Here's how it works:
* Muscles in the walls of the digestive tract contract and relax in a wave-like motion. This creates a squeezing action that pushes food along the tract.
* The contractions behind the food are stronger than those in front of it, ensuring that the food moves in one direction only.
* This process is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which means we don't consciously have to think about it.
Peristalsis is essential for moving food from the mouth to the anus, allowing it to be broken down and absorbed by the body.
