I think supplements can be an amazing tool for supporting our health. I take them myself, and I absolutely believe they have a place in our wellness toolbox.
But they can also lead us down a rabbit hole pretty quickly. 😂
A friend tells us about something that helped her sleep. Someone else found something that made a huge difference in her energy. Then we hear about something for digestion, joints, hormones, stress...and before we know it, we've added another bottle to the cabinet.
Individually, there may be absolutely nothing wrong with any of them.
But when was the last time we stopped and looked at all of them together?
That's something I've been thinking about lately as I made a change to my own supplement routine.
Sometimes taking better care of our bodies isn't about finding one more thing to add.
Sometimes it's about stepping back and asking:
What does my body actually need?
Before I Added Something New, I Looked at What I Already Had
I recently decided to start Young Living's Master Cellular Nutrition system. What caught my attention was the targeted cellular approach, along with the focus on supporting energy metabolism and a healthy inflammatory response.
But before I added it to everything I was already taking, I sat down and compared the new system with my current supplements.
I'm glad I did.
I realized I no longer needed to take magnesium separately. I also decided this would replace the AgilEase, which I had been using for inflammation support.
Vitamin D was a little different.
My levels have been low, and my doctor has recommended a specific amount for me. Since my new supplements also contain vitamin D, I needed to account for that and adjust the amount I take separately so I'm still getting the dosage my doctor recommends.
It was a good reminder that starting something new doesn't always mean adding something new.
Sometimes it means looking at the whole picture and making adjustments.
How Did I End Up Taking All of These?
And honestly, that was part of the reason I wanted to take a closer look at my supplement routine in the first place.
Remember that rabbit hole I mentioned earlier? I've definitely gone down it myself. 😂
It doesn't happen all at once. We hear about something that sounds like it could help, so we add it. Then something else comes along that sounds like a good fit too. Each choice makes sense at the time, but eventually we can end up with quite a collection.
I've caught myself thinking, Oh, that sounds like something I could use! especially after hearing how much it helped someone else.
There's nothing wrong with that curiosity. I've discovered some great things that way!
But I've realized I don't want my supplement routine to be about chasing the next new thing. I want it to be about what I actually need and what helps me feel my best.
Because something that works wonderfully for a friend doesn't necessarily mean my body needs it too.
Their nutritional needs, diet, medications, health history and current supplement routine may be completely different from mine.
So I'm learning to let someone else's experience make me curious—without automatically letting it add another bottle to my cabinet. 😂
More Isn't Always Better
And that's where looking at the whole picture becomes so important.
If we keep adding things because each one sounds beneficial on its own, we can end up stacking products that contain some of the same vitamins, minerals or other ingredients.
That's why it's important to turn the bottle around and actually read the Supplement Facts.
What are you already getting?
Where are ingredients overlapping?
And maybe most importantly:
What nutritional gaps are you actually trying to fill?
Sometimes we have information that helps answer that question. For me, vitamin D is a great example. Bloodwork showed that my levels were low, and my doctor recommended an amount for me to take.
Other times, it may mean looking at our diet or paying attention to how we feel.
Instead of asking,
"What else should I add?"
maybe the better question is,
"What does my body actually need?"
A Simple Supplement Check-In
This really comes back to something I talk about often:
Pause • Listen • Nourish • Reflect • Repeat.
And we can apply that same idea to our supplement routine.
Pause. Before adding something new, look at what you're already taking. Pull out the bottles and read the Supplement Facts.
Listen. What are you actually trying to support? Bloodwork and conversations with your healthcare provider can sometimes give you valuable information instead of simply guessing.
Nourish. Choose the support that makes sense for you. Supplements can be a wonderful part of that, but they're still only one piece of a bigger picture that includes food, hydration, movement, rest and other ways we care for ourselves.
Reflect. Is what you're doing still serving you? Just because you started taking something two years ago doesn't necessarily mean you need it forever. Our bodies and needs change.
And then repeat.
Wellness isn't something we figure out once and never have to think about again.
We're always learning.
I'm certainly still learning about my own body—and apparently occasionally cleaning out my supplement cabinet along the way. 😂
Take a Look at Your Own Supplement Cabinet
Here's my challenge for you this week.
Take a few minutes and really look at the supplements you're taking.
What are you taking? Why are you taking it? Are several products giving you the same nutrients? Is there something you've been taking for so long that you don't even remember why you started?
If you're taking medications, managing a health condition, correcting a known deficiency or simply aren't sure how everything works together, that's a great conversation to have with your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified healthcare professional.
I'm still a big believer in supplements.
I just don't think we need to take all the supplements. 😂
For me, this little reset was a good reminder to stop chasing the next thing and come back to what I'm really trying to do:
Give my body the support it needs to help me feel my best.
Because wellness isn't about copying someone else's routine.
It's about learning to understand your own.
When was the last time you really looked at everything you're taking—and why you're taking it?
Thanks for spending a little time with me today.
Wellness doesn’t have to be about fixing yourself. It can start with learning to listen, getting curious, and discovering what support looks like for you.
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