All about the stomach

The Muscular Stomach

The stomach is a sac-like organ located under the rib cage on the left and in the middle of your body. Your stomach is about 12 inches long and 6 inches wide and can hold about a quart of food or just shy of a liter.

Your stomach has four main sections.

The Cardia which is found near the esophagus

The Fundus which is a domed shaped section at the top of the stomach

The Body which is the largest section

The Pylorus is a funnel-shaped section and connects the stomach to the small intestines.

The inside of your stomach contains thousands of folds called rugae ( roo guy)

These folds increase the surface area of the stomach and help the stomach expand. 

Kinda like the folds of a below allows it to open and shut.

The stomach also has millions of pits called gastric pits. As food enters the stomach these gastric pits spew hydrochloric acid, pepsin which breaks down proteins, and mucus which protects the stomach lining from the strong hydrochloric acid.

If you have ever had heartburn you have experienced how powerful stomach acid is 

Heartburn occurs when some of the stomach acids goes up the esophagus.

Your stomach is a muscular sac where mechanical and chemical digestion occurs.

The hydrochloric acid and pepsin begin to breakdown the food into a liquid paste called chyme.

Depending on the amount of water you had to drink the chyme will vary from pasty to liquidy

At the same time, your stomach has three layers of muscles that grind up the food.

Think of mixing up cake batter. You have to stir up all of the ingredients.

The pyloric sphincter is a valve that regulates the amount of chyme that enters the small intestines. This helps keep everything moving smoothly. 

It takes food roughly 2 to 4 hours to pass through the stomach and into the small intestines.

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