How Food is Moved by Peristalsis

Peristalsis is a major process in the body that moves food through the digestive system.
It involves the contraction and relaxation of muscles in the walls of the digestive tract.
This process starts in the oesophagus when a person swallows food.
The circular muscles behind the food mass contract, while the muscles in front of it relax, creating a wave-like motion.
This wave of contractions pushes the food down the oesophagus, into the stomach.
In the stomach, peristalsis continues, churning the food to mix it with gastric juices and turning the food into a semi-fluid called chyme.
Peristalsis then propels the chyme into the small intestine.
In the small intestine, peristalsis aids in mixing chyme with digestive enzymes and helps in the absorption of nutrients.
As the food residue moves into the large intestine, the process of peristalsis continues.
Peristalsis in the large intestine moves the waste material, or faeces, towards the rectum for eventual excretion.

It’s essential to understand that peristalsis is an involuntary process controlled by the nervous system. You do not consciously guide or command your body to carry out peristalsis. Such an automatic control mechanism ensures that the digestion of food continues even while you are engaged in other activities.