Answer to Question 1
The stomach carries out three jobs during digestion:
1) It stores a sizeable amount of food until the food can be processed
2) It forms a mixture of food and gastric secretions, which becomes a semiliquid blend called chyme.
3) It controls movement of the chyme into the small intestine at a rate suitable for proper digestion and absorption by the small intestine.
Answer to Question 2
Frequent causes of constipation include:
Lack of fiber in the diet
Lack of physical activity (particularly in older adults)
Not enough liquids
Medications (e.g., pain medications, antacids, blood pressure medications, antidepressants, iron supplements, diuretics, antispasmodics, anticonvulsants)
Milk
Changes in life or routine (e.g., pregnancy, aging, travel)
Over-the-counter laxative abuse
Ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement