The Digestive System: A Powerful Information System

The digestive system in the human body is a system that responds powerfully to our actions (input) with output and feedback. It is no wonder that a person’s diet is such a huge factor in his/her appearance. The feedback of the digestive system says it all; when a person’s diet is poor, the output is normally a body with low muscle tone or extra fat storage; when a person’s diet is healthy, however, he/she receives positive feedback with a healthier-looking body. When a person eats anything, the food they initially consume is useless for bodily functions [1]. The digestive system’s key purpose is to break down these foods into smaller molecules, so that these molecules can be used to help the body survive. The digestive system communicates with the nervous system by outputting two signals; Ghrelin and Peptide YY [1]. Ghrelin is message to the nervous system of hunger, telling the person that the digestive system needs more food to absorb more nutrition. The way that person responds to that feedback, by choosing what to input when they consume food, will then result in new bodily processing in the digestive system and thus more feedback afterwards. When a person consumes food with high amounts of sugar, their digestive system cannot process it for any nutrients, so the sugar is then stored as fat. Due to the lack of nutrition in sugar, the digestive system will output Ghrelin, thus causing a person to overeat [2]. On the other hand, nutritious foods such as vegetables and protein will cause the digestive system to output Peptide YY to signify fullness, since adequate minerals are being processed for bodily health and survival. The body needs adequate protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Good carbohydrates are found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Protein sources include fish, poultry, and nuts. Healthy fats are found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil [3]. Sugary foods cannot provide these essential nutrients, and the digestive system cannot process those molecules to output it into anything useful for the body. The more sugar a person consumes, the more fat storage is created, and the popularity of such foods is the culprit of the rise of obesity. When a person lacks energy or notices fat gains, this is the body’s negative feedback of the input it has received. In a sense, weight gain and the reproduction of Ghrelin after an unhealthy meal can be a good thing. A person’s desire for an attractive appearance and adequate energy will give him/her a powerful incentive to input the correct nutrients into the body and be rewarded with positive feedback. The digestive system can then have the right nutrients to feed the cells and in the long run, the system is successful. A person with an efficient digestive system with healthy nutrients will have increased confidence due to a healthy-looking body, as well as the energy to be productive and earn more money. [1] http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/yrdd/ [2] http://www.examiner.com/article/the-junk-food-cycle-eating-junk-food-just-makes-you-crave-more-junk-food [3] http://fcs.okstate.edu/documents/nutrition/T-3156%20Vitamins.pdf