By J.C. Amodea
Standing apart from other Naples health markets, Genesis Non-GMO Vitamins and More is 100% non-GMO.
“Everything in the store that we sell, we would ingest ourselves. Quality is important to us,” according to owner Vincent (Vince) Pitonzo, who operates the store with his wife, Maria Bella, hairstylist in-residence.
“Our customers love coming to the store not only for the personal one-on-one attention they receive, but also because we focus on educating our customers. We try to bring in one speaker a month about health-related current events.”
Ranked by Yelp as one of The Best 10 Health Markets in Naples, Genesis Non-GMO has been in business since the spring of 2014.
Exterior of Genesis 
Interior of Genesis
What’s the benefit of using non-GMO products?
At the top of the list, Genesis carries non-GMO products due to the adverse effects of genetically modified organisms (GMO) on health.
“These organisms contain genetic material that has been altered in a laboratory. GMOs can have a direct impact on your gut health, as well. Daily, I see many customers who have been diagnosed by their doctors with food allergies, which are linked to the effects of consuming genetically modified foods.”
For the gals, collagen is a hands-down top seller in women’s health category for the last two years, says Pitonzo, who noted that with an abundance of research backing its use, collagen shows improvements in hair skin, nails and bone health.
“Chemical-free skincare has also been a great seller since women are more conscious of what they are using topically on their skin. Women’s daily multivitamins are a third top seller, for overall women’s health,” he says.
For the guys, the top men’s health product at Genesis is CBD/hemp oil and balms. The reason it has been a huge seller is due to high demand by customers for its effectiveness in relieving pain, inflammation and the positive effect that it has on remedying sleep disorders.
“The CBD products offer something for everyone, especially the golf and tennis community that is so popular in Southwest Florida. Overall, our best-selling products are hemp products, immune health supplements and detox products,” Pitonzo adds.
The Wild Rose herbal detox has been popular for many years as it is an effective but gentle, whole-body detox. He says that while following a strict diet, the Wild Rose herbal detox cleanse aids in weight loss.
“We also have a new product by Microformula called Mimosa Pudica Seed, which aids in removing the pesky parasites in the intestinal walls that can cause havoc on the body. This seed also helps with an irritable bowel, acid reflux and microbiome health,” he says.
“As far as keeping up your immune system, right now, the best products are vitamin C, D3, zinc and various medicinal mushrooms. The products that I recommend are magnesium, B-complex, vitamin D3 and vitamin C. We recommend taking these daily for maintaining good health.”
To keep the entire body in top shape, other services include an in-house salon staffed by Maria Pitonzo, who keeps customers looking their best with top-rated organic products for hair color and highlighting.
Pitonzo says that the benefits of using organic hair color eliminates toxic chemicals in the air or your body, resulting in healthy hair and a healthy scalp.
“Common toxic chemicals found in beauty products can cause allergies and health complications. The most common hair problems are hair loss and chemical damage caused by toxic chemicals in hair dye,” he says.
In addition, other salon services include precision hair cutting, facial waxing and eyebrow microblading.
Genesis also offers an infrared sauna experience, TheraSauna. Compared to other saunas, Pitonzo says that infrared saunas are optimal for human absorption, penetrating two inches below the skin for maximum detox.
Exterior of the TheraSauna at Genesis 
Interior of the TheraSauna at Genesis
The benefits of the TheraSauna include zero cold spots, it does not vent plastics and carbon fibers into the cabinet detoxes toxic gases like sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and substances like lead, mercury and chlorine that are encapsulated by large water molecules.
“Infrared saunas aid in a process called resonant absorption, which occurs when the body selectively absorbs infrared to boost a tissue’s infrared energy and improves circulation, cellular energy and immune health,” Pitonzo explains.
“The TheraSauna has a controlled temperature of about 30 minutes before the customer’s appointment, and sessions are usually between 10 to 60 minutes. You can feel good after one session, but to thoroughly detox, we recommend a minimum of three sessions per week.”
Pitonzo says that there are many types of saunas. Among the wet and dry types of saunas and those that use stones, carbon, and ceramic heaters, the benefits of far-infrared far saunas surpass others.
“We have found that far-infrared heatwaves dilate blood vessels and capillaries, providing increased flow of rich oxygenated blood to muscles and joints, reduces muscle spasms, and promotes healing of injured and sore muscle fibers. They improve flow within the lymphatic system to reduce swelling and inflammation, and stimulate cellular and enzyme activity while promoting the adhesion and osmosis of water molecules across the cellular membrane,” he says.
Pitonzo, originally from upstate New York, says he has always been interested in the health field and was always looking for alternative ways to heal the body.
“Bianca, my eldest daughter, is well educated in nutrition counseling, plant and herbal medicine. She approached me on starting Genesis, and we decided to open in Naples.”
If you go:
Genesis Non-GMO Vitamins and More
Where: 877 91st Ave. N. #4, Naples
Hours: 10 am – 6 pm Monday to Friday; 10 am – 5 pm Saturday
Contact: Visit www.genesisnongmo.com or call (239) 596-9017
