AthleticPerformance

What This Guide Is — and What It Isn’t

This guide expands on one foundational concept: that athletic recovery is not just a phase that occurs after training — it is a physiological process with specific nutritional windows and requirements that determine whether training stress becomes adaptation or accumulated damage. Written from a foundation-first approach, without diluting the underlying science, it explores the mechanism, the window-based physiology, the role of anti-inflammatory foods, and practical application. Recovery through nutrition is as strategic as the training itself.

This guide is:

• A foundation-first view of recovery physiology — why recovery windows matter biologically, and how nutrition fits into the adaptation cycle.
• An insightful exploration of anti-inflammatory eating as a key factor for recovery, grounded in both modern sports physiology and traditional healing systems.
• Relevant to both men and women, with specific physiological notes flagged explicitly where they apply.
• Focused on whole-food nutrition, with practical examples (turmeric, plant protein, pink salt, ginger tea, honey water) applied within a non-prescriptive framework — subject to individual suitability, health status, and sensible precautions.

This guide is not:

• A training plan, periodisation model, or workout design guide.
• A claim that any single food or supplement can replace consistent, varied nutrition.
• Medical advice, a diagnostic tool, or a substitute for individualised clinical guidance.
• Affiliated with any product, supplement brand, or commercial nutrition programme — where any such affiliation does exist, it will be clearly detailed.

Inside This Guide

• 1. What This Guide Is — and Isn’tPage 1
• 2. Recovery Is AdaptationPage 3
• 3. The Recovery Window: Physiology and TimingPage 4
• 4. Inflammation as Adaptation SignalPage 5
• 5. Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition: The FoundationPage 6
• 6. Growth, Repair, Rebuild — The Nutritional CyclePage 7
• 7. Practical Recovery Foods and TimingPage 8
• 8. PRAL Foods and Systemic StressPage 9
• 9. Ayurveda and Traditional Recovery WisdomPage 10
• 10. Individualised Recovery — A Flexible FrameworkPage 11
• 11. Summary of Key TakeawaysPage 12
• 12. References & Further ReadingPage 13

This guide is part of the Go Deeper Health resource library. For video deep dives on recovery nutrition, athletic performance, and anti-inflammatory eating, visit youtube.com/@GoDeeperHealth. For the full resource library, visit GoDeeperHealth.com.

Recovery Is Adaptation

The word “recovery” is often understood passively — rest, sleep, downtime. In physiological terms, recovery is also an active state: it is the sum of adaptations the body makes in response to training stress. Training creates the demand; recovery determines whether that demand becomes strength, endurance, muscle growth, or accumulated injury. This distinction fundamentally influences how recovery should be approached.

Well-documented exercise physiology shows that during training, microdamage occurs in the muscle fibres, energy stores (glycogen and phosphocreatine) are depleted, and an inflammatory cascade is triggered. This inflammation in generally healthy adults is not harmful in itself — it is the signal that tells the body to adapt.

What follows is a carefully orchestrated sequence of cellular events: protein synthesis, glycogen replenishment, hormone secretion (cortisol, growth hormone and — chiefly in men — testosterone respond to the training itself, while insulin responds to post-training nutrition; all operate in both men and women), and the removal of metabolic byproducts. Every one of these processes has a window, a nutrient requirement, and a timeline. Working in tandem with these windows and nutrient needs is vital for meaningful adaptation. Provide them consistently, and adaptation may work in a more optimised biochemical environment.

This is where nutrition becomes non-negotiable. Food is not decoration around training — it is the raw material and signalling molecules that determine whether training becomes adaptation. Anti-inflammatory whole foods are particularly important because they provide the specific compounds (phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids) that support the inflammatory resolution phase and hasten the transition from damage signal to adaptation response.

Why this matters more than “calories in, calories out”

A common misunderstanding is that recovery nutrition is merely about replacing calories burned. While caloric balance is relevant, it is far from the whole picture. Two athletes eating the same calories can recover very differently if one consumes processed foods and the other consumes anti-inflammatory whole foods. The difference is not obvious at first — it may show up in inflammation markers, training tolerance, injury prevention, and long-term adaptations. This is why understanding recovery physiology precedes applying any specific food recommendation.

The remainder of this guide examines that sentence from a physiological viewpoint: how recovery windows function, why inflammation is necessary but must be resolved, which foods provide the compounds needed, how this intersects with individual differences, and how much older systems like Ayurveda built this principle into practice, in ways that align with what modern sports science describes today.

The Recovery Window: What It Is and Why It Matters

The “recovery window” is a more layered concept than it appears — often reduced to a narrow 30-minute post-workout feeding period. The reality is more nuanced. There are several overlapping windows, each with its own physiology and nutritional requirements, and understanding them impacts how recovery is approached. It is well recognised across exercise physiology that recovery unfolds through these overlapping phases rather than a single fixed moment — each with distinct demands, examined in turn below.

The immediate post-training window (0–60 minutes)

Immediately after training, the muscles are primed to accept glucose (for glycogen replenishment) and amino acids (for protein synthesis). Hormone sensitivity is high, and the nervous system is activated. This window is real, but it is not as narrow or rigid as popularly suggested. Consuming carbohydrates and protein during this period supports glycogen repletion and kickstarts muscle protein synthesis — but, according to physiological observations, being off by 15 minutes is not necessarily catastrophic. The principle is more important — the precision optimises it.

The extended recovery window (1–24 hours)

Cumulatively more important than the immediate window is the extended recovery period spanning the hours and days after training. This is when the majority of adaptation occurs — when growth hormone surges, when cortisol patterns shift, when muscle protein synthesis peaks, and when the inflammatory cascade resolves. Nutrition during this window — the foods eaten across meals in the hours and days following training — has a far larger impact on adaptation than any single post-workout snack. This is where anti-inflammatory whole foods become critical.

Activity type changes the window

Recovery windows also vary by activity — a distinction well documented in sports physiology. Intense, brief training (sprinting, weightlifting) creates a different recovery demand than long-duration, lower-intensity exercise (distance running, cycling). High-intensity efforts deplete glycogen more severely and create greater muscle damage, shortening the urgent recovery window. Longer-duration efforts may deplete glycogen more completely but create less acute inflammatory response. Recovery nutrition must match the demand created — a high-intensity lifter’s nutritional needs differ from a distance runner’s, not because one approach is “better,” but because the physiological demand is different.

Inflammation as the Adaptation Signal

Inflammation is often seen as something harmful to be reduced — and for chronic, low-grade inflammation, that is well understood. But it is not a complete picture of inflammation’s physiological role. Inflammation is a natural response by the body, and it serves a purpose. Acute inflammation after training is not pathological — it is the precise signal the body uses to trigger adaptation. What matters is not eliminating inflammation, but resolving it efficiently.

During training, the muscle fibres incur microscopic damage. This damage triggers an inflammatory cascade: immune cells move in, cytokines are released, and the damaged tissue is signalled to repair and rebuild. This process is essential. Without it, there is no adaptation signal, and training becomes merely calorie-burning rather than capacity-building. The problem arises when inflammation becomes chronic — when the resolution phase is delayed or never completes, leaving the body in a state of prolonged, low-grade inflammation. This is where poor nutrition becomes a problem: if the specific compounds needed to resolve inflammation are lacking, the acute post-training response lingers and becomes chronic stress on the body.

The inflammation resolution phase

Resolving inflammation requires specific compounds: omega-3 fatty acids (which reduce pro-inflammatory signalling), polyphenols (which modulate immune response), minerals like magnesium and zinc (which support immune function), and various phytonutrients found primarily in coloured vegetables, seeds, and whole grains. These are not mythical “superfoods” — they are the ordinary compounds in whole plant foods, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. An anti-inflammatory diet provides the body the raw materials to efficiently transition from acute inflammation (the adaptation signal) to inflammation resolution (the completed adaptation). This is fundamentally different from using food to suppress inflammation.

This explains why anti-inflammatory whole foods become so important in recovery nutrition. They are not “healing” something broken — they are providing the specific compounds the body’s own repair process requires to function optimally. Once this is understood, the specific foods and their timing become strategic tools rather than arbitrary restrictions.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition: The Foundation

Anti-inflammatory nutrition, in the context of recovery, means consistently providing the body the compounds that support efficient inflammation resolution. This is not about a particular diet or food list — it is about understanding which foods consistently deliver the compounds that matter for recovery physiology.

Some core compounds

1. Omega-3 fatty acids. EPA and DHA (e.g. algae, flax, chia, walnuts) reduce pro-inflammatory signalling and support the resolution of acute inflammation — essential for turning the post-training inflammatory signal into completed adaptation rather than chronic inflammation.
2. Polyphenols. Found in coloured vegetables, berries, tea, and dark leafy greens, polyphenols modulate immune response and reduce oxidative stress, helping the body complete the inflammatory resolution phase.
3. Minerals (magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese). These support enzyme function, immune regulation, and the protein synthesis that underlies muscle repair and growth.
4. Fibre and short-chain fatty acids. Fermentable fibre feeds beneficial gut bacteria, which produce compounds that modulate systemic inflammation — recovery is not purely muscle-level physiology; it involves the entire body’s inflammatory state. These same fibres also tend to lower the diet’s acid load, easing demand on the body’s bicarbonate buffer system — its main acid-base regulator — which may indirectly support inflammation resolution, as sustained acid stress is associated with a more inflammatory internal state.

Sources that supply these compounds include whole grains, legumes, coloured vegetables, nuts, seeds, and plant-based proteins, which deliver them as part of their natural composition. The operating principle is whole-food variety and consistency, not restriction or supplementation of isolated compounds.

Why whole-food matters

An isolated polyphenol extract has a short half-life in the body (it is absorbed in a burst and cleared quickly) and lacks the supporting compounds found in the whole food. The reverse can also occur: some isolated or synthetically-derived forms — especially fat-soluble nutrients, or forms the body must convert — are handled differently from their whole-food counterparts and can accumulate rather than clear, since the self-limiting absorption that whole foods provide (the body’s saturable, homeostatically-regulated uptake) may be bypassed.

A whole apple — with its fibre, water content, and full array of polyphenols — may have a comparatively greater and more sustained effect on inflammation and overall recovery. Similarly, whole plant proteins (legumes, seeds) come with fibre and minerals, whereas isolated protein powders may lack these supporting compounds. The whole food’s composition — the food matrix — is what makes the difference in recovery. This is why the guide emphasises whole-food nutrition throughout.

Growth, Repair, Rebuild — The Nutritional Cycle

Recovery can be understood as three overlapping phases: damage repair, growth signalling, and systemic rebuild. Each has a different duration, nutrient requirement, and timing. Understanding this cycle helps explain why single-nutrient focus (like only thinking about protein) misses the full picture.

Phase 1: Repair (0–24 hours)

Immediately after training, the body’s priority is clearing metabolic byproducts, stopping ongoing damage, and beginning to repair damaged muscle fibres — a sequence well characterised in exercise physiology. This is where anti-inflammatory compounds (omega-3s, polyphenols, minerals) are most critical. Glycogen replenishment also begins immediately, as depleted glycogen signals the need for carbohydrate intake. Protein synthesis begins but is not the dominant process during this phase. Nutrition focus: carbohydrates and anti-inflammatory foods (coloured vegetables, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats).

Phase 2: Growth signalling (6–72 hours)

As acute inflammation resolves, growth hormone surges and muscle protein synthesis becomes the dominant adaptive process. Amino acid availability becomes more relevant. Whole-food plant proteins (legumes combined with whole grains, nuts, seeds) provide complete amino acid profiles when varied across meals. Anti-inflammatory foods continue to be important, as they create the internal environment where anabolic processes can proceed without being opposed by chronic inflammation. Nutrition focus: adequate protein from varied whole sources, sustained anti-inflammatory foods.

Phase 3: Systemic rebuild (72 hours onwards)

Beyond the first three days, the body begins broader systemic adaptations — hormonal reset, nervous system recovery, and preparation for the next training stimulus. This phase depends on consistent whole-food nutrition, adequate recovery nutrition across all meals (not just post-workout), and the resolution of any accumulated systemic stress. This is where sustained anti-inflammatory eating, adequate sleep, and stress management converge.

Simple practices such as slow, diaphragmatic or meditative breathing can also support this phase: by shifting the nervous system toward its “rest-and-digest” (parasympathetic) state, they may help lower stress signalling, support digestion and nutrient uptake, and add to overall recovery. Nutrition focus: consistent, nutrient-dense meals across all eating occasions, with particular attention to foods that support hormonal balance and systemic resilience.

Practical Recovery Foods and Timing

Understanding recovery physiology is useful only if it translates to ordinary, repeatable eating patterns. The following are practical, whole-food approaches to recovery nutrition across different activity types — not rules, but illustrations grounded in the physiology outlined above.

High-intensity training (weightlifting, sprinting, HIIT)

High-intensity efforts create acute (localised) glycogen depletion and muscle damage. Recovery nutrition priorities to consider: glycogen repletion (carbohydrates), protein (for muscle repair), and anti-inflammatory compounds (to resolve the elevated acute inflammation). A practical approach: within 1–2 hours post-training, eating a meal containing whole grains (rice, quinoa, oats), a plant-based protein (lentils, green mung beans, chickpeas, tofu), and coloured vegetables, with a small amount of healthy fat (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds). Example: lentil and vegetable rice bowl with olive oil, or chickpea pasta with spinach leaves and beetroot. The carbohydrate-to-protein ratio should be roughly 3:1 to 4:1 for optimal glycogen repletion and protein synthesis.

Longer-duration activities (distance running, cycling, hiking)

Longer-duration activities deplete glycogen progressively but create less acute inflammatory damage than high-intensity efforts. Recovery nutrition priorities to consider: glycogen repletion (perhaps more critical than for short efforts), sustained anti-inflammatory foods (to manage the systemic stress of prolonged exertion), and hydration support. A practical approach: a lighter, carbohydrate-focused meal 1–2 hours post-activity (sweet potato with black beans, or green mung bean soup with chickpeas and pumpkin seeds), followed by regular meals throughout the day emphasising whole foods, legumes, and vegetables. These longer efforts can elevate systemic inflammation for longer, so the extended recovery window (the full 24 hours and beyond) becomes especially important.

Mixed or moderate training

Most training falls somewhere in the middle — not elite-level intensity, but not purely endurance either. Recovery nutrition can be more flexible: a whole-food meal 1–3 hours post-training, containing whole grains, legumes or plant-based protein, and vegetables, is sufficient. The carbohydrate-to-protein ratio is less critical than ensuring both are present and that the overall eating pattern across the day is nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory.

Practical recovery foods across all contexts

Whole-food plant protein: practical quantities

A common question: how much plant protein is needed? For recovery from resistance training, general guidance is 1.4–2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight daily (distributed across meals, not all at once). For a 70kg person, this is roughly 100–140 grams daily — achievable through lentils (18g per cooked cup), chickpeas (15g per cooked cup), tofu (20g per 200g block), nuts and seeds (8–12g per ounce), and whole grains (3–8g per cooked cup). The key is variety across the day, not perfection at any single meal. Over-focusing on hitting a precise protein target often leads to relying on processed plant-based products; achieving adequate protein from whole foods across varied meals is more sustainable and delivers the supporting nutrients that isolated protein may lack.

PRAL Foods and Long-Term Systemic Stress

An aspect of recovery nutrition often overlooked is how certain foods contribute to systemic acid load, which when combined with the stress of training, may impair recovery and influence inflammation. Understanding PRAL (Potential Renal Acid Load) helps explain why the broader pattern of eating — not just post-workout meals — influences recovery.

What is PRAL?

PRAL is a measure of how much metabolic acid a food produces when digested. High-PRAL foods (refined grains, certain proteins, processed foods) shift the body toward a slightly more acidic environment. While the body’s pH is tightly regulated, chronic consumption of high-PRAL foods creates a low-grade systemic acid stress that the body must buffer. During recovery from training — when the body is already managing acute inflammatory stress — added systemic acid load becomes an additional stressor that may impact adaptation.

Which foods have high PRAL?

• Refined grains (white bread, polished white rice, processed cereals)
• Processed foods (packaged snacks, fast food, ultra-processed items)
• Certain high-protein foods in excess without balance (isolated protein powders, processed plant-based substitutes)
• Soft drinks and sugary beverages

Why this matters in recovery

At rest, muscle pH sits at around 7.0 — a roughly neutral acid-base balance — which the metabolic demands of exercise then lower. Training already creates a temporary, local acidosis in muscle tissue — this is part of the adaptation signal. Adding systemic acid stress from high-PRAL foods means the body is managing acid buffering at the same time it is trying to complete the inflammatory resolution and adaptation processes. The result is subtle but real: impaired glycogen resynthesis, prolonged inflammatory responses, and reduced capacity for subsequent training. Over time, chronic consumption of high-PRAL foods alongside demanding training may create a pattern of under-recovery — not dramatic failure, but a gradual accumulation of unresolved stress.

The practical implication

This does not mean avoiding all higher-PRAL foods, but rather balancing them with low-PRAL foods (vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains in their least processed forms). A diet built primarily on whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds naturally trends toward lower PRAL. Processed foods and refined grains tend toward higher PRAL. In the context of recovery nutrition, where systemic stress is already elevated, choosing the lower-PRAL versions — whole grains instead of refined, legumes and whole plant proteins instead of processed “plant-based” products, whole vegetables and fruits instead of juices and processed snacks — supports the body’s ability to complete recovery and adapt to training.

Ayurveda and Traditional Recovery Wisdom

Ayurvedic medicine, one of the world’s oldest continuously practiced health systems, contains a sophisticated understanding of recovery nutrition that aligns closely with modern sports physiology — though expressed in different language. Understanding this convergence provides both depth and practical wisdom.

Ayurvedic principles relevant to recovery

Agni (digestive fire). Ayurveda places enormous emphasis on digestive capacity, viewing strong digestion as the foundation for all health. In recovery nutrition terms, this means choosing foods and meal patterns that you can digest well — individual variation is high, so eating what your body can optimally process matters more than following a universal prescription. Heavy, hard-to-digest foods consumed immediately post-training impair the absorption of nutrients; easily digestible, nutrient-dense foods (cooked vegetables, well-cooked legumes, soft whole grains) maximise nutrient availability during the critical recovery window.

Prana (life force, closely related to micronutrients and enzyme activity). Ayurveda recognises that food quality and freshness directly affect bioavailability and the body’s capacity to extract and utilise nutrients. Whole, minimally processed foods contain more “prana” — they have higher enzyme activity and nutrient density. This aligns with the modern understanding of nutrient bioavailability: whole plant foods deliver nutrients in matrix form, with synergistic compounds that enhance absorption. Processing, storage, and the time lag between harvest and consumption reduce prana; fresh, whole foods maximise it.

Example of Turmeric in Recovery (Anti-Inflammatory)

Turmeric (curcumin) has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years — both ingested and applied topically — as a digestive aid and inflammation modulator. Modern research has substantiated its effects on inflammatory markers and recovery: studies show curcumin can reduce exercise-induced inflammation and support training tolerance. However, Ayurvedic use provides an important insight: turmeric is not taken in isolation but rather as part of everyday cooking, as a supplement with a meal, or as a warm milk drink (often with black pepper, which enhances curcumin absorption).

Individualised Recovery — A Flexible Framework

Recovery nutrition does not have a one-size-fits-all prescription. Training type, body composition goals, individual metabolism, sex, age, and health status all influence how recovery nutrition should be applied. This guide offers a general framework for understanding, not a prescription — the specifics remain individual.

Principles that apply universally

• Anti-inflammatory whole foods matter. This principle applies to men and women, to different ages and activity levels. The specific foods and quantities vary, but the principle is universal.
• Whole foods deliver more than isolated nutrients. A whole-food plant meal delivers polyphenols, minerals, fibre, and enzymes that an isolated nutrient cannot. This is true across all contexts.
• Recovery extends beyond the immediate post-workout window. The extended 24-hour and beyond recovery window is more impactful than the immediate post-workout meal. This principle is universal; application varies.

Where individual differences matter

• Training intensity and duration. A power athlete doing short, intense sessions has different recovery demands than an endurance athlete. Both need anti-inflammatory nutrition, but the carbohydrate-to-protein ratios and timing flexibility differ.
• Iron needs. Menstruating women have higher iron requirements due to monthly loss. This makes iron-rich legumes and consistent vitamin-C pairing (which enhances iron absorption) particularly relevant. Post-menopausal women and men have lower requirements.
• Body composition goals. An athlete focused on muscle growth may benefit from slightly higher protein intake; one focused on endurance may prioritise carbohydrate recovery. Anti-inflammatory nutrition supports both — the specifics adjust.
• Digestive capacity. Some individuals tolerate raw vegetables well post-training; others digest cooked vegetables more easily. Ayurvedic wisdom applies: choose what your digestion handles well, because poor digestion impairs nutrient absorption regardless of food quality.

In short: the science of recovery is universal. The specific application — how much, how often, what foods work best for a person — is individual and best discovered through consistent practice and attention to actual recovery patterns (training tolerance, recovery speed, injury prevention, subjective wellbeing).

Summary of Key Takeaways

Having covered recovery physiology, anti-inflammatory nutrition, the adaptation cycle, practical applications, and individual variation, it is worth consolidating the core ideas into one place before moving into the available research behind them.

• Recovery is adaptation. Training creates the demand; the recovery process (enabled by nutrition) determines whether that demand becomes strength, growth, or accumulated damage.
• Recovery windows are real, but the extended window matters most. The immediate post-workout window is relevant, but the 24-hour and longer recovery period — supported by consistent whole-food nutrition — has a far larger impact on sustainable adaptation.
• Inflammation is the adaptation signal. The goal is not to suppress inflammation but to support its efficient resolution through anti-inflammatory compounds found in whole foods.
• Anti-inflammatory nutrition is the foundation. Whole grains, legumes, coloured vegetables, nuts, seeds, and plant-based proteins provide the polyphenols, minerals, and fatty acids needed for recovery — more effectively than isolated supplements.
• Growth, repair, rebuild are overlapping phases with different nutritional priorities. Understanding this sequence prevents the mistake of over-focusing on a single nutrient at the expense of the broader recovery process.
• PRAL foods add systemic stress during recovery. High-PRAL processed and refined foods impair recovery when consumed alongside demanding training; whole-food patterns inherently address this.
• Ayurvedic wisdom and modern science converge. Traditional practices around food combining, digestive appropriateness, and anti-inflammatory compounds align closely with modern recovery physiology.
• Recovery nutrition is individualised within universal principles. The principles of anti-inflammatory whole-food nutrition apply to everyone; the specific quantities, timing, and food choices are individual.

References & Further Reading

This guide draws on Go Deeper Health | Holistic High Performance Health’s CMA professional-certification and empirical knowledge, alongside available published research and scientific literature. The four references below were selected to cover the scope of this guide — spanning recovery-window physiology and glycogen replenishment, the role of anti-inflammatory whole foods and compounds such as turmeric, protein intake and distribution, the timing of nutrition across the recovery period, and the muscle-pH physiology behind the acid-load discussion — within the context of individual variation and the necessity of proper application.

• Reference 01
  Nutritional Strategies to Improve Post-exercise Recovery and Subsequent Exercise Performance: A Narrative Review
  Naderi, A., Rothschild, J. A., Santos, H. O., Hamidvand, A., Koozehchian, M. S., Ghazzagh, A., Berjisian, E., & Podlogar, T. — Sports Medicine, 55(7), 1559–1577 (2025) · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12297025
  A broad review of recovery nutrition across the 2–24 hour window, its illustrative carbohydrate-to-protein and per-meal figures, the anti-inflammatory aspect, and the emphasis on individualisation.
• Reference 02
  From Food Supplements to Functional Foods: Emerging Perspectives on Post-Exercise Recovery Nutrition
  Wang, L., Meng, Q., & Su, C.-H. — Nutrients, 16(23), 4081 (2024) · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11643565
  A review of the shift from isolated supplements toward whole functional foods (plant protein, turmeric, omega-3) that suggests whole-food-over-isolate theme and its turmeric and anti-inflammatory segments.
• Reference 03
  An investigation into how the timing of nutritional supplements affects the recovery from post-exercise fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  Cheng, G., Zhang, Z., Shi, Z., & Qiu, Y. — Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 1567438 (2025) · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12061868
  A meta-analysis finding that carbohydrate and protein taken around exercise support muscle and glycogen recovery and reduce fatigue — substantiating the recovery-window framing, with timing kept as a factor within the broader pattern of eating.
• Reference 04
  Interstitial pH in human skeletal muscle during and after dynamic graded exercise
  Street, D., Bangsbo, J., & Juel, C. — The Journal of Physiology, 537(Pt 3), 993–998 (2001) · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2279011
  Reports resting intramuscular pH of ~7.0–7.1 and its progressive fall with exercise intensity — substantiating the “resting muscle pH around 7.0” statement and the local-acidosis framing in the PRAL segment.