Summary
Digestion is the process of taking food and nutrients into the body and making them available for use in all of the body’s processes. The digestive system breaks down food and extracts the important nutrients, eliminating the excess substances that cannot be used. These nutrients provide energy for the body to grow, function, and make repairs to itself. Digestion and Nutrition, Third Edition describes the path that food takes through the system, the organs involved, and how the body uses different types of nutrients, while highlighting the importance of healthy eating and the problems and diseases that can affect the digestive tract. Packed with full-color photographs and illustrations, this absorbing book provides students with sufficient background information through references, websites, and a bibliography.
About the Author(s)
Dr. Mary Kinkel received a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Kent State University in collaboration with the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (now the Northeast Ohio Medical University). Postdoctoral training in developmental biology was completed at The University of Chicago. She has taught a variety of courses including human gross anatomy and embryology, comparative anatomy, human physiology, molecular biology, and histology. Her research program focuses on the embryonic development and function of the pancreas and intestine. Mary is a professor in the biology department at Appalachian State University.
Robert Sullivan, Ph.D., MT (ASCP), was an associate professor of medical laboratory sciences at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Dr. Sullivan taught in both the medical laboratory science and the biology curriculums. His research interests included the toxic effects of heavy metals in alternative medicines, the use of medical laboratory assays to evaluate the nutritional status of athletes, and international issues in laboratory medicine. He is now retired.