I’m sure the vast majority of what people believe about supplements comes from advertising, which is bias, not education. From multivitamin commercials to product labels to influencer reels, we’ve been told that “take this abc product..” and it will fix xyz.

Although I always wish it did, our bodies don’t work like that. Supplements aren’t shortcuts. They’re support tools, meant to fill gaps in your environment, timeline, or nutrition when food and lifestyle alone fall short.

Please understand that this post isn’t a full guide. It’s but a glimpse into how I personally think about supplements and when I choose to use them based on how I feel, how I eat, how I live, etc.

Supplements Are Support, Not Solutions

I used to think supplements were plug-and-play: low in something? Take a pill and you’re good. But over time, I realized it’s not that simple.

Supplements don’t override a lack of sunlight, poor sleep, or chronic stress. They don’t cancel out the damage caused by processed food or replace the benefits of movement and breathwork.

What they can do, when used intentionally, is support your body’s systems while you improve the foundations. But they only work well inside a bigger context.

Why I Use Supplements

I take supplements for two simple reasons:

1. To fill in gaps when life fluctuates more than usual
2. To support a specific system when I’m asking more of it

For example, if I’m eating plenty of eggs, sardines, and getting consistent sunlight that week, I may not take a B-complex, vitamin D, or omega-3 supplement at all.

My approach is dynamic. I adjust what I take based on what my real life looks like. I don’t base it on what a label suggests I “should” take daily.

What I Sometimes Take, and Why

Here are some of the supplements I rotate into my week depending on what’s going on. This is not a daily checklist. It’s more like a toolbox.

• Magnesium (at night and mornings on workout days) – For nervous system support and muscle recovery after long or intense days
• Moringa powder (at first meal) – For additional micronutrients when my vegetable intake is lower
• Omega-3 (only if not eating fatty fish) – To support my joints, brain function, and recovery
• Vitamin D (only during low sun exposure) – For immune and hormonal balance
• Food based B-vitamins (spirulina or food-based B-complex) – For after higher stress days, feeling lower in energy after intense days or days without eggs or fish
• Matcha with maple syrup – For focused, steady energy without overstimulation
• My custom pre-workout mix (creatine, amino acids, beets, etc.) – Only on heavier training days

Some weeks I take none of these. Other weeks I rotate a few in depending on stress, sunlight, sleep, or training volume.

Why I Rarely Take a Multivitamin

I hardly use multivitamins because they focus on percentages, not context. Most are designed to meet general daily values and are not designed to match your personal absorption, lifestyle, or current needs. (I will have a quality food-based multivitamin the day after recovering from an occasional stomach bug or I am sick, because I usually stick to a BRAT diet, which is fairly low in vitamins.)

Instead, I prefer targeted support when there’s a clear reason. Supplements should solve specific problems and fill particular gaps, not exist as daily insurance policies.

How to Begin Relearning Supplements

If you’ve been taking supplements because a label promised better sleep or more energy, you’re not alone.

The shift is learning to ask better questions:

• What am I eating consistently?
• How much sunlight am I actually getting?
• How is my sleep and stress?
• What patterns do I notice in my energy or recovery?

When you start observing your lifestyle first, supplements become support tools, not starting points or crutches.

Supplements Are the Backup Plan

If you’re curious about the specific products I use, you can browse them on the Products page. I only share items I’ve personally tested and still rotate into my routine.

Future posts will go deeper into individual supplements like magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3s, and iron; including how they interact with food, sunlight, and lifestyle.

But for now, remember this: supplements aren’t the foundation of wellness. They’re the support beams.