Why is an Organic Lifestyle Linked to Vegetarian?

 

So, lately I have noticed that when I talk about living an organic lifestyle to others, the question I receive is “are you a vegetarian or a vegan?”

I have lived an organic lifestyle for 7 years now. Within those years, I have come across so many questions, comments, insults, criticism, doubters, haters, to everything about the organic lifestyle. When I tell someone that I am an organic food/lifestyle blogger or that I live an organic lifestyle they always ask me if I am a vegetarian or a vegan. I get that ALL the time. That is the most common question I receive.

Sometimes I am unclear as to why people link organic to following a vegetarian lifestyle. I know many vegetarians and vegans who actually don’t eat organic or shop at health food stores. I don’t know exactly how vegetarian and organic got linked together. Sometimes I think it is because people link organic to the hippie culture. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, hippie’s were mainly vegetarians or vegans who followed an organic lifestyle.

Also, many people link organic to healthy, which is also completely unrelated. I think others believe that those who follow an organic lifestyle eat more health foods like Kale, Quinoa, and Tofu. Don’t get me wrong, most do but there are those that don’t. Because of that, others automatically assume that those who say they eat organic are vegetarians as well.

In my lifestyle, I eat healthy and I portion control, but my whole organic journey has been based on balance. With living an organic lifestyle, I haven’t given up anything except caffeine (for other reasons, as you can read in How I Broke Up With My Love For Coffee). I am not a vegetarian, a vegan or gluten free or follow a paleo lifestyle or a plant based diet. All of the “diets” that I mentioned have been linked to an organic lifestyle. I don’t identify myself solely with one of those lifestyle labels. I eat a variety of food items that are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, plant based and paleo but I don’t follow just one of those lifestyles.

My whole purpose for following an organic lifestyle is that I am going back to basics and eating organic like they did 60 years ago but in the modern day without depriving myself from the foods I love. Yes I still eat meat, chicken, dairy, raw cane sugar, and bread, but all organically produced and raised. Of course I limit those items but I don’t deprive myself either. I want to raise awareness that by living an organic lifestyle you don’t have to go into the other categories or lifestyles that are somehow linked to organic. You can live the same life like everyone else without any restrictions but just finding its organic counterpart.

Again, there is nothing wrong with any of the other lifestyles, I think they are fantastic and beneficial. Everyone has their own reasoning and views as to why they eat the way they eat. Just make sure that if you ever want to change your lifestyle, research it completely so that you are getting the right nutrients and follow it properly. Also, no matter what, never ever change your lifestyle just to look cool and fit in with someone you are trying to impress. Always do things for you because you know it is going to make you the best version of yourself.

 

Love, 

Sara, “S.O.Eats” 

 

p.s: Don’t worry, you can still come up to me and ask me if I am a vegetarian. I love and always will welcome any questions. Hopefully you will have read this blog post first, 🙂 haha.