Nutrition and the Digestive System 399
Career
Focus
There are numerous career opportunities available to individuals who are interested the
digestive system and nutrition.^
● Dentists are individuals who have a college degree and have trained for 4 years at a
dental college. They are qualified and licensed by the state to diagnose and treat
abnormalities of the teeth, gums, and underlying bones.^
● Dental hygienists are health care professionals who work under the supervision of a
dentist. They have special training to provide teeth cleaning, taking X-rays, and
administering medications.^
● Dental laboratory technicians are individuals who supply dentists with orth-odontic
appliances and dental prostheses.^
● Dental assistants are individuals who assist dentists in performing such tasks as
dental office laboratory work, chairside assistance, some assistance with radiogra-phy,
or clerical and reception responsibilities.^
● Nutritionists are professionals who have completed at least a bachelor’s degree or
more advanced work in foods and nutrition. They are employed in nursing homes,
schools, hospitals, and other public service agencies to monitor and prepare nutri-tious
menus.^
● Registered dieticians are professionals with a bachelor’s degree in the man-agement
of foods and diets, providing nutritional care services and food service supervision.● Gastroenterologists are physicians whose specialty is the diagnosis and treatment of
diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract.^
● Enterostomal therapists are registered nurses with special training to provide care for
patients who have an artificial anus or a fistula in the intestine through surgery into the
abdominal wall.^
● Proctologists are physicians with special training to diagnose and treat disorders of
the colon, rectum, and anus.^
● Hepatologists are physicians who specialize in treating diseases and disorders of the
liver.●● The digestive system provides the nutrients for
maintaining- the organs of the circulatory system
and absorbs iron for hemoglobin production and
water- for blood plasma formation.
Lymphatic System
●● The lacteals of the villi of the small intestine absorb
fats and transport them to the blood.^
●● Lymphoid tissues protect the digestive organs from
infection.^
●● The digestive system provides nutrients to the
lymphoid- organs for growth and repair.^
●● The hydrochloric acid of the stomach destroys most
pathogens that may enter the body with food.
Respiratory System
●● The respiratory system provides the cells of the
digestive- tract with oxygen needed for metabo-
lism and takes away the waste product carbon
dioxide gas.^
●● Breathing can occur through the mouth due to the
pharynx, which is shared by both systems.^
●● The digestive system provides nutrients for the
respiratory organs.
Urinary System
●● The kidneys convert vitamin D to a form needed for
calcium absorption and reabsorb water lost in the
digestive tract.