Gastrointestinal Diseases
The gastrointestinal tract is the passage in the body that runs from the mouth to the anus. It's responsible for digestion, which is the process of breaking down food so the body can absorb and direct nutrients to keep you healthy.
Gastrointestinal disorders is the term used to refer to any condition or disease that occurs within the gastrointestinal tract.
The gastrointestinal tract (also called the GI tract) is a series of hollow organs that form a long continuous passage from our mouth to our anus. The organs that make up our GI tract are our mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.
Our GI tract, together with our liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, make up our digestive system. An extensive network of blood vessels supplies blood to these organs and also transports nutrients away to other organs in the body. Nerves and hormones work together to regulate the functioning of the digestive system and bacteria that reside within our GI tract (called our gut flora or microbiome) play a role in digestion, immunity, and our overall health. A membranous sac called the peritoneum holds all the digestive system organs in place.
