Puke, vomit, barf, chunderchunks. Whatever you call it, most of
us have done it. It's pretty disgusting, but usually it's helpful.
Often, we need to be sick to get rid of something harmful in our
stomach.
What is sick?
Sick is half-digested food mixed with spit, slimy stomach mucus
and other stomach juices. Mmm!
Why are we sick?
Normally you are sick if you have a virus or bacteria in your
stomach or intestines. Your body wants to get rid of them the
fastest way it knows how - puking!
Sometimes people are sick if they are nervous, travelling or go
on a fast ride in a theme park.
Did you know? When you vomit, your body
produces more saliva. This helps to protect your teeth from stomach
acid.
How are we sick?
Your brain sends a message to your diaphragm, stomach muscles
and intestine muscles saying "get rid of that food!"
The muscles in your stomach and intestines push food towards
your mouth instead of down towards your intestines.
The bad smell is due to stomach acids and a chemical called
bile. Bile helps to digest fatty foods. When you
puke, bile can come up along with the half-digested food. It smells
pretty bad!