Serenity and Fire with Krista

5 Simple Ways to Reduce Toxins and Reclaim Your Energy

• Krista

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Making the switch to a cleaner lifestyle doesn’t mean overhauling your entire life overnight. It’s about starting small, staying curious, and being intentional.

Last week we dove deep into toxins, and today I’m sharing 5 specific areas where you can reduce toxins and support your body’s natural detox systems—without the stress. From cleaning up your diet and skincare routine to rethinking your home environment, I’ll walk you through what to look out for, where to start, and how we do it every day at Panacea.

You’ll learn:
 – Simple food and product swaps that make a big difference
 – How to detox your home and reduce exposure to hidden chemicals
 – Tips for supporting your liver, skin, and lymphatic system naturally
 – Why toxin-free skincare is essential for oncology clients
 – My favorite biohacking tools and how they work inside Panacea

Whether you're on a healing journey or simply want to feel better in your skin, this episode is here to help you take that next small but meaningful step. 

🌿 Challenge for you: Make one toxin-reducing swap this week—then share it on Instagram with the hashtag #SerenityAndFire. I’ll be reposting my favorites!

✨ Want to go deeper? Join us for our upcoming Radiant Reset Liver Detox Ritual at Panacea on June 17. Full details are at @panacealuxuryspa.

Let’s keep moving forward—one clean choice at a time.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Serenity and Fire, the podcast where wellness meets grit. I'm your host, krista Guaggiani, founder of Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique. Join me as we dive into the intriguing world of biohacking, clean living, cutting edge spa trends and the hustle, grind and grit of entrepreneurship. From my personal battles with weight management and infertility, through a 30-year struggle to create and launch my dream business, to building a sanctuary for those who have been touched by cancer, I'm here to share real talk, inspire big dreams and spark a passion for holistic living inside each and every one of you. So let's dive in. Okay, so today we're going back to the topic that we introduced last week, which is eliminating toxins in your life, and I'm going to share five key areas that you can focus on and give you some tips that you can start implementing right away to help eliminate those toxins in your life. So first, you want to clean up your diet. This means swapping out processed foods for whole organic ones wherever you can and whenever you can. For example, maybe you choose organic apples over conventional ones to avoid all those pesticides If organic's not really in your budget, because it definitely can be expensive. Check the environmental working groups dirty dozen. If you remember, in the last episode, I mentioned EWG. It's one of my favorite apps and it's so great for checking ingredients and really learning if the products and the foods and stuff that you're eating have toxins in them. So they have a list on there that can help you prioritize produce. One of the big things that they target are strawberries and spinach. So those are just some places where you can start when it comes to food. Also, you want to ditch those plastic food containers for glass or stainless steel containers instead of like the plastic Tupperware, and this will help avoid some of those BPAs that are leaching into your food. This is a tough one for me because I grew up on Tupperware. I have tons of it and you know we're slowly transitioning all of our pans and our bowls and our you know utensils that we cook with from the plastic over to glass or stainless steel. So give yourself some grace and patience. Take your time with it. So when plastic is unavoidable, for example in a water bottle, look for that BPA-free indicator on the bottles. For example, at Panacea, our cold-pressed juices and our new chlorophyll waters are all in BPA-free plastic bottles. So I try to be very intentional about everything we offer and use at Panacea in this regard. We also hope to expand our wellness lounge and offer an increased variety of toxin-free snacks and foods. Okay, second tip Rethink your personal care products.

Speaker 1:

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It absorbs up to 60% of everything you put on it. So check your labels on your skincare items for ingredients like parabens, phthalates and artificial fragrances, and be careful of fragrances, because sometimes it will say fragrance but it won't say artificial, or it will make it look like it's a clean fragrance and it's actually not. So you really have to research fragrances. You want to make sure that they're organic and that they're from all natural sources. If you're unsure of what an ingredient is, I definitely recommend that you search that ingredient on the EWGorg app. I promise they're not paying me. It's just such a really awesome source of information and I recommend that you use that whenever you don't understand what an ingredient is. You're also going to want to switch to clean skincare brands like Eminence or Arcana. Their non-toxic formulas are amazing and we carry them exclusively at Panacea, so if you don't know where to find them, you can definitely pop in there and grab your favorite products. At Panacea, we use only clean products in all of our services, and we've taken this one step further and have created an oncology facial that uses only oncology certified products from Eminence's biodynamic product line. So our clients who are battling cancer can rest easy, knowing that these products can be used even while they're in active treatment. And if you didn't catch my pro tip that I mentioned earlier, here it is again Use an ingredient app like Think Dirty to scan products and find safer options. Again, my go-to resource is EWG. I really do love this app and we honestly use it for every protocol we've created at Panacea to make sure all of our product ingredients are clean and safe.

Speaker 1:

Okay, my third area of focus is detoxing your home. The amount of chemicals in our home care cleaning products is honestly astounding, so you want to look to try to replace chemical heavy cleaning products with natural ones like vinegar and baking soda or brands like Seventh Generation. A HEPA air filter can also help cut indoor air pollutants, especially here in Columbus, ohio. Although it is unknown how many products on the shelf contain toxic chemicals or how many toxic chemicals are actually in circulation, studies do reveal that it is safe to assume that toxic chemicals are now commonplace in the average home, and because of this. It has been found that inside our homes the air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air due to the chemicals found in everyday and ordinary household products. What's even more scary is that the American Lung Association named Columbus the 54th worst city in the nation for particle pollution in their 2025 state of the air report. So if the air inside our homes is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, imagine how toxic the inside of our homes are.

Speaker 1:

Another tip to help you detox your home and this may sound a little crazy and like over the top, but you really want to try to choose low VOC furniture to avoid off. Detox your home and this may sound a little crazy and like over the top, but you really wanna try to choose low VOC furniture to avoid off-gassing. What the heck is off-gassing? So this is a process by which products release those volatile organic compounds into the air, and oftentimes they're accompanied by an odor. You know that, like new home or new furniture, smell whenever you bring in a new piece of furniture or you move into a new house. That is what we're talking about, and VOCs are chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature and are commonly found in household products like paints, cleaning supplies, furniture and building materials. Factors that affect off-gassing of VOCs include them being new items, higher temperatures and enclosed spaces. Vocs include them being new items, higher temperatures and enclosed spaces. So you really want to ventilate your rooms. Use air purifiers where you can and opt for those low VOC products. These small changes, like adding an air filter and replacing your home care cleaning products with natural products, don't just help you. They really do create a safer environment and space for your family and your pets too.

Speaker 1:

Tip number four support your body's natural detox systems. Your liver, kidneys and skin are built to eliminate toxins, but they really do need some help in doing so. You can help them by minimizing your toxin consumption and staying hydrated to help flush out toxins in your body. You want to aim for at least two liters of filtered water daily to flush out those toxins, and if you're not someone who understands liters, then think like a half a gallon or 32 ounces, or just a little over eight cups a day. But optimally, most health sources in the industry do recommend that men consume 15 and a half cups, or 125 ounces of water a day and that women consume 11 and a half cups, or 91 ounces of water a day. So to make it easy, I usually say like 90 to 120 ounces of water a day and you'll be in good shape.

Speaker 1:

And then another thing that I'm so super excited about right now is hydrogen water. We're going to talk more about this in a future episode, but just to get your biohacking curiosity piqued a little bit, hydrogen water is simply that water infused with molecular hydrogen. Molecular hydrogen is actually the smallest and most abundant molecule in the entire universe. It improves our cellular antioxidant defense system and it's literally everywhere. Hydrogen water is a potential game changer for overall health because, unlike traditional antioxidants, hydrogen is the smallest and most bioavailable molecule in existence, which allows it to penetrate deep into our cells and even cross the blood-brain barrier. And this is important because this powerful antioxidant fights oxidative stress and supports detoxification, and studies also suggest that it can reduce inflammation, improve overall cellular function, promote deep hydration, improve cognitive function and boost energy, making it a really great clean living tool. We'll dive deeper into hydrogen water in a future episode, but for now, know it's a simple way to enhance your detox game. At Panacea, we've introduced the industry's number one hydrogen water bottle into our boutique, so if you're not sure where to get one. Come check it out.

Speaker 1:

Now, moving on to other ways that you can help increase your body's natural detoxification system and unfortunately yes, you know it it's with exercise. But the exercise doesn't have to be super intense. It can be something calming, meditative and low intensive, like yoga or like a brisk walk. These kinds of exercises are going to help boost circulation and help your lymphatic system detox naturally on its own. And the other big thing is you can't skip sleep Seven to eight hours of night. Let your body really repair and cleanse properly. And, honestly, I'm my own worst listener because when it comes to this, I'm the biggest offender. So I know how hard it is to get that much sleep every night for some people. But, like exercise, when I get it I feel so much better. I feel more energized, I'm more productive. So I've been really trying to schedule this into my life and be really intentional about it, but it is something that I really have to focus on and really plan into my daily schedule. So, if you're like me, just try to make it a priority and you'll notice big differences.

Speaker 1:

Some biohacking tips that you can also do to help enhance your body's natural detoxification system is through treatments like LED light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and preso therapy. These holistic services are going to supercharge detoxification by oxygenating tissues and reducing inflammation throughout the body. Okay, so my fifth tip is to reduce environmental exposures. This one's trickier, but small steps can help. So doing things like using a Brita filter in your water to help remove those heavy metals and again going back to those pesky receipts, not touching them or avoiding touching them as much as you can, because, like I said, they're coated with those BPAs and if you're near like pollution, like traffic or smog, consider a scarf to help eliminate inhaling some of those fumes. And making these little tweaks can add up to big reductions in your overall toxic load.

Speaker 1:

So now I want to share a story from our team at Panacea to show why clean living really matters. Our lead therapists, who are all trained in advanced oncology therapeutics, know and understand the negative impacts that toxins have made in the lives of many of our clients who have unfortunately been diagnosed with cancer. Whether toxins led to those diagnoses or not, we may never know that, but my team does see the toll cancer takes on the lives of so many. They also understand how using products that are not clean can worsen some of the additional side effects that go along with having a cancer diagnosis. So think about things like thinning skin and compromised skin, extreme dehydration, residual surgical site pain, issues from where maybe they've had lymph nodes or organs removed and think like lymphedema risk, etc. Our therapists see and feel the relief that those same clients feel when they receive a toxin-free facial or massage from one of our highly trained therapists. It isn't just relaxing, it's empowering. These clients can walk out of panacea with a sense of calm and peace of mind, knowing they're in a safe space, free of harmful chemicals, where they can truly begin to relax their minds, restore their health and rejuvenate their spirits All things that are necessary for having successful outcomes with whatever treatments they're going through. And that's really the heart of panacea Creating a sanctuary where healing feels safe yet luxurious, and where they can really start to forget about their cancer diagnosis, even if it is just for the few hours that they're there with us at the spa.

Speaker 1:

So the real question is how do you make clean living sustainable? Again, you have to start small. Don't try to do it all at one time. Pick one thing you want to change and just start there. Maybe it's switching out your shampoo or consuming only organic vegetables. Then build from there, track how you feel after a week or so and just keep at it. The improvements that you feel may be subtle, but over time they will add up in big ways. Maybe you'll have less fatigue or clearer skin, Maybe you'll find that you sleep better, have better mental clarity and focus, and maybe your body won't feel so tight when you're stretching or when you're working out. All of those things are your body saying thank you.

Speaker 1:

I was actually listening to another podcast the other day and the speaker said we need to listen to our bodies, because whether we are listening to our bodies or not, our bodies speak to us every day. So think progress, not perfection. Progress is definitely the goal. So before we wrap up, here's a challenge for you Make one toxin reducing swap this week, like a clean body lotion, or maybe it's a glass water bottle, and then, if you can, share it on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag Serenity and Fire, and I'll repost my favorites on our pages To help you start, grab a free, all-natural, multi-purpose apple cider vinegar wash recipe on our Panacea page at Panacea Luxury Spa.

Speaker 1:

So, as I mentioned in the first episode, this mission is deeply personal for me. While it was too late to affect my fertility journey in a positive way by the time I started eliminating toxins in my life, doing so has definitely changed my life for the better. I have much better overall health outcomes, my lab reports are definitely a lot better, I feel better, and it has certainly fueled and supported my passion towards panacea's oncology-focused mission. Every clean product, every toxin-free treatment is about creating a space where we can heal, thrive and feel empowered. Whether you're facing a health challenge or just trying to feel amazing, reducing toxins is a step towards a stronger you. And if you're feeling overwhelmed by all of this and you just don't know where to start, I'm here to help.

Speaker 1:

And, of course, I highly recommend that you try out some of our holistic services at Panacea. We have so many great options to help support that natural detoxification process that I've been talking about Everything from contrast therapy in our cold plunge and hot hydrotherapy pools to our Himalayan salt saunas, hyperbaric oxygen chambers and our state-of-the-art, industry-leading LED light therapy beds. Also, our Vizia skin analysis system can actually even show toxins that are affecting your skin. So just go to panacealuxuriespacom to book your next service and, while you're in our boutique, be sure to check out our wide variety of clean products as well. You'll find everything from herbal cramp balms, magnesium pain sprays, all-natural laundry care kits and even detoxing deodorant bars which, by by the way, will help you move from aluminum-based antiperspirants to all-natural deodorants and almost all the clean products that we use in our services are available for purchase in our boutique. So this is a great place for you to start and, lastly, if you want to take your detoxification efforts even further, get your tickets now for our Radiant Reset Liver Detox Ritual Program.

Speaker 1:

It's being held at Panacea on June 17th of this year and it's a one-of-a-kind event where we will combine science-backed nutrition, expert wellness coaching from my board-certified functional nutritionist, julie Hiller, and biohacking to help you reset your liver, boost your energy and restore your body's natural detox functions All the things we've been talking about in this entire episode. With this program, you'll receive a seven-day detox kit with shakes and supplements, a clean eating recipe book, plus three of our top recommended detox services and a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session, an LED light bed, whole body therapy session and a star preso therapy session. You'll also get two full hours of time in our amenities so you can test out some of that contrast therapy in the cold plunge pool and the hot hydrotherapy pool, and even utilize our Himalayan salt saunas in our eucalyptus steam room, you'll receive a cold-pressed juice and your own bottle of our all-natural apple cider vinegar multipurpose wash. So if you're battling fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, muscle aches, stubborn weight gain or hormonal imbalances, you won't want to miss this event. For more details on tickets, follow Panacea at Panacea Luxury Spa.

Speaker 1:

Okay, that's it for today's episode. Remember, eliminating toxins takes time, so give yourself some grace and some patience and reward yourself when you do make positive changes. And if you've loved this episode, hit that subscribe button wherever you get your podcasts so that we can reach more people like you. Please also share your clean living journey with us at Serenity and Fire and let's keep that fire burning Until next time. Keep balancing serenity with fire. I'm Krista Gojeni and I'll see you in the next episode.