND THE DIAPHRAGM IS A LARGE MUSCLE RIGHT BELOW OUR LUNGS 148 00:06:56,667 --> 00:07:00,100 THAT HELPS TO US BREATHE. 149 00:07:00,100 --> 00:07:03,433 SO WHEN WE TAKE A BIG, DEEP BREATH IN, THE DIAPHRAGM 150 00:07:03,433 --> 00:07:06,033 FLATTENS AND ALLOWS US TO BREATHE. 151 00:07:06,033 --> 00:07:08,934 BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT DIAPHRAGM LIES RIGHT OVER THE 152 00:07:08,934 --> 00:07:10,433 TOP OF THE STOMACH. 153 00:07:10,433 --> 00:07:14,600 AND AT SOME TIMES WHEN THAT DIAPHRAGM STARTS TO SPASM OR 154 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:19,300 CONTRACT, IT CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE THE STOMACH TO PULL IN AIR, AND 155 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:21,800 THEN WE GET THIS HICCUP. 156 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,767 AND EVENTUALLY WE MAY NEED TO BURP SOME OF THAT AIR BACK OUT. 157 00:07:25,767 --> 00:07:27,333 MAX: MY NAME IS MAX. 158 00:07:27,333 --> 00:07:31,033 AND MY QUESTION IS WHAT CAUSES HEARTBURN? 159 00:07:31,033 --> 00:07:35,333 DR. SERICATI: SO HEARTBURN OCCURS WHEN THE STOMACACIDS 160 00:07:35,333 --> 00:07:39,233 COME UP INTO THE SWALLOW TUBE, CALLED THE ESOPHAGUS. 161 00:07:39,233 --> 00:07:42,567 IT'S A VERY COMMON CONDITION THAT WE SEE WITH BOTH YOUNG AND 162 00:07:42,567 --> 00:07:44,600 OLDER PEOPLE. 163 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,133 AND THERE'S A LITTLE MUSCLE THAT SITS AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR 164 00:07:48,133 --> 00:07:51,133 SWALLOW TUBE, OR THE ESOPHAGUS, AND IT'S CALLED A SPHINCTER 165 00:07:51,133 --> 00:07:52,200 MUSCLE. 166 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,934 A SPHINCTER MUSCLE IS DESIGNED TO OPEN AND CLOSE WHEN YOU NEED 167 00:07:54,934 --> 00:07:56,033 TO. 168 00:07:56,033 --> 00:07:58,934 WHEN PEOPLE EAT, THAT SPHINCTER MUSCLE OPENS AND LETS THE FOOD 169 00:07:58,934 --> 00:08:02,033 DOWN, AND THEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO STAY CLOSED. 170 00:08:02,033 --> 00:08:04,967 AND WHEN YOUR STOMACH TURNS ON ALL THE ACID PUMPS, IT'S 171 00:08:04,967 --> 00:08:07,800 SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE ACID IN YOUR STOMACH. 172 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,700 BUT SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT MUSCLE RELAXES TOO MUCH AND 173 00:08:10,700 --> 00:08:13,400 ALLOWS ALL THOSE ACIDS IN YOUR STOMACH THAT ARE HELPING DIGEST 174 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,400 YOUR FOOD FLY UP INTO YOUR ESOPHAGUS, AND THAT CAUSES A 175 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,333 BURNING SENSATION THAT PEOPLE CALL "HEARTBURN." 176 00:08:19,333 --> 00:08:21,700 CARTAN-HANSEN: I'M SORRY, WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME. 177 00:08:21,700 --> 00:08:22,867 MY THANKS TO DRS. 178 00:08:22,867 --> 00:08:25,333 SERICATI AND STORY FOR ANSWERING STUDENTS' QUESTIONS. 179 00:08:25,333 --> 00:08:27,767 DR. SERICATI: THANKS AGAIN, WE HAD A BLAST. 180 00:08:27,767 --> 00:08:29,867 DR. STORY: WE HAD A GREAT TIME, THANK YOU. 181 00:08:29,867 --> 00:08:32,567 CARTAN-HANSEN: AND MY THANKS, ALSO, TO THE FOLKS HERE AT IDAHO 182 00:08:32,567 --> 00:08:34,033 GASTROENTEROLOGY FOR HOSTING US. 183 00:08:34,033 --> 00:08:37,066 IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT THE "DIGESTIVE SYSTEM" AREA 184 00:08:37,066 --> 00:08:38,600 ON THE SCIENCE TREK WEBSITE. 185 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,400 YOU'LL FIND FACTS, LINKS, GAMES, OUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM BROADCAST 186 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:42,934 SHOW, AND LOTS MORE. 187 00:08:42,934 --> 00:08:45,500 AND EVERY WEEK CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR THE LATEST SCIENCE NEWS FOR 188 00:08:45,500 --> 00:08:46,934 KIDS. 189 00:08:46,934 --> 00:08:48,800 ALL AT IDAHOPTV.ORG. 190 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,767 THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR SCIENCE TREK: THE WEB SHOW. 191 00:08:52,767 --> 00:09:02,500 (MUSIC)