The moment you finish a workout, a complex recovery process begins at the cellular level. Your muscles are not simply tired. They have been through a controlled stress event that generated reactive oxygen species, created microscopic tissue damage and shifted your cellular environment toward oxidative stress. What happens next, during the minutes, hours and days … Read more
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts have long known that recovery is where the gains happen. You do not get stronger during a workout. You get stronger during the rest that follows. But the cellular science behind this principle reveals something far more precise than the vague notion of “giving your body time to heal.” Recovery, and … Read more
There is a paradox at the heart of cellular health. Many of the things that make your cells stronger involve exposing them to stress. Exercise generates oxidative stress. Plant compounds in vegetables are mild toxins evolved as defence chemicals. Fasting deprives cells of nutrients. Cold exposure challenges thermoregulation. Yet each of these stressors, at the … Read more
It sounds counterintuitive. Exercise is supposed to be good for you, yet during a workout your muscles produce a significant surge of reactive oxygen species, the very molecules associated with oxidative stress and cellular damage. How can something that increases oxidative stress also be one of the best things you can do for your health? … Read more