Spaceflight could change how astronauts swallow, eat and drink in subtle ways

Keeping your food from floating away in space is only half the battle. NASA via Getty Images Imagine trying to swallow a sip of water while your face feels stuffed with congestion, your sense of taste is dulled and your body is floating 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth. That scenario is part of everyday life for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Spaceflight changes the human body in dramatic ways. Muscles shrink, bones lose density and bodily fluids shift toward the…