The food we eat is ‘digested in’ and ‘excreted out’ our bodies through our intestines.

In Anatomy, the intestine is a segment belonging to the alimentary canal, or what we commonly know as the gastrointestinal track or the “gut.”  In humans (and animals, likewise), it extends from the stomach to the anus and is further divided into two separate parts, the small intestine and the large intestine. It belongs to the lower gastrointestinal track, along with the anus.

The small intestine and large intestine have functions different from each other, and we will discuss each of those in this site. Nevertheless, just to introduce their basic functions, the small intestine performs the largest part of the food digestion process. The large intestine, on the other hand, is the one responsible for the absorption of water and excretion of solid waste material (the product of digestion).

The food we eat moves along the length of the intestine through the help of “peristaltic movements.” These movements are rhythmic contractions that intestinal muscles produce.

The waste materials excreted from the intestine are generally solid, since the intestine has removed most of the water in it as it travels through its longevity.

Sometimes, the intestines protrude in a certain opening (maybe acquired through a surgery or during birth) in the body and cause Hernia. Hernia occurs when a “piece” of intestine slips through a weakness in the abdominal wall. The product of this even is a bulge that you can see and feel.