Over the past year or so, as the movement for “real, from-the-land” type of food has gained momentum, there has been an interesting trend across the Internet. Mainly it’s one of people proclaiming their support for organic butter, fresh-from-the-farm bacon, raw milk, eating dark meat on chicken, and so on.

If this was all there was to it, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. I think it’s fantastic that people are supporting small farmers and eating food in its whole, real form, and cooking from scratch. But unfortunately, one of the things that you do see happening as people are talking about these excellent foods on social media is that they are dismissive of vegan diets and ways of eating.

What frustrates me the most about this is that it takes away from the whole concept of the real food movement. It still does what any other “diet” does in terms of ridiculing other ways of eating.

As a holistic nutritionist with Real World Wellness, the foundation of my work is based on the notion that everyone has different wants and needs, and that’s a good thing, and we can work together to find the right way of “healthy eating” that works for you. Some people do great when they eat some kind of animal product every day. Others thrive on soy products. And still more people have boundless energy when eating a higher percentage of raw foods.

Once you’ve reduced or removed chemical-y non-food ingredients and you’re left with whole, real foods, there are so many different options for what you can do to eat healthy for your body! And it comes down to figuring out what works for YOU.

If your body is happy to have butter and bacon and milk and dark meat regularly, that’s great. Keep it up. But don’t shake your finger at someone else for choosing tofu and beans and grains. We need to find the right type of eating that works for us as individuals, and support each other non-judgmentally. Only then will we get to a healthy place for us all.

What type of eating works best for you? Have you been a victim of someone disapproving of the way you eat? Share in the comments section below!