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Article by Steve D Evans

A very popular idea currently gaining publicity is a very old concept: the methane digester. The methane given off during the decomposition of the manure is captured and burned, providing either heat or power, for electrical generation. These promise a minor revolution in small and medium scale energy generation from methane, with a scale smaller than wind turbines, but still significant in terms of national adjustments to high oil prices.

However, digesters have been criticized for being inefficient and unstable in operation. But, the technology of anaerobic digestion has been largely ignored until the last run on oil prices about 5 years ago (about 2003), when for the first time for as long as anyone can remember the oil price exceeded the production cost for fuel produced as methane by digestion.

Five years has been scarcely long enough for some half a dozen to one dozen AD plants to be designed, constructed and commissioned. These should be considered to be a first generation of a new breed of reactors using this technology. This is a bit like the people who criticized the motor car for being slow while the law (in the UK certainly) required all automobiles to be preceded by a man holding a flag to warn pedestrians.

Many did criticize the automobile at that time, but do you want to do so for digesters, as I think that you will be looking as silly as those flag wavers were just ten years later, when the motor car became an established mode of transport.

There are many ways in which the efficiency of Anaerobic Digester bio-reactors are being improved, and the first is by using sophisticated ultrasonic technology to break up the particles and so allow breakdown of a bigger proportion of the organic content.

In some of the other processes being developed the excess liquor from the process is used to re-wet incoming biowaste as it contains useful bacterial populations. This method can produce a faster reaction then the original start-up.

It is important because on-farm Digester (Anaerobic Digestion) projects can provide needed services to farmers; develop local, renewable electrical generation; enhance environmental quality; and generate income for the community.

Other researchers have identified the fact that if you have fluctuating temperatures, then you will not be able to establish an optimum microbial population. The digester stirring system must be efficient and operational at all times to ensure that the cold, newly introduced sludge, is mixed with the warm older solids and the bacteria. This sounds easy but in a large tank with a fairly viscous sludge mass it can be surprisingly onerous on the mixing technology.

Anaerobic digestion consists of a series of reactions which are catalyzed by a mixed group of bacteria and through which organic matter is converted in a stepwise fashion to methane and carbon dioxide. Polymers such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and starch are hydrolyzed to oligomers or monomers, which are then metabolized by fermentative bacteria with the production of hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and volatile organic acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Clearly, this is a complex reaction which e can be greatly improved by better knowledge gained by further academic study which can now take place given the raised awareness and importance of this technique. This will most likely yet result in big advances in how man designs and runs its new digesters.

In the developing world another angle for them is selling carbon credits from the renewable energy created by anaerobic digestion on the worldwide market. Those credits should be a source of income for as well as providing a way to readily obtain seed capital for these projects from the banks.

However, the process also produces a solid and a liquid digestate in the slurry. The use of the process would not be sustainable without an environmentally safe method of disposal, and better still preferably a ‘beneficial use’ of the output from digesters.

The market for the digestion processing outputs is still undeveloped just about everywhere. However, there are some positive signs reported that the outputs will be genuinely useful, and indeed a source for additional revenue for the operators of these plants.

The adoption of manure digesters at animal operations is much more advanced in Europe than in the U.S. But, there are many successful AD plants in operation throughout the U.S.

Northern Concrete has one such installation and has reported on its digestion process. They have said that the feedstock (animal byproduct) goes into a holding area until it is ready to enter the digester. It sits in the digester for 22 days and is released as useful by-products like methane and a grassy sawdust-like product that can be used as fertilizer, animal bedding or after further processing for floor boards.

There is certainly other evidence of progress in selling AD outputs. Another operator (Pro-Gro Mixes of Tualatin, Ore.) is thought to have contracted to market the solids material or digested fiber to the wholesale nursery and landscape industries, reportedly. It is understood to be selling between 1,000 to 3,000 yards of digested fiber, under the FiberLife brand, per month in the Willamette Valley.

There is also potential for the methane to be burnt in efficient turbines, rather than today’s ubiquitous reciprocating engines. Here the heat from turbine exhaust is used to maintain the optimum digester temperature and sustain bio-gas production. The resultant bio-gas is collected from one such system and cleaned, then used to fire the turbines. The results have reportedly been way above expectations, with a significant increase in production, higher yield and fewer rejects being recorded. The digester in question is thought to qualify as a small-power production facility, which means it follows a funding schedule, enabling projects to gain rapid approval.

About the Author

Digesters can be considered for a wide variety of agricultural and industrial and commercial sites. From agricultural community scale Anaerobic Digesters to supermarkets with waste food, to municipal authorities. For more information visit information visit the Digester web site.

www.drstevenross.com. Upset stomach? Bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea and constipation may be as a result of “dysbiosis”, an imbalance of your good to bad bacteria. It could also be as a result of parasites and other nasty pathogens. Dr. Steven Ross explains how finding the “root cause” to your digestive troubles isn’t that difficult. And in many cases, the cure does not have to include dangerous drugs. For more information, visit www.drstevenross.com. Brought to you by Curing The Cause and Preventing Disease. A subsidary of www.drstevenross.com.

Get Brother Echo’s FULL REVIEW – rawsangha.com It’s fascinating what you can learn when you just take the time to read, watch and listen. Brother Echo is on a mission to educate himself so that I can be a booming voice to the rest of America in hopes that I can get the common American off of the Standard American Diet, eating healthy and loving life! We are at a critical juncture in time, it is more important than ever to educate our parents, teachers and policy makers otherwise I fear the consequences for our next generation will be virtually irreversible. What is apparent to me is the disconnect people have with the relationship with the foods they eat and the direct benefit or consequence that has on their bodies and quality of life. Because of the overwhelming bombardment of commercial advertising and propaganda parents, teenagers and toddlers have absolutely no idea what real food is. When we live our lives day to day, week by week and month by month eating nothing but fast food, microwave dinners and processed foods while making no connection to the direct effects this lifestyle (The Standard American Diet) has on our health. It doesn’t take a “Rocket Surgeon” to see this is surely a recipe for an inevitable national health crisis that has already in many ways begun to manifest in our society. We need our medical doctors properly educated with regard to nutrition and preventative methods as opposed to the current mantra… “pop a pill for everything”. We need to …

Article by Mike Westerdal

Digestive enzymes aid in the digestion of the foods we eat. They are found throughout our digestive system-in the mouth, in the stomach and in other places along our digestive track. What these enzymes do is breakdown food into fuel that our bodies can use. There are seven basic types of enzymes-with each having various sub-classifications and serving different functions. The primary types of enzymes involved in the digestive process include protease (for digesting proteins), amylase (for digesting carbohydrates) and lipase (for digesting fats).

Digestive enzyme supplementation has been getting a lot of buzz lately. The rationale for its evolution is threefold: First, though our bodies produce digestive enzymes naturally (we get them from foods too), it is thought that our modern diets-which are often full of refined sugars, saturated fats and empty calories-stress our systems to the point that they don’t function properly. Second, most of the foods we eat are processed to the point that the naturally-occurring digestive enzymes that would normally be present are diminished or eradicated entirely. And finally, it is thought that as we age, our bodies produce fewer natural digestive enzymes.

Proponents of digestive enzyme therapy say that because of these three conditions, enzyme deficiencies result in not only our inability to eat certain foods (like spicy foods) but also in build-ups of toxins and undigested foods in our digestive track.

They say that this leads to the development of various health problems and illnesses including bloating, gas, heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, bowel problems, food allergies or intolerances, cramping, weight gain and more.

The theory is that we need to restore our bodies’ digestive enzyme natural balance in order to alleviate the problems associated with the deficiencies.

Some nutritionists say that eating more raw foods is one effective way to eliminate these deficiencies. All raw foods contain enzymes, many of which-provided the food is not cooked, heated, processed or irradiated above 118 degrees-will convert to digestive enzymes in our bodies. For the average person though, this is easier said than done-it’s just not always practical or realistic to eat raw foods all the time.

Otherwise, taking digestive enzyme supplements is seen as a means to treat these conditions and restore the natural balance in the body. Digestive enzyme supplements can come from both natural and pharmaceutical sources.

Natural sources of digestive enzymes include animals (like from the pancreas of a pig) and plants (papayas, pineapples, figs and others). Unless a person is being treated for a specific, identified enzyme deficiency, most supplements contain a blend of different enzymes along with herbs, vitamins and/or minerals. They are usually taken in tablet form.

Now on to the big question: Does digestive enzyme supplementation really help? Well, the answer to that question is maybe-it all depends. Crappy answer, right? Not really because some studies have shown that digestive enzyme supplementation can be effective for persons who are suffering from certain conditions related to particular enzyme deficiencies. And there are plenty of people who swear by them. They take them faithfully and say that they definitely have noticed improvements in not just the related conditions, but in their overall health as well.

On the other hand though, if your digestive system functions well-that is to say, you don’t have any identified problems or conditions, then your results may not be so obvious. Because your system is functioning as it should be, any benefits that you obtain from digestive enzyme supplementation might be more difficult for you to notice more so than in the case of a person who is suffering from a particular condition.

The fact is that the whole idea of taking digestive enzyme supplements is still relatively uncharted territory, so the answers are always so clear. If you notice that you are afflicted with any of the conditions mentioned above, then a regimen of digestive enzyme supplements might be just what you need to alleviate the problem. And if you don’t have any of those symptoms or just aren’t sure, you might want to go ahead and give it a try as well-maybe for a month or two to see if you notice any difference.

Unless you are taking diabetes medications or certain blood thinners, there have not been any reported problems from taking digestive enzyme supplements, so there shouldn’t be any harm in taking them. However, you should always err on the side of caution and consult your doctor before starting any supplementation regimen just to be sure that you don’t have any conditions that could potentially put you at risk.

About the Author

Mike Westerdal is the owner of http://www.criticalbench.com. Visit his site to receive two free PDF reports entitled, “31 Days To Bigger Arms” and “Boosting Testosterone Levels for Big Muscle Gains.”

Thanks to McGraw Hill, you can watch and learn all about the process of digestion and what happens throughout your body!
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Related Digestive Articles

Check my website for more info: www.lifematters.ws From the mouth to the anus. Whats happening inside us when we have our meals? How can you improve your digestion and get rid of stuff like constipation, diarrhoea, refulx, acidity, flatulence, cramps etc. Is all here!
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Article by Cindy Papp

Good digestion is important for good health. Digestion affects your metabolism, your hormonal system and your nervous system. If you don’t take good care of this area, problems arise from ulcers to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In some cases, digestion can even be shut down.

Your gut area, including the stomach, small and large intestine, are known as the “enteric nervous system,” or second brain. Nearly every brain-regulating chemical is made in this area, including hormones and neurotransmitters. When your digestion is out of balance, the manufacture of these chemicals may be affected, which in turn can affect your emotional state.

Besides taking expensive digestive enzymes, there are some things that you can do to help your body and digestion naturally. Here are four tips to get you started.

Tip Number 1: Chew your food well, because good digestion starts in the mouth. Many people believe if they don’t chew enough, then it will simply take longer to digest in the stomach. Unfortunately not only is this not true, but could lead to problems.

Chewing your food serves two purposes. First, to break down the food into softer substance. This makes it easier for the stomach to break down and to swallow. Secondly, chewing starts the digestive process. Your saliva contains enzymes that break down the sugars in carbohydrates and enzymes that start the breakdown of fats. If you don’t start this process in your mouth, then the food cannot be broken down in the stomach or intestine.

Thoroughly chewing your food is actually more difficult than it sounds. Many people chew a few times then swallow. This may be because of habit or being short on time. But your digestion and your health will thank you if you take your time and chew until all the food is broken down before you swallow.

Tip Number 2: To help your body achieve good digestion, be aware of the portions of food you eat, and don’t over eat. Your body can only break down so much food at one time. If you eat too much, your body will not digest it later. It may even just sit in the digestive tract and contribute to excess, built-up waste in your body – otherwise known as gaining weight.

To start with, when eating proteins, make sure your serving is about the size of your palm. This will help to give you an idea of a portion that is good for your body without having to weight and measure.

Overeating proteins is one of the biggest contributors to excess weight gain, and makes sense since your body can only digest small amounts of protein at a time. If not digested shortly after it is eaten, it can easily get stored and even cause added fat in your body – no matter how lean the protein is.

In addition to controlling your protein serving, be cautious of the amount of starches you eat. These types of foods can easily cause an unwanted spike in blood sugar. Too much can interfere with your body’s protein digestion and contribute to weight gain. Stick to about one-half to one cup per meal. Look for the easier to digest starches such as quinoa or basmati rice.

Tip Number 3: Be sure your intestinal bacteria is in check. Bacteria, both good and bad, is found in your digestive tract including your small intestine and colon. Good bacteria is imperative for good digestion.

Good bacteria are responsible for killing bad guys such as harmful bacteria (including e.coli) and other pathogens that can wreak havoc in your system. They also can help reduce gas and stomach bloat, help break down soluble fibers which help prevent bad cholesterol build-up and reduce inflammation.

Keep your good bacteria in check by eating plenty of whole, unprocessed vegetables, fruits, and whole, unprocessed grains. These are the building blocks your body needs to manufacture good bacteria. In addition, eat foods that include good bacteria such as yogurt and kifir.

Tip Number 4: Cleanse your colon and your body. Good digestion can never happen if the digestive tract is blocked or weighed down with excess waste. Build-up can happen in these tubes just as build-up occurs in your bloodstream even though your blood continuously flows.

Be sure to consume natural fibers that can help clear this area, such as those found in whole fruits and vegetables. A fiber supplement can help as long as it doesn’t clog your body. For more intensive cleansing, a colon cleansing program may help your body remove excess waste.

Your food choices and lifestyle will be more important than anything else you will do to help your digestion. Help your body stay healthy and take the steps you need to improve your health with good digestion.

About the Author

Cindy Papp is a Nutritional Counselor and has been actively working in the holistic health field for 14 years. Learn more about good digestion at http://www.springclean-cleanse.com/digestion.html and help your body help itself.

Question by angelic.xx: What are the digestive glands in planaria?
I know they have an incomplete digestive tract which is that they have one entrance serving as the mouth and anus. But do they have digestive glands? if so what are they?

Best answer:

Answer by Ishan26
They have no digestive glands in the classical sense.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Article by Trina Cleary

Manage indigestion with these 5 common digestion-friendly super foods. Each of these foods for indigestion has its own special properties that are beneficial to your digestive system. If you’re looking for answers on how to cure indigestion, start by including these foods regularly in your diet so that you’ll be regular too!

Digestion Superfood 1: Papaya

Papaya, also known as pawpaw, is easy to digest and is one of the most alkaline fruits, helping your body detox and get rid of toxins. It contains a unique chemical, papain, which breaks down proteins and helps clear out your digestive tract. Papayas stimulate peristaltic action and help clean out the digestive system so that it can work more efficiently.

Eat papaya raw at least 10 minutes before main meals, or eat as a meal in itself or in a smoothie or fruit salad.

Digestion Superfood 2: Banana

Bananas are probably the best known digestion-friendly food. Pectin, a form of fibre that is abundant in bananas, helps flush toxins from your body. Bananas are soothing to the digestive tract, encouraging friendly bacteria and restoring normal digestive function.

Ripe bananas are the easiest to digest. Bananas are one of the most convenient take-away foods available – grab a banana as a between meal snack.

Digestion Superfood 3: Ginger

Ginger has been valued for centuries within traditional medicines such as Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal, and has been widely used throughout Asia, India and Africa for millennia. Ginger increases the activity of digestive enzymes such as lipase, helps with the digestion of protein and protects the lining of the stomach. Ginger is also useful for reducing flatulence.

Ginger is most beneficial to the digestive system when its essential oils and gingerols are intact. Add freshly grated ginger to meals after cooking, or towards the end of the cooking process. Gradually increase the amount of ginger you eat to a healthy dose of 1-2 teaspoons daily. (Observe precautions if you are pregnant, a child or on anti-clotting medication.)

Digestion Superfood 4: Blueberries

Blueberries (also known as bilberries or huckleberries) help keep the digestive system clean and healthy by reducing harmful bacteria in the gut. They are very high in fibre so help your body with the process of elimination.

Blueberries are a luxurious snack and are generally popular with kids. Blueberry bushes can be grown at home in large pots or hanging baskets.

Digestion Superfood 5: Herbs

Numerous herbs have medicinal benefits that extend to the digestive system, reduce flatulence and can be used to treat colic. Several of these herbs for digestion coincidentally work to gently alleviate anxiety and tension, which are also causes of indigestion.

Lemonbalm adds a gentle, slightly sweet, lemony flavour to fruity drinks or desserts. Sage is delicious added in small amounts to egg dishes or salads. Fennel goes well with fish, curry and tomato dishes. Mint freshens up salads and sauces. Lemongrass and basil work well in stir-fries. Other common herbs for aiding digestion include cumin, garlic, thyme, oregano and rosemary, but there are many more. Natural herbal remedies should be utilised with caution, and are not a substitute for medical diagnosis and care.

As cures for indigestion, these digestion-friendly foods top the list. Include foods these regularly in your diet and you are sure to see an improvement in your digestion.

About the Author

More information about how to improve digestion can be found at www.growingraw.com.Trina Cleary is the editor of the Growing Raw Healthy Eating Guide. Copyright: you may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.

Article by John Smith

As with many health supplements, digestive health supplements have their fair share of myths and misconceptions. Ranging from the perhaps understandable to the downright silly, here are a few digestive health supplement myths, busted.

You Can Eat Whatever You Want

This is perhaps the most common myth accompanying digestive health supplements. Many people forget that digestive supplements are intended to do just that — supplement. Taking a digestive health supplement and then going on to eat an unhealthy diet is going to totally scotch the any positive effects that your digestive supplement might have had. Although you don’t have to eat a completely healthy diet, eating reasonably is a must for digestive health, with or without a digestive supplement.

If It Doesn’t Work, You’re Too Late

Many people lose hope when a digestive health supplement doesn’t end up giving them the results they are looking for. They begin to fear that their digestive system is so far gone that nothing can help it, and they should simply give up on digestive supplements altogether. This is such an unfortunate misunderstanding, since there are tons of reasons why a digestive health supplement might not give you the results you want, ranging from an incompatibility with your body chemistry to that simply being the wrong supplement for your problem. If a digestive health supplement is not working, by all means, stop taking it — but get another one.

It’s Too Late to Start

Those who have suffered from digestive health problems throughout their life may think that it’s too late for a digestive health supplement to do anything for their health. The same applies for people who have consistently eaten poorly. They feel that even the most powerful digestive supplement couldn’t undo the years of illness or abuse their body has taken. However, even people who have had bad digestion for years, whether due to illness or poor diet, have seen great results from digestive supplements. Though a digestive health supplement is not a panacea, almost anyone can see noticeable results from the correct digestive supplement, despite a long history of poor digestion and diet.

Digestive Supplements Work Immediately

This misconception stems from the over-enthusiastic commercials that promise instant results. Digestive supplements take time to build up and take effect in your body, like any medication. Likewise, digestive supplements often make small, gradual changes that build up dramatically over time, making it easy to miss the little changes as they occur, and forget how you felt in the beginning. This is one reason why it’s a good idea to keep a journal of your supplement experience, to remind you how far you’ve come, or to see if a supplement is even working for you.

Though many of these misconceptions fold easily under a little common sense, you’d be surprised at how many people still believe in them, even only half-consciously. Though it’s tempting to succumb to one of these common myths about digestive health supplements, keeping your head when choosing and using digestive supplements is what gets you the long-term results.

About the Author

Intact Nutrition is a leading online retailer of digestive health supplements. Visit our web site to learn more about digestive health supplements and buy them online.

Integrative Biology 131: General Human Anatomy. Fall 2005. Professor Marian Diamond. The functional anatomy of the human body as revealed by gross and microscopic examination. The Department of Integrative Biology offers a program of instruction that focuses on the integration of structure and function in the evolution of diverse biological systems. It investigates integration at all levels of organization from molecules to the biosphere, and in all taxa of organisms from viruses to higher plants and animals. The department uses many traditional fields and levels of complexity in forging new research directions, asking new questions, and answering traditional questions in new ways. The various…

We will meet the important body parts, without which we cannot eat, play, or even live for a long time. These body parts are special and we cannot see some of them because they are all inside our body. To buy this or any other Appu Series CDs or Books, please visit www.appuseries.com