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4) Egestion - Getting rid of unwanted waste that has no use in the body.

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4) Egestion - Getting rid of unwanted waste that has no use in the body.

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Betty, Molly, and I have made it to the rectum, which is a location in the large intestine of the body where this waste is gathered and we wait around for the time being and rest after such an exciting journey. The anus is the last organ that causes our mass of waste to leave the body after we contributed such a vast amount of nutrients to continue its functions. I hope Anna appreciates what we went through for her body to feel full and healthy and that she continues making the right choices when eating. This digestion journey has been thrilling because I can't get over how many of those organs, enzymes, muscles, and hormones hurriedly work all the time while Anna is doing her VLC work, spending time outside, or even lying down. The digestion process is amazing as it keeps the human body healthy, and I'm honoured to have had the privilege of adding to its work.

This narration of the digestion process has been told through the words of Chelsea Cheese.

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3) Absorption Stage - Nutrients are carefully searched for so that nothing is wasted prior to excretion.

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3) Absorption Stage - Nutrients are carefully searched for so that nothing is wasted prior to excretion.

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After such a hectic time in the duodenum, my friends and I are now in the jenjunum awaiting absorption. In my opinion there doesn't seem to be much left of us and yet this portion of the small intestine is dedicated to extracting small amounts of water and leftover nutrients that haven't been found yet. The strange looking microvilli of this area is making me nervous, but I know that it is through these bumps of muscle that my nutrients can make the difference in Anna's body that I've been hoping for. We are still bumping along by the steady movement of peristalsis and the remains of my friends are near by. By the time we reach the ileum I will be eager to end this journey now that the majority of my nutrients are gone. The ileum now contains us and I can tell that our final check is occurring by the body so that nothing is unnecessarily excreted. It's like we are being scanned for anything that resembles nutrients of any kind that could be used for a purpose. This is all the work of the small intestine as our nutrients are digested and sent throughout the body for its sustainment. Now I'll finally be able to experience the large intestine environment where we will make the last leg of this journey regarding the absorption stage. As we flow into the colon I am feeling more at ease with fewer pain implying enzymes and smelly bile surrounding me, although now I'm seeing individual areas for E. coli on both sides of this passageway. At least they are helping the body and not hindering it regarding available nutrients. I keep bumping into the sides of this colon because of peristalsis that will not stop no matter how irritating it is. It's like a conveyor belt that is bringing us closer and closer to the end of this digestion journey. We're also being accompanied by small amounts of gastric acids and mucus that were released from the duodenum with us, so the products of the accessory organs are impacting us even in the large intestine. The colon is a peaceful place where the leftovers from our original state are either absorbed or combined together to be excreted once we reach the egestion organs and leaves the large intestine.

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Betty and I have entered the duodenum, which is a place of intense digestion, but our form is different now. If feels like we've been pureed in a blender by that dangerous hydrochloric acid, and now we are chyme in the small intestine instead of a bolus. Molly's remains have been held back in the stomach thanks to the concerned pancreas helpers known as cholecystokinin individuals that alter the chyme amount sent away, but Betty assures me that we will meet up with her again very soon. I'm sad to leave Molly by herself, but there's no way I can change this digestive process. I also know that my turn will be soon. I will see numerous enzymes in the stomach in a few moments from the accessory organs like the pancreas that will flock about me as we continue our traveling. I can just make out the tunnel that ends up in this circular duodenum, known as the pancreatic duct, that will release my secretion dissector generals. These generals will command various enzymes to rip apart any of my cheesy remains to find the fatty acids that I've preserved for days with the help of bile. I can also see the cholecystokinin servants moving about to make sure that bile is approaching to liquify this process in the stomach all the way from the liver and then the gall bladder. Betty just yelped and is rushing away now that she sees her amylase enemies returning to find more nutrients in her bread chunks. Enzymes are filling up the duodenum and they are swarming around me. I have been so excited for this adventure up to this point. I wouldn't have been so thrilled at the thought of digestion and absorption if I had known how many dissectors would come at me at once and intrude upon my personal space. At least I know that my suffering and fear will be worth the strength Anna's body will gain from my lipid contributions. On the side of this area I can make out the figures of secretions as they gesture towards me so that the large amounts of bile dripping into this small space will know where to go, and I know chemical digestion is about to take place because of enzymes as well as physical digestion through the liver products. Chemical digestion refers to the chemical alteration of nutrients through the use of enzymes and hormones at the very base of the food products, where as mechanical or physical digestion is a change in the structure and appearance of the original food item containing the nutrients. The commanding secretions are doing an excellent job issuing the work of bicarbonate ions as I feel the acidity level drastically changing in this contained space. The bicarbonate ions are not contented with the pH that I've been experiencing throughout the digestive system so far, so they are attempting to alter it by toning down the acidity. I'm already exhausted from all this spinning around and this sloshing about through bile and enzymes. I hear Molly's alarmed voice as she slides into this area leaving the pepsin behind in the stomach only to find pancreatic trypsinogen rivals waiting for undigested proteins to come near. I'm amazed at how much more Molly and Betty's nutrients have been digested compared to my own. There must be a smaller need for lipids like myself, but obviously Anna's body still requires what I have to offer. For that reason I will endure this uncomfortable treatment so that I can help this girl. A group of enterokinase enzymes that were standing off to the side for a time, observing my humiliating persecution, are now gone up to the trypsinogens near Molly to switch their function. Now the enterokinase enzymes are calling Molly's rivals trypsin servants as they start up Molly's unsettling dissection by thoroughly balkanizing these meaty bits of food to the very core of their composition. I feel bad for Molly because even more unfamiliar enzymes are shoving their way towards her, and these erepsin individuals are redoing all the work of the trypsin to reach the very base of her protein make up, which would be numerous amino acids. The enzymes surrounding me have made room for pancreatic lipase individuals to work at my outer appearance. Obviously I'm more difficult to digest because the secretions are leaving their posts and coming to see me. Suddenly a new stream of gall bladder bile splashes all around me and I can feel my structure being pulled apart. The accessory organs and the enzymes have done their work well, and the extraction of my nutrients is finally taking place. The pancreas has sent in many of the armies of enzymes including secretions, that have had a dramatic impact on the amount of nutrients that have been extracted from my friends and I. The liver is constantly preparing huge amounts of bile for fats like me, since we are so tough in structure. The gall bladder is close friends with the duodenum to usher in this bile flow that will finally bring me to a digested state, as well as presenting bile salts for further digestion where my thick fatty chunks are concerned. Through the work of these organs much of the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that we have to offer are removed from us.

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Images:
"Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich." Kraft Recipes. Kraft, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/grilled-ham-cheese-sandwich-53460.aspx

"6.3 Protein Digestion and Absorption." N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.
https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-nutrition/s10-03-protein-digestion-and-absorpti.html

"The Stomach." A Summary Of The Digestive System. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.
https://basicinfo-thedigestivesystem.weebly.com/the-stomach.html

"SMALL INTESTINE." Pathwayz. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.
https://www.pathwayz.org/Tree/Plain/SMALL+INTESTINE

Hoffman, Matthew. "Picture of the Intestines." WebMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-intestines#1

"Digestive Systems." Lumen. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2017.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/digestive-systems/

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2) Digestion Stage - Extracting protein, lipid, and carbohydrate nutrients from the bolus to be made useful in the body.

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2) Digestion Stage - Extracting protein, lipid, and carbohydrate nutrients from the bolus to be made useful in the body.

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Well, we've made it this far and I can see the gastroesophageal sphincter just ahead preparing to clear the way for us. As we pass through this sphincter we are immediately in the midst of a great deal of muscle activity within the stomach, and I can hear that same sphincter abruptly close behind us. Our presence is now detected and we all know that Molly's proteins will be the main targets since gastrin hormones are already starting to fill this acidic environment with gastric juice for chemical digestion to begin. Mucus is also near by in this organ ready to keep things from sticking as well as keeping acidic damage to a minimum. The frightening acidic juices from gastrin are around us beckoning for pepsinogen to enter the scene to make use of our nutrients after hydrochloric acid has altered its form. This alteration results in pepsin availability that will target only proteins in the stomach. Poor Molly is suddenly worried when she sees the pepsin making their way towards her, and tries to shove us against the gastroesophageal sphincter to leave this place, but it won't budge. I'm trying to assure her that our struggles will be worth it for Anna's sake, and she is calming down a little as the pepsin begin their work of extracting amino acids from her figure through mechanical and chemical digestion. The pepsinogen is also useful so that this environment doesn't get too dangerous with all the acid and enzymes moving about, and I am thankful that we are safe for the time being. Betty and I are relieved to be ignored by the chief and parietal cells while in the stomach, but I know my turn will come eventually. Surprisingly the amylase that had been crowding around Betty previously have backed off and left her alone to my great pleasure, although she is almost disappointed because of it. While the bolus is being picked apart by the pepsin in search of all of Molly's proteins, we are getting moved about in juices of the gastrin present because of all the muscle tissue in the stomach. I've just noticed that it hasn't just been my friends and I in this bolus because some unwelcome bacteria has been found among some of my cheese shreds. They couldn't endure the acidity of this place and have been firmly dealt with, and I'm in shock thinking about how gross it is that they've secretly been hanging onto us since we began this journey or even longer than that. I'm certainly glad Anna's stomach won't allow this bacteria to continue this digestion journey with us. Molly seems to be doing better now that the pepsin seems to be getting to the last of their prodding about through her remains, and Betty is finding the regular movement of the muscle cells quite entertaining. It's just like our own wave pool only in gastric juices rather than water. As much as I enjoy this consistent moving and sliding about because of peristalsis, I'm excited to see what's beyond the pyloric sphincter gateway that is fast approaching.

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1) Ingestion Stage - Eating food and changing the form of carbohydrates so that the nutrients can be used throughout the rest of the body

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1) Ingestion Stage - Eating food and changing the form of carbohydrates so that the nutrients can be used throughout the rest of the body

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We are now all cooked into the sandwich and Anna has begun to ravenously bite us up in her mouth with her sharp teeth. The mouth is the first stage of this journey so that we are chomped down and torn into more convenient pieces for successful swallowing. Thankfully it isn't hurting too much as her incisor teeth pierce through all three of us to form these little food chunks, and now we are sliding along the tongue further into the mouth for her molars to get a chance at separating us. Her teeth are still physically chomping away at us as we are whirled about by a flood of saliva from the salivary glands that are pushing my friends and I back. In the midst of the sea of saliva and mucus surrounding me I can see that amylase enzymes are targeting Betty's starchy polysaccharides, and unfamiliar monosaccharides are appearing from her starches so that they will be beneficial for the body through hydrolysis and chemical digestion. These amylase individuals will be the key to pulling apart the bread for carbohydrates to be released into the body. Molly's bits of meat, Betty's flattened bread pieces, and my cheese shreds are rolling around together with the help of Anna's flapping tongue and the saliva.The mucus that is continually wetting the mouth and the throat is the reason we are sliding around so much, and because of it we won't get stuck in the throat. We must look like a giant snowball of food that I can now refer to as a bolus, since we are all mashed up together in a mucus covered mass. I can see a dark passageway before us underneath the uvula that will take us to the pharynx and eventually to the esophagus. I hope this tunnel isn't too steep. We are sliding down the pharynx which is a small area for the food like us to pass through so that we are at the back of the jaw, and I can just make out the epiglottis gateway ahead. Thankfully we won't be travelling down there since we don't want to cause Anna to stop breathing by invading her larynx. We are making our way down the esophagus and it's certainly a tight squeeze. I feel like I might suffocate! Are chunks of food will be in here until we reach the next important digestive organ for this nutrient scavenger hunt to begin. Betty is still so happy that the starches she had been keeping safe are now beginning to be rewarding for Anna's body because of their nutrient value, and because of this she doesn't seem to mind this awkward positioning in such a black and squishy place. Molly and I hope that the nutrients we have to offer will also be as beneficial for Anna, even though they haven't been absorbed or extracted yet. I can feel the strange movement of peristalsis that acts like a clunky elevator, pushing my friends and I further along. Before long we will get out of this uncomfortable position and reach the stomach for the next leg of our journey.

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A VLC student named Anna just got out of her Biology class and has decided to spend a few minutes preparing some grilled cheese with a thin slice of sandwich meat inside for her lunch. I know that this decision will be the beginning of a great journey for my friends and I, and we will finally be put to use within her body. I had never met the white bread before, named Betty who was pressed on top of me to make this sandwich, since she had spent most of her time here in the breadbox in the Jarvis kitchen. I've known Molly the meat slice for a whole 2 days in the refrigerator since my cheesy figure and her meaty make up must be kept cold. We chatted excitedly about how we would soon have our turn to make a difference for Anna's cells by offering our nutrients as we heated up in a pan on the stove. Betty was overjoyed that her carbohydrates would be used to energize Anna's body. Molly and I were also pleased that her proteins and my fats would help this girl do well with her schoolwork and keep her body working.