What Happens After You Swallow

The moment after you swallow, a carefully timed sequence takes over. Muscles close one route, open another, and push food through a tube even if you are lying down. Over the next several hours, physical movement and chemistry turn a meal into material small enough to cross into the body. Inside this episode: - Before The Swallow - Choosing The Right Path - Moving Through The Esophagus - The Stomach Mixes - Help From Other Organs Sources include the references linked below. Sources and further reading: - [National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Your Digestive System and How It Works](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works) This episode provides general education about how the body works. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or a substitute for professional care. Follow Human Body Explained for more clear journeys through how we work.