Stress hormones are produced endogenously for good reason; positive health outcomes. What makes them beneficial vs problematic?

And how do you dispel the myths?

When both are readily available, which energy source do the cells prefer?

How is aging, the idea of gradual decline, actually tied to metabolic health, and how can one actually age in reverse?

I recently found myself in a cohort of people who had the main goal of healing their depression. The program focused a lot on keto and not necessarily carnivore, but the science seemed sound from what I could tell. The confusing thing for me is that I'm the only one who really felt better throughout the month long program, because I've been in ketosis before and modified the dietary plan to take out as much plant material as possible. I'd say the only thing I had occasionally wouldn't upset my GI was downing a shot of olive oil every now and again or drizzling it into the food for variety. The other 8 people never really felt better and were still adjusting to getting fat adapted. We keep in touch still, and they're struggling to get into ketosis. I guess my question is, are there really situations where ketosis won't work for people? I know one person is trying to heal their MS, another person is dealing with an incredibly high body load from mold, and yet two other people are dealing with Lyme disease along with autoimmune issues. It just seems like there was much more to consider rather than just diet, which might actually be causing higher stress on their body. Would appreciate any insight from people who have experience/know of others who've dealt with this before. It's new to me, and I have no idea how to approach it.