Discuss With Your Classmates If Exercise Helps Prevent
discuss With Your Classmates If Exercise Would Help Prevent Or Treat
1. Discuss with your classmates if exercise would help prevent or treat constipation. Come up with a credible explanation for your argument, directly relating it to the digestive system.
2. On Saturday, Mark has a waffle with syrup for breakfast at 7:30, and by 11:00 he feels hungry again. On Sunday, he has bacon and eggs and feels satisfied until noon when he normally eats lunch. If he is eating equal amounts of food on both days, why is there a difference in hunger?
3. Which of the following do you think would have the worst effect on digestion: surgical removal of the pancreas, gallbladder, or stomach? Explain.
4. Why would a patient whose liver has been extensively damaged by hepatitis could show raised levels of thyroid hormone and bilirubin in the blood?
Paper For Above instruction
The role of exercise in preventing or alleviating constipation is a well-established aspect of lifestyle advice rooted in our understanding of the digestive system. Constipation typically results from decreased motility in the colon, which can be influenced by physical activity. Regular exercise stimulates gastrointestinal motility, effectively promoting bowel movements by increasing peristalsis—the coordinated muscular contractions that move contents through the digestive tract. Physical activity also enhances blood flow to the intestines, improving their function, and helps maintain optimal muscle tone in the abdominal region, supporting effective bowel movements. Furthermore, exercise can reduce stress, which is known to negatively impact gut motility and exacerbate constipation. Therefore, incorporating regular physical activity can serve as a preventive and therapeutic measure to maintain healthy digestion and prevent constipation (Bharucha et al., 2013).
Regarding the differences in hunger observed in Mark's case, the key factor is the glycemic and caloric content of his breakfast. On Saturday, the waffle with syrup, high in simple carbohydrates and sugars, is rapidly digested and absorbed, causing a quick spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar levels. This decline stimulates feelings of hunger relatively early, around 11:00. Conversely, on Sunday, the breakfast of bacon and eggs provides a higher protein and fat content, which slows gastric emptying and prolongs digestion. Protein and fats induce a longer-lasting satiety signal, maintaining blood glucose levels steadily and delaying hunger until closer to noon. Even though the overall caloric intake might be similar, the differing macronutrient composition influences the rate of digestion and feelings of fullness (Westerterp-Plantenga et al., 2009).
When considering the impact of removing vital organs involved in digestion, surgical removal of the pancreas would likely have the most profound consequences. The pancreas produces essential digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, proteases) necessary for breaking down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Its removal would immediately impair nutrient digestion, leading to malabsorption, steatorrhea, and nutrient deficiencies. Although the gallbladder stores and releases bile essential for fat emulsification, other tissues can produce bile salts; thus, its removal, while disruptive, is less catastrophic than pancreatic removal. The stomach's removal significantly affects digestion by eliminating its capacity for mechanical processing and acid-mediated digestion, but other parts of the gastrointestinal tract can partially compensate. Therefore, a total pancreatic resection would cause the most severe disruption to nutrient digestion (Guan et al., 2017).
In cases of extensive liver damage due to hepatitis, elevated levels of thyroid hormones and bilirubin in the blood can be observed due to disrupted hepatic functions. The liver plays critical roles in metabolism, including the clearance of bilirubin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin. Liver damage impairs this clearance, leading to accumulation of bilirubin and resulting in jaundice. Furthermore, the liver is involved in hormone metabolism, including the inactivation of thyroid hormones. When hepatic function is compromised, the metabolism and clearance of excess thyroid hormones are reduced, leading to elevated circulating levels. Additionally, liver failure can cause alterations in hormone production and regulation, indirectly influencing thyroid hormone levels. The presence of high bilirubin and altered thyroid hormone levels reflects the liver's central role in metabolic homeostasis, and their elevation signals hepatic dysfunction (Schmidt & Adams, 2018).
References
- Bharucha, A. E., Pemberton, J. H., & Locke, G. R. (2013). American Gastroenterological Association Technical Review on Constipation. Gastroenterology, 144(1), 218-238.
- Guan, Q., Guo, M., & Yin, J. (2017). Pancreatic Function and Diseases. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 23(24), 4258-4265.
- Schmidt, A., & Adams, J. (2018). Hepatic Failure and Its Impact on Endocrine Function. Journal of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, 4(2), 56-62.
- Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Lemmens, S. G., & Westerterp, K. R. (2009). Dietary protein, energy balance, and obesity. Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(4), 1146S–1151S.