Surprising Facts About Your Stomach!

When it comes to the tummy, experts say myths abound. How much do you really know about your stomach?

The esophagus, which passes food from the pharynx to the stomach, is about 25 cm (10 inches) in length; the width varies from 1.5 to 2 cm (about 1 inch). The esophagus lies behind the trachea and heart and in front of the spinal column; it passes through the diaphragm before entering the stomach.

From those burning, churning feelings that erupt whenever we eat our favorite foods, to the bloating that

keeps us from zipping up our jeans, to the gas that can make us the most unpopular person in the elevator, our stomach can be the cause of some major inconveniences, if not some outright health concerns.

Still, experts say most folks know painfully little about how their stomach and their digestive tract operates -- one reason that solving tummy troubles can seem much harder than it has to be.

1. Myth or Fact: Digestion takes place primarily in the stomach.

Answer: Myth. The major part of the digestive process takes place in the small intestine. The stomach takes in the food, then churns it and breaks it into tiny particles called "chyme." The chyme are then released in small batches into the small intestine, where most digestion occurs, he says.

Contrary to popular belief, Levy says, foods do not digest in the order they are eaten. "Everything lands in the stomach where it's all churned together, and when it's ready it's released into the small intestines together," he says.

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