The intestines are one of the most active organs of our body, located in the form of a tube in the abdominal cavity in the digestive system, between the stomach and the anus, and whose task is not only the digestion and absorption of food, but also has many unknown functions and duties. The intestines have two parts: small and large intestines. Although it varies from person to person, the small intestines in adults are 5-7 meters long and the large intestine is on average 1.5 meters long.
The small intestines contain water and water thanks to the various cells they contain and microscopic finger-like structures called 'villi', which can reach approximately two million per square millimeter. It enables the absorption of many minerals such as sodium, potassium, chlorine, bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, iodine and selenium. In addition, water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B1, B6, B12 and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K are absorbed into the body by the small intestines. Both digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, fats and proteins found in foods are provided by the small intestines.
The surface area of the small intestines is approximately 600 square meters, and one of its most important functions, apart from the digestion and absorption of foods, is to protect our body from bacteria, viruses, parasites and It is to protect against food-borne antigenic structures. The small intestines are the largest immune defense organ of our body, thanks to the special cells it contains (such as lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages, eosinophils, mast cells, dendritic cells). 80% of the immune system is located in the intestines.
The intestines, which have recently been called the 'second brain', are the structures with the most nerve cells after the brain. More than 100 hormones are produced in the intestines, such as hormones that regulate satiety and hunger, food intake, hormones that regulate colon movements, and growth hormone. In addition, beneficial bacteria and fungi in the intestines play a role in the absorption and digestion of many foods and vitamins.
OUR INTESTINES ARE THE BASIS OF WHAT DISEASES IN OUR BODY!
When our intestines get sick, our body loses many basic needs. The absorption and digestion of nutrients, especially water, minerals, vitamins and foods that are needed are impaired. Due to this, many diseases may occur. A simple intestinal infection Even in the diarrhea seen during diarrhea, clinical conditions ranging from weakness, fatigue, exhaustion to kidney failure may develop due to excessive loss of water and other minerals. Disorders in the absorption of vitamins that cannot be produced in our body or can be produced very little, also lead to a wide range of diseases. For example, in vitamin A deficiency, there is night blindness, hair and nail disorders, in vitamin D deficiency, rickets in children and bone diseases called osteomalacia (bone melting) in adults, in vitamin C deficiency, susceptibility to infections, delayed wound healing, gum disease (scurvy), and in vitamin K deficiency, clotting. disorders and bleeding, nervous system diseases and anemia may occur due to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Due to absorption and digestion disorders in the intestines, growth and development retardation in children, weight loss in adults, water accumulation in the feet and abdomen, lifelessness in hair, hair loss, deformed nails. Many complaints and symptoms may be observed, such as skin disorder, rapid breakage, dry skin, decrease in sexual desire and potency, menstrual irregularity, infertility.
The interaction of the intestines, which is called the second brain of our body, with the brain, previously affects the intestines (the brain affects the intestines). irritable bowel syndrome). However, recent studies show that the intestines also affect the brain. So much so that it has been found that our brain can function better if we increase the beneficial bacteria in the intestine in cases of autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, hyperactivity and attention deficit. Recently, there are studies showing that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may develop as a result of the imbalance of beneficial bacteria living in our intestines and that liver damage due to the disease increases. For this reason, the importance of probiotics and kefir is more understood in today's medicine.
As a result, our intestines, which many of us do not care about and were thought to only provide digestion and absorption of food for years, contain a wide variety of functional cells and more than 10 times the total body cells. It has been understood that it is the most important and active organ of our body, thanks to its bacteria (microbiota). So much so that the connection we call our second brain for intestines Dr. We should keep in mind the words recorded by Gherson: "Take care of your intestine, and your intestine will take good care of you."
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