If you’ve ever stood in the supplement aisle feeling overwhelmed — or found yourself adding yet another “must-have” to your cart after seeing it trending on wellness TikTok — this post is for you.
Let’s break it down with some honesty.
Food First. Always.
My philosophy has never changed: food first. Real, whole, nourishing food is the foundation for everything your body builds from — your energy, your hormones, your recovery, and yes, your milk supply if you’re in a postpartum season. No supplement will ever outperform a genuinely nourishing diet, and no amount of capsules will compensate for a diet built on processed, depleted foods.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Modern Food
Here’s where things get a little sobering. The food we’re eating today is not the same food our grandparents ate. The nutrient density of our soil has declined significantly over decades due to modern farming practices — monoculture farming, synthetic fertilizers, and overworked land have stripped the minerals and micronutrients that food used to naturally contain.
What does that mean practically? Even if you’re doing everything right — eating your vegetables, cooking at home, prioritizing whole foods, avoiding seed oils and packaged products — you are likely still not getting the same concentration of vitamins and micronutrients that previous generations received from the exact same foods.
That’s not fear-mongering. It’s the reality of our modern food system, and it’s why supplements have a legitimate place in a health-forward lifestyle.
Supplements as a Safety Net (Not a Shortcut)
This is the key mindset shift: supplements are not a replacement for real food. They are a safety net. They fill in the gaps that diet alone, in today’s world, genuinely cannot cover.
But — and this is important — that doesn’t mean you need a cabinet full of them. It’s easy to go overboard, especially with the way supplements are marketed right now. Every week there’s a new must-have product, a new trending ingredient, a new “this will change your life” capsule.
Here’s the truth: some supplements actually compete with each other for absorption. Others can be genuinely harmful in excess. And a lot of what’s being promoted is simply noise designed to sell products, not serve your health.
What I Actually Recommend
Stick to the basics. Don’t chase trends. Focus on what your body actually needs, ideally informed by your own labs and a practitioner who can look at your specific symptoms and lifestyle. That’s where one-on-one care will always outperform generic advice.
The bottom line is simpler than the wellness industry wants you to believe:
- Eat real food
- Prioritize nutrient density
- Fill the gaps with targeted, quality supplements
That’s it. You don’t need a complicated routine. You need a solid foundation.
A Note for Postpartum Mamas
If you’re in a postpartum season, this matters even more. The postpartum period involves the greatest hormone drop a woman experiences in her lifetime. Your body is simultaneously recovering, potentially producing milk, and rebuilding its nutrient stores — often on less sleep and more stress than ever before.
I have a specific supplement list tailored to the hormone and nutrient repletion process your body needs during this season. These are holistic, herbal-based supplements that use food as the primary source and work with how your body was designed to be supported — rooted in ancestral wisdom and intentional care.
To receive the list, reply SUPPS to any of my Instagram posts or stories, or email me at hello@drkaylaborchers.com with the subject line SUPPS. I’ll gladly share with you!
Building Your Family’s Supplement Supply
Here’s the deal: I’m a mom of four littles and we prioritize real, whole foods. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own little apothecary of extra nutrient stores from supplements! These are used as needed and to fill the gaps from our modern food supply.
Download your own Holistically Well Toolbox here!
EPISODE 60 | HOLISTICALLY WELL PODCAST | Q&A With Dr. Kayla: Do You Actually Need Supplements?
This topic goes even deeper on the podcast. Whether you’re a listener, a reader, or a watcher — there’s a version of this conversation waiting for you. Tune in on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube, and if it resonates, a review helps more women find their way here!
Listen on Apple | Watch on Spotify | Watch on YouTube
