It was their HPA axis. Most people have never heard of it. But it runs everything. HPA stands for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis ... it's the communication system between your brain and your stress hormones. And when it's dysregulated, your body gets a very clear signal: hold on to every calorie you have. Not because you're lazy. Not because your metabolism is broken. But because your brain genuinely believes you are in danger ... and fat is the fastest fuel source available in an emergency. Here's what dysregulates it: years of under-eating, endocrine disruptors, environmental toxins, overtraining, chronic stress, poor sleep quality, artifical lights, nutrient deficiencies and pushing through when your body is asking you to stop. Sound familiar? When we work with a client, the HPA axis is one of the first things I look at. And when it finally regulates ... sleep improves, cortisol drops, weight starts moving. Not because they changed their diet. Because we fixed the system...