Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The gastrointestinal tract is the engine of the body. It is a complex and specialized system that extracts nutrients from food and transfers them to the cells of the body. Bloating is one of the earliest and most common signs that there may be a problem. #2 The upper GI tract includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where enzymes in saliva start to break down food. Gravity and muscular contractions help propel things down the long tubular esophagus into the stomach. #3 The symptoms of bloating are very nonspecific, and can be caused by a number of conditions. It is important to know which foods and habits upset the ratio of helpful to undesirable species and how to boost enzyme activity and optimize hormonal secretion. #4 Colons are very different from one another, and each one is unique in its own way. They are difficult to navigate, and it takes me more than three times the amount of time to complete a colonoscopy with Anne.