Dr. Lindsay Duncan Tells The Real Story on Superfoods

Acai, pomegranate, agave, coconut sugar–They’re more in fashion than this year’s Miu Miu glitter booties. You’ve heard the hype about all of these all-natural, stomach slimming, life-changing superfoods. Well, to tell you the truth, you haven’t heard it all yet.

Dr. Lindsay Duncan– celebrity nutritionist (Marc Jacobs! Reggie Bush!), naturopathic doctor, creator of Genesis Today products, and superfood know-it-all, gave me the scoop on the truth behind the lies when it comes to these natural phenomena, what really works, his own mantra when it comes to healthy living, and how to keep healthy in the holiday season.

What is one of the main misconceptions Americans have about Superfoods?

There are several misconceptions, one of the most common misconceptions is that there really isn’t anything “super” about these foods, and that’s completely false.  This misconception is driven by the fact that numerous companies have jumped on the superfoods bandwagon and created poor quality products that claim to leverage superfoods for amazing health benefits, yet these products contain little to no superfoods – so, of course you aren’t going to see or feel any benefits.  The key is to read the label and look for products that actually tell you how many milligrams (mg) or grams (g) of superfoods are in the product, the more potent the product, the more powerful the results.

How important is it, really, to incorporate superfoods in an everyday diet?

It is incredibly important to incorporate superfoods into your daily diet.  Superfoods are super for a reason, and it’s because they deliver above average levels of nutrients per serving as well as unique and novel compounds.  These superfoods generally grow in some of the most desolate regions of the Earth like the acai berry from the Amazon Rainforest or the sea buckthorn berry, which is harvested from deep within the Himalayan mountain region of China.  Most superfoods have been used in traditional medicine by locals and passed down through generations upon generations.  It is in these regions with extremely harsh environments where these plants have developed survival skills that have enabled them to thrive for thousands of years.  When we eat these foods, we bring these survival mechanisms into our bodies to fight for our health.

So, superfoods in our daily diet help our bodies fight against illness and the general wear and tear that comes along with aging.  One of my favorite superfoods is the acai berry from Brazil.  This little berry delivers hundreds of nutrients and health benefits, many of which are still being discovered!  It is loaded with antioxidants to fight free radicals and it is a unique vegetarian source of Omega-3, -6 and -9 Fatty Acids.  Additionally, gram for gram, it packs as much protein as an egg! Research has shown that acai can support energy levels, cellular rejuvenation, cardiovascular health and boost appearance by strengthening hair, skin and nails.  All of that in one little berry?  Superfoods are just not your ordinary foods, in fact, they don’t even compare.

Go-to Superfoods? How to know if they’re authentic?

You know the superfood products are authentic if they come from a reputable source and if the bottle tells you how much superfood is actually in the product.  Read the label, there should be a minimum of 16,000 mg of the superfood per serving. Also, be smart, if it sounds too good to be true, then there is a good chance that it is.  Superfoods aren’t an overnight miracle solution to any problem, they work over time to nourish, strengthen and heal the body.  I personally have several “go-to” superfoods that I take daily, so I will just give you my top three recommendations specifically for women.

1. AÇAI: I have already mentioned açaí, but I have been touting its benefits for many years and I still believe it is one of the most potent superfoods on planet Earth and is essential for women’s health.  Açaí berries grow in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil and have been consumed by the beautiful people of Brazil for centuries. A favorite of pro surfers and supermodels, açaí berries support natural energy, healthy hair, skin and nails, and they boost antioxidant levels exponentially. It might surprise you, but the açaí berry actually contains protein and many women are deficient in this essential nutrient. In fact, protein helps burn away fat and this kind of vegetarian protein is much easier on the digestive system than animal sources of protein, like eggs or meat.

With a variety of açaí products available on the market, incorporating açaí into your daily routine is simple.  One easy and delicious way to get your dose of açaí is in a gummy vitamin, like Genesis Today Açaí Energy Gummy Vitamins at Walgreens or Walmart – they’re about the size, taste and texture of a gummy bear, but contain a powerful punch of pure açaí and several important added vitamins.

2. SEABUCKTHORN: Sea buckthorn hails from some of the harshest environments within the Himalayan mountain region of China.  A tiny, sour and potent orange berry that’s no larger than a pea, sea buckthorn is packed with vitamin C that boosts immunity and fights free-radicals, as well as a host of other powerful nutrients.  One of sea buckthorn’s most unique properties is its omega fatty acid content.  It contains omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids, as well as the extremely rare omega-7. These omega fatty acids help strengthen your hair and nails, and improve the elasticity of your skin, supporting a more youthful appearance. Sea buckthorn has also been shown to help maintain a healthy weight.

There is no doubt about it. The best way to get the health benefits of sea buckthorn is in a 100 percent pure liquid supplement like Genesis Today Sea Buckthorn 100. I will admit, sea buckthorn tastes terrible, so you might opt for it in capsule form in the GenEssentials™ Superfruit Oil 3-6-7-9 Blend, you can find both forms at Whole Foods or your local health foods store.

3. RESVERATROL:  Resveratrol can be found in the skin of grapes and pomegranates and is the active compound in red wine believed to be responsible for “The French Paradox.”  You know how the French are known to drink lots wine yet they maintain their youthful appearance and have low coronary heart disease despite their diets that are high in saturated fats?  That’s thought to be the resveratrol working a little of Mother Nature’s magic. This amazing compound is loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals and support cardiovascular health, including healthy veins, cells and blood flow. The antioxidants also fight those nasty free radicals that can age skin cells and cause wrinkles.

You could drink a few glasses of red wine per day to get resveratrol, but there are better, healthier ways to get resveratrol without a hangover. You can add grapes, berries or pomegranates to your diet, but the most potent form of resveratrol is found in Japanese knotweed and is available in liquid supplement or juice form.  There is a juice that I recommend you drink daily called Pomegranate & Berries with Resveratrol by Genesis Today, which you can find in the refrigerated section of Walmart or other grocery stores.  This juices serves up the same amount of resveratrol as 50 glasses of wine in every serving – amazing!

Fall is upon us, what is a great way to exercise our diets in this fashion—anything in season?

Fall tends to be a time when we start to reach for more starchy hearty foods and pull back on the leafy greens, salads and cold, lighter foods like fresh fruit just don’t seems as exciting to most people as the temperature begins to drop.  Probably my best recommendation for fall is to make sure you are continuing to get greens into your diet as starchy foods, alcohol, meat and all those hearty meals will cause our bodies to become acidic, which can make us feel tired and groggy.  An overly acid body can also contribute to weight gain and a host of other ailments.

Our best defense against an acid body is cruciferous vegetables as part of an alkaline diet.  You should make greens a part of every meal, maybe start your day with a fresh juice, add some kale chips to your lunch, or try a powdered greens supplement like GenEssentials Greens.  These Greens are 3-5 servings of dark leafy green vegetables in just one serving.  They are great for fall because you can mix them into warm soups or tea.  At my house, I like to add a scoop of Greens to my morning Acai Berry Juice, not only does it alkalinize, but it also gives a boost of natural energy.

Fall DETOX?

Fall and spring are the two times of the year that are best for a good detox as it goes with the changing of the seasons.  I recommend my 5-7 day cleanse, which you can read about on my website: http://drlindsey.com/nutritional-philosophy-spring-clean-your-diet/.  The key to detoxing is to not starve your body of nutrients.  When you go on a basic juice fast, your body isn’t getting a lot of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that it needs to stop your body from going into “starvation mode”.  In fact, you could be doing more harm than good for your body, so it’s important to cleanse smart, that’s why I recommend a superfruit cleanse. While you’re flushing your body of toxins, you are also feeding your body with nutrients to help balance and build your 60 trillion cells.

How does Genesis today differ from other organic/superfruit/food brands?

We are a company with a mission to bring the world’s most potent superfoods and the most essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to the masses by making delicious, healthy, all-natural products that are accessible and affordable for everyone.

Our number one goal is to improve the health and wellness of the U.S. population and eventually the world by creating delicious, incredibly healthy products that nourish the 60 trillion cells of the human body. I promise you that our products make an impact to the health and wellness of millions of people every day, and most don’t even realize how big of an impact we really make just by delivering a strong dose of essential vitamins, minerals and the amazing and unique novel compounds that are only found in the most powerful foods on the planet Earth – Superfoods!