Stomach Anatomy and Functions

From the outside, you cannot understand what the stomach really looks like. The average size of a healthy adult’s stomach could be about 12 inches long and 6 inches wide. However, this is only an estimation, and the size of your stomach does not only depends on your build and body type but also on the lifestyle habits you follow.

Did you know that the digestion of your food starts the minute you swallow the morsels? This is because the stomach is a single large organ that comprises different parts or sections. All of these parts are responsible for breaking down and digesting your food. These are the different sections of the stomach you should know about –

- The cardia This is the upper part of the stomach that holds the cardiac sphincter. This part contains acidic matter that stops the food you have eaten from going back to the oesophagus and causes you to vomit.

- The fundus If you happen to see a diagram of the stomach, the fundus is the next part which is located near the cardia as a round section. This fundus is located below the diaphragm and holds gas from the digested food.

- The corpus The corpus is also referred to as the body of the stomach since it is the largest section. The function of the corpus is to contract and mix the food so that undigested bits do not cause discomfort in your stomach.

- Antrum The next section is called the antrum, which is located below the corpus. This portion will hold the food you eat till your stomach needs to push the matter into the small intestine for digestion.

A variety of digestive juices and enzymes are present in all of these sections inside the stomach that help break down the food into the digestible matter and pass it on to the intestine. This process can take up to 6-8 hours after your meal is complete.

As you can see above, there are different parts of the stomach and these parts have their own function. However, the stomach, as a whole organ, plays a crucial part. In simple terms, these are the 5 functions of the stomach:

• The stomach stores and digests all of the food and liquid you consume during your meals. Your digestion may start soon after you begin eating your food, but since this is a long-drawn process, the stomach holds the food so that you do not constantly feel hungry.

• The stomach and its different sections are responsible for producing a number of enzymes and digestive juices for breaking down and digesting food. Your stomach also produces hydrochloric acid that can also digest good and bad bacteria to keep you safe from mild infections.

• The stomach also stores adequate water at all times so you do not get dehydrated. Even if you are unable to consume water for a few hours, the water in your stomach can manage to keep your digestion working and also provide hydration to the rest of your body.

• In continuation of the above point, the acids produced inside the stomach are responsible for attacking unwanted bacteria that can cause infections and diseases. Most parts of the stomach contain these acids, so you will most likely be safe from infections
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• The stomach’s function in the digestive system is particularly important because, at regular intervals, the stomach will churn the food that has been ingested and prepare it for digestion. Until the food has been processed in the stomach, the body will not be able to digest it.

A lot of health problems related to the stomach can affect your overall health in different ways. At times, these issues may lead to hospitalisation and medical treatments.

To take care of any severe health issues that lead to hospitalisation, you should have a health insurance plan. With a medical insurance policy that offers adequate coverage against a range of medical emergencies, you can avail of medical treatment and care without having to stress about the financial burden of the same. And when you buy health insurance online, you can customise the sum insured and other aspects of the policy as per your needs.

With Tata AIG health insurance, you can benefit from the choice of a high sum insured, access to Tata AIG’s 7000+ cashless network hospitals and the option to enhance the policy coverage with riders. However, you can also avail of health insurance tax benefits that enable you to save on your premium payments.

No matter how hard the stomach works and what an important role it plays in your body, it can always be susceptible to a number of ailments and diseases. When you buy health insurance, ensure that you can receive adequate coverage for major stomach infections and diseases that can result in hospitalisation. While you should certainly get a medical opinion on what ails you, most of the time, it is up to you to protect your stomach and its health.