Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned to India in August 2025 after his historic go to to the Worldwide House Station (ISS), has received netizens’ hearts once more. This time, with a fast tutorial on the best way to eat in house.
Sharing a enjoyable video on Instagram, the Indian Air Pressure pilot stated, “Consuming and consuming in house is a problem… By no means thought I must be taught to eat once more… Right here I’m explaining why habits matter when you find yourself consuming in house. In case you are not conscious, you’ll be able to simply create a multitude…”
Residing in house made Shukla be taught survival hacks like “consuming water.” “You may even eat water in house. It’s enjoyable, however it’s a must to be actually cautious as issues go throughout,” he quipped within the video.
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Shukla found {that a} easy course of known as ‘peristalsis’ is answerable for digestion in zero gravity. “We don’t want gravity to digest meals. A course of known as ‘peristalsis’ is answerable for digestion, which is gravity-independent. It’s the contraction and rest of muscle groups to push meals down by way of the digestive tract.”
Reiterating Shukla’s statement, Dr Anjana Kalia, Ayurvedic Physician & Nutritionist, agreed that astronauts can face sure distinctive digestive challenges in microgravity.
So, how does digestion in house range from digestion in gravity?
Dr Kalia defined that on Earth, gravity helps separate fuel from liquid within the abdomen, permitting burping to launch extra air. Whereas in house, fuel bubbles can combine with meals and liquid, making easy burps tougher and typically uncomfortable—astronauts name this a “moist burp.”
“This may result in bloating, indigestion, or delicate nausea.” She elaborated that in house, the place gravity is absent, peristalsis turns into much more essential. It ensures that meals and liquid transfer safely from the mouth to the abdomen and thru the intestines, permitting astronauts to eat and digest usually regardless of weightlessness.
Shubhanshu Shukla with fellow astronauts related to Axiom Station. (Picture: Instagram/gagan.shux)
Past peristalsis, what different physiological processes within the human physique are important for digesting vitamins in house?
Dr Kalia shared that a number of processes work alongside peristalsis to make sure correct digestion. As an illustration, digestive enzymes secreted by the abdomen, pancreas, and small gut break down proteins, fat, and carbohydrates into smaller molecules.Story continues beneath this advert
“Even the bile from the liver helps emulsify fat, making them simpler to soak up. Nonetheless, not many know that the small gut is essential in absorbing vitamins into the bloodstream by way of specialised buildings known as villi and microvilli. These processes rely on chemical exercise and mobile transport mechanisms, not gravity,” she stated.
Which means that nutrient breakdown and absorption can proceed effectively in house, offered astronauts preserve a balanced weight loss plan, Dr Kalia concluded.
DISCLAIMER: This text is predicated on data from the general public area and/or the consultants we spoke to. All the time seek the advice of your well being practitioner earlier than beginning any routine.
