Although the subject of bathroom behaviors is generally avoided, a quick peek in the toilet can clue you into the health of your body. Although it may seem odd, studying the shape, color and smell of stool can help you monitor your digestive health.

Enzymes are substances found in all living cells. They act as catalysts in chemical processes, such as metabolism, and are part of the breakdown and regenerative process of life. Plant foods, for example, contain enzymes which are needed to break down that specific plant.

Digestive enzymes are important for a variety of functions of your body and are best known for their role in breaking down the foods in nutrients that can be easily absorbed in the bloodstream and further used by your body.

The human digestive tract functions to break down food particles into smaller molecules the body can absorb through the lining of the small intestines.

Lactose intolerance does not cause constipation; it causes diarrhea. Constipation after drinking or eating dairy products is the result of milk protein intolerance. The two conditions are commonly confused with one another but are very different in their cause.

When you eat food, you take in large molecules called macromolecules that are made up of building blocks that you can absorb into the bloodstream, and that your cells can burn for energy. Your digestive tract breaks down these macromolecules to liberate their building blocks so that the small intestine can absorb them.

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, 42 million Americans, or 15 percent of the population, have been afflicted with constipation, making it one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders.

With the advent of probiotics sold as health supplements, it has become common to refer to bacteria in the intestinal tract as "good" bacteria or "bad" bacteria. The average person hosts around 100 trillion bacteria in the gut, according to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. "Good"

Children can have all sorts of different colored stools, most of which are perfectly normal and due to the foods that they ate that day. However, having white stools is something to be concerned about, according to Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Picco, M.D.

Your infant's digestive tract is not fully functional and is vulnerable to infection. Anything that enters your baby's mouth makes its way into her gastrointestinal tract, which is not yet ready to fight off bacteria and other pathogens.

When you hear you child's tummy rumble, you should appreciate what a sophisticated piece of machinery the human body is. Most of those noises, despite sometimes being startling or unpleasant-sounding, are quite normal. These sounds are made by your child's intestines, the large organs that process the food she eats.

The bulk of a lettuce head’s weight -- almost 95 percent, according to caloriefacts.org -- comes from water, with the remainder primarily from carbohydrates. Lettuce also contains nominal amounts of protein and fat, although these nutrient levels are so small they do not contribute greatly to your nutrition.