# How does peristalsis let you swallow upside down?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-peristalsis-let-you-swallow-upside-down/489077>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 11, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-peristalsis-let-you-swallow-upside-down/489077 "2009-03-11T14:29:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-peristalsis-let-you-swallow-upside-down/489077/1 "2009-03-11T14:29:43Z")

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[How does peristalsis let you swallow upside down?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/70/how-does-peristalsis-let-you-swallow-upside-down)

> [@](#):
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> Cows and other cud-chewing animals (ruminants) have the ability to reverse the direction of peristalsis when necessary, bringing food up from the stomach to the mouth for a few extra chomps. All we have is Barry Manilow.

See, now that right there is the reason I love Cecil! 🙂

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-peristalsis-let-you-swallow-upside-down/489077/2 "2009-03-13T23:42:41Z")

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I’m surprised he didn’t mention that are actually pumps (called, naturally, peristaltic pumps) which use this exact principle. They’re used frequently in medicine for pumping blood through equipment like dialysis machines, since impeller-type pumps capable of generating sufficient pressure can damage blood cells through high-speed impact.