My Chemical-Free House

A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home

Extreme Sensitivities

How to Choose a Hotel When you Have Chemical Sensitivities (And Mold Sensitivity)

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Choosing a hotel, some tips

This is what I have used to find good hotels, especially important when you are booking something in another country and need your first bet to be a good (enough) one.

Never override your own senses/reactions with “the rules” but this has been helpful with knowing where to start. Lots of fails and trial and error for me.

– Go as new as you can. In tropical countries, it’s even more important to choose new. Brand new if you can find it. Buildings do not hold up well in the tropics.

– In countries I really want to go to, I’m watching for opening dates of hotels I have my eyes on.

– Big brands can be better. Marriot, Hilton, and Hyatt, and some European brands too can be better built. Though I would not choose an older big name over a newer local hotel.

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A Guide to Non-Toxic Camping Gear (And Keeping it Mold Free) | 2023

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I have updated this post after having spent two years of close to full-time camping.

The focus is still on avoiding chemicals, but I am adding more unusual camping equipment and techniques for avoiding mold, updating new gear I really like, and some new tricks.

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The Locations Effect – Canadian Locations

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I’ve been watching reports on healing locations in Canada for ten years. Being Canadian myself, I have kept a keen eye out for anywhere that looks promising.

For a long time, there were not many extreme mold avoiders in Canada who were unmasked. So reports were conflicting, sparse, and hard to make sense of.

I now feel that I have a good grasp on the reports. We have more unmasked mold avoiders healing in Canada.

I myself have been to quite a few of these places, and many of us have met up in person, which helps me corroborate info and compare levels of environmental sensitivity.

I have followed the stories closely of those avoiding in Canada and through triangulation of reports I have put together my take on which locations have good outside air free of outdoor toxins, which are just OK, which ones went bad, and which ones are just no good at all.

If you are new to The Locations Effect, this is my main post explaining the topic of pursuing mold avoidance in locations free of outdoor toxins.

British Columbia

Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have been healing locations for many folks over the years. Dave Asprey healed in Duncan BC, just down the road from where I first made major progress in my tiny house. A couple of other mold avoiders came to visit me and found the area to be good.

Others have reported Vancouver Island to be quite good before the fires in 2018. During that time a lot of flame retardant was dumped all throughout BC, creating widespread FRAT (flame retardant associated toxin).

The waters around Vancouver and Vancouver Island are also dodgy for the toxin known as Mystery Toxin (MT), creating really tricky plumes that can form on the breeze and even blanket Victoria during foggy days. This is very likely due to the sewage dumping into the water around Victoria.

Though a few mold avoiders have found some healing in Victoria and Sooke, it is a very tricky area due to FRAT and mystery toxins. Not for the beginner, unless you are only mildly affected by mold and environmental toxins.

Gulf Islands

We have had two good reports from the Gulf Islands. One was Saltspring Island from someone not extremely sensitive, and one was from another nearby island.

Caution to those very sensitive because the ocean water toxins around that area mean the smaller islands off Vancouver Island are not necessarily better locations.

FRAT in BC

My thoughts on escaping this devastation of FRAT we unleashed on the province was that it was likely necessary to escape to the Yukon to get very clear of this.

That has been confirmed by one of our most unmasked mold avoiders. Though the area is not 100% clear of FRAT, she reports, the area is much easier to navigate than BC.

BC Interior

The interior of BC has mostly bad reports from unmasked mold avoiders, with the Okanagan and Slocan valley usually getting bad reports.

Though we have one unmasked mold avoider citing that skilled avoiders could find good pockets in the Oakanagan.

Nelson has two OK reports from folks who are not as extreme, with one good report on Nakusp. Though reports do indicate the 2018 fires worsened this area, and it is not as good as it was.

Cranbrook, East Kootenay area, was reported surprisingly good – at least for the interior of BC.

The Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains have for a long time been reported as an excellent area in Canada, both on the BC and AB side.

But more recently, since those same fires in 2018, the most unmasked, or most sensitive to the environment, have not found this to be a pristine environment anymore. Flame retardant associate toxin (FRAT) is reported all throughout this area. A big loss.

Those less sensitive may still do well here, but it’s not a world-class location anymore. It is still better for many folks compared to the south coast or interior of BC.

Northern BC and the Yukon

A unmasked mold avoider who has gone into remission has found good healing spots around Whitehorse, YK. In the town (at least in the summer) might not be perfectly clear of toxins. Areas outside of Whitehorse, have been reported as pristine. Pine Lake campground is one example.

I’m sure there are many good areas in the Yukon if you can bear with the weather.

Northern BC may be good for some, if you are not too affected by toxins, as the air did appear to improve further north, with Prince George, and Fort Nelson having areas clear of all major outdoor toxins.

Alberta

The Rocky Mountains AB, as I mentioned, have the same reports as on the BC side.

Calgary and Edmonton, have gotten OK reports from some (and even good reports from those new to mold avoidance). This to me indicates the area is not that great or is patchy based on the area or time of year.

Lethbridge has mixed reports.

The one spot that comes recommended as “clear” in Alberta is Chain Lakes. Two people have had the same assessment of Chain Lakes.

Big Cities in Canada

Most of the big cities have been reported as at least semi problematic for those sensitive to outdoor toxins, with Ottawa usually reported as the worst (I agree!) But other big cities are fairly difficult as well.

It depends where you are in your healing, those not very sick or fully recovered can expect to go back to one of the major cities, as most are not absolutely terrible.

Certainly many less sensitive folks have done well (or well enough) in Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, North Vancouver, and even Vancouver proper.

When highly unmasked I could always feel a dramatic improvement in North Van, especially near the tree line, compared to Vancouver. Though keep in mind Vancouver proper is my ground zero, where I got sick with CFS. That can skew things.

We also have quite a few bad reports from all those areas – controversial areas indicate it’s not that great of an area, usually. There are also differences in which toxin exactly knock folks out.

One very experienced avoider can dodge MT areas in Vancouver and Victoria. Many others get slammed. Toxins in these areas can be inconsistent – dependant on season, weather, wind, fog, snow etc.

I found the Toronto area to be OK when I was less sick, but not a place for recovery after major mold injury.

There is some consensus that the Vancouver area is better than Toronto, however, that was before the fires of 2018. Toronto is full of MT and BC is now more FRAT.

Quebec

The area north of Montreal has been reported good by a couple of very reliable mold avoiders – Sainte-Adèle and Laurentian Mountains.

And although it’s an old report, I have seen another big improvement even further north, camping in Quebec.

In terms of finding good areas north of Quebec, it’s not a straight line of better and better further from the city. Sainte-Adèle appears to be a bubble of a clear area. And, just like almost every location on earth, the Laurentian Mountains have pockets of good air and not so great air.

Though it’s great that we have more than one really good report here, this area is of course very cold in the winter.

Ontario

I lived in southern Ontario for 10 years in the middle of my illness. I was not unmasked at the time but I personally did not find any relief from “cottage country” north of Toronto or anywhere within in a few hours of Toronto.

I have seen someone do well north of Toronto, but she was not unmasked.

There are many areas like this that are good enough for those in the early stages. If you are right out of a moldy house and into the wilderness you can often feel a lot of improvement, even if the area is not considered pristine.

This is not where I would head if I had a choice.

The Maritimes

I don’t have any good reports from the Atlantic coast of Canada. I did go to PEI, but it was a long time ago and I don’t consider that report to be very accurate anymore. I didn’t do well there.

More on – What is a Mold Sabbatical and what you need to bring with you.

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Emergency Housing for Chemical and Mold Sensitivity MCS / CIRS

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Emergency Housing for those with Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) and Mold Sensitivity

Here is a list of some housing ideas for those with environmental sensitivities needing immediate or temporary safe housing.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

KOA Cabins

KOA cabins are located across the US and Canada. The cabins are made from mostly safe materials (mostly wood) and have been reported to be good places to stay for those who are environmentally sensitive.

Ask if the wood has been stained recently. The bathrooms are separate and may or may not be mold-free, depending on the location.

Recently I’m hearing reports of these having gone moldy. If the foundation or roof is not done right there is a high chance these could go moldy. Often newer is better for mold.

Home Made Tents

Regular tents can be difficult because of the chemicals used on the fabrics, the lack of insulation and the tendency for them to go musty very easily and be a lot of work with the airing out and drying out.

I have a preferred tent which is an off-the-ground tent in my post on camping gear. Here are some alternatives:

Reflectix Tent 

Reflectix provides some R-value and reflects light so that should work in a lot of different climates, though the seams will reduce the insulative value and add more glue and more potential for leaks. There are simpler designs for the structure that will reduce seams.

You can’t buy these – you would have to look online for the metal structure, then buy the Reflectix, foam, aluminum tape, and duct tape and then have someone make it for you. The tape may make this intolerable for some. And this also lacks airflow. 

You would also make at least one triangle out of polyethylene or an EVA Shower Liner so that you have some light. But have a flap of Reflectix over it that you open and close over this “window”.

Plastic Tent

A woman sitting outside of a tent that she made from Tyvek plastic
Kim’s tent via Paradigm Chage.org

Kim was severely sensitive to chemicals. She made a tent out of Tyvek which she tolerated well when extremely reactive. She explains how to make it here. Through extreme mold avoidance, Kim made a full recovery.

This is a plastic used as house wrap.

There are so many options here on what you can build an emergency tent out of. It all depends on what you can tolerate.

It may not last forever but it may give you some time to find another option or even bring down your MCS which will open up options. 

Other materials you could use: polyethylene, tarps, even hemp fabric if you are not expecting rain and don’t have high humidity.

Foam Tent

A A frame foam box that I set up inside my cargo trailer for sleeping in

When Sara was an extreme reactor (also now recovered), she made a simple structure out of XPS foam boards. The two-inch boards of XPS (usually Owens Corning brand can be found easily) have a high insulative value.

She arranged them in a tent shape, the groves in the edges holding them together. Rocks at the base pressing them together. Of course, you could use tape if you can tolerate that or put plastic over the whole thing.

Above is my version made of polyiso foam. This is a “foam tent” used inside a non-insulated trailer that was cold and still offgassing.

I hooked up a Panasonic ERV and ran fresh air into the tent at night via a 4-inch aluminum tube. The opposite end of the tent had a 4-inch hole for air to exit.

This is a highly effective way to deal with offgassing – fresh air is pouring through, though it can be difficult to control the temperature and humidity this way. 

Coroplast Tent

This Youtuber built a foldable shelter out of the safer plastic Coroplast. The downside is the amount of tape needed to form a shelter like this.

Simple Wood and Foam Shelter

The actual wood frame which was the cover of my foam shelter

Inspired by the idea of a foam shelter, I have made two highly insulated shelters with ridged foam, raised off the ground and covered in a tarp.

A wood structure like mine pictured above, may be needed to protect from wind and snow. 

The frame was covered with a tarp and inside on the plywood platform was a box made out of foam. This shelter worked extremely well though there are things to keep an eye on in the long term.

Here are some video tours and here is a post devoted just to this shelter (the second one had no wood framing above, just a tarp).

A digital sketch up of a wood A frame on a platform that my foam shelter went inside.

The whole thing was completed with some volunteer and some paid labor for 1000 CAD. 

Such a robust frame is not always necessary. You can build the plywood platform, with foam box on top and simply string a tarp over this if you don’t have strong winds or lots of snow. 

This is the same structure with a tarp over it and the XPS foam box secured with tape inside. The design can be improved by fixing the tarp, painting the foam structure and using clear tape. Please contact me for details if you want help setting something like this up.  

Here’s another example of a foam box. Just don’t put it right on the ground like they did here, and you want another cover on it. This is polyethylene foam which is much more unusual. 

Insulated/Aluminum Tents

These WeatherHyde tents are insulated and the foil on the inside will also block most of the VOCs from the fabric on the outside.

They say you can sleep in them down to 0 degrees Celsius.

They are 600 USD.

They look like they would have problems with airflow and condensation inside. As well as being straight on the ground, but they may work for some people. 

The shift pod for 1300 USD is similar but with the reflective layer on the outside.

This will help reflect the sun and keep cool in sunny weather when there is no shade.

But I don’t know how this will perform well with condensation inside.

The best of the typical tents have an internal mesh layer, then a gap with a rainfly on top. If you don’t use that system you usually end up with condensation. 

There are other similar tents cropping up that were designed for Burning Man festival.

For a lot less you can get a simple aluminum-lined small sleeping tent. It’s not insulated but the aluminum on the inside is more tolerable than the usual tent materials and does reflect heat inside. 

Regular Tent

My tent outside an cob house at OUR ecovillage
My first tent CC BY-NC-SA

There is no perfectly chemical-free tent, The most tolerable brands include Ozark, Big Agnes, REI, LL Bean, Colman, and Lightspeed. Everyone is different. 

Moonlight makes flame retardant-free tents coated with silicone on the outside and polyurethane on the inside.

Here is my post on safer camping gear which goes through all the major brands that folks do well with.

In the post, I also discuss canvas cotton and hemp for really dry climates (or temporary use) which may be where the most sensitive need to start.

I would also check out the cuben fiber tents mentioned in the camping post.

Yurts & Huts

A green plastic yurt on a platform at OUR Ecovillage on Vancouver Island
Me at a yurt at OUR Ecovillage CC BY-NC-SA

Yurts are often tricky for a few reasons. They are normally made out of PVC which takes time to offgas.

On top of that they are difficult to insulate, although one could just use them as an uninsulated tent.

The wooden framing can be susceptible to mold if there is a lot of condensation inside or with high humidity inside, which can happen when heating up a small space.

The wood also might be treated and could cause reactions. There are yurts that have metal framing which may be preferable for some people.

Here is an example of a metal-framed yurt.

You can create your own outer yurt cover by using a more tolerable material, although it will not be as long-lasting as PVC.

You can use materials used to make a tent, or polyethylene sheets that are used for greenhouses, or tarps. You could also go truly traditional and use hides.

One really positive design feature of yurts is that they are lifted off the ground on a platform. All metal yurts may work for some. I have looked at those in the post on simple shelters. 

These glamping tents by sweet water bungalows are PVC, with a canvas top (prone to mustiness), but the guide and framing could be used to create a tent with a plastic of your choosing.

Just keep in mind polyethylene is not as durable, but is less toxic. 

I wouldn’t use canvas for anything other than a short and dry camping trip but without the breathable roof these are prone to condensation.

Conestoga huts have a simple design for a little hut/glorified tent. A simple design that goes up fast is a big benefit.

I have not been able to review these plans for mold preventative building, but it’s an interesting design. If you have the plans for these will do a free review.

If you don’t insulate this it shouldn’t be a problem. If you do want to try these with insulation please reach out to me or an expert in building science. I am not presuming these are a mold-safe design.

Simple Metal SIPS Shelter

Two walls going up of the small metal SIPS house

You can easily put together click-together metal SIPs to make a fast, clean and fairly durable structure.

SIPS are structurally integrated panels. Metal SIPS are made of steel-styrofoam-steel sandwiched together. A highly tolerable material for those with severe sensitivities.

Because these are structural you don’t need to build a frame. Pour a concrete slab, and then once you have the panels it’s fast.

To create a long-lasting structure you would add siding but if you need something done fast, just put it up.

This little shelter is made with Structural Building Systems panels.

A small metal SIPS house in the desert

Sheds

Steel sheds can be bought from Amazon or hardware stores for 700-1000 dollars.

You will also need to build a foundation (you could also just leave it as gravel), pay for labor to set it up, caulk the whole structure and likely put in some insulation.

For everything you need to know about setting up a shed to live in see this post by EI Wellspring.

Sheds are not as easy to take down as you would expect.

There are also wooden and plastic sheds. I have seen some good little wooden shed kits made of solid wood.

Raise them off the ground and cover with a tarp above that is not touching the shed.

I like cedarshed.com for those who can tolerate cedar because it’s a highly rot-resistant wood.

Check out the wood first, see how it was stored and test it for reactions. 

Hard plastic sheds will work for many people. The more flexible the plastic the more it offgasses. PVC should be avoided where possible.

Glass Enclosures 

A greenhouse in the desert used as a shelter
www.buildahealthyhouse.com

A greenhouse can be used for backup shelter, it gets very hot when the sun hits them in warmer seasons and can dip really low at night in colder temps.

But some people have used them successfully. Margaret (another person who used this strategy to heal and make it back to indoor housing) talks about her experience with them here (her greenhouse pictured above). 

Other glass/metal enclosures brands are Handi Hut and Four Season.

Small sketch up for a glass and foam stucture with glass as the interior walls and foam on the outside with a tarp over it.

I designed an all-glass on the interior shelter with insulation on the outside. This was designed for a time that I could not have metal or wood inside touching me.

The walls and floor were glass. The ceiling would be easier to make out of metal.

The shelter was raised off the ground on a platform. Outside of the glass was 2 inches of foam insulation. To hold this insulation on, the exterior framing (outside of the foam layer) was attached by drilling through the foam and glass. The foam needs to be airtight to the glass. A tarp should cover the shelter.

Back of a Pick-Up Truck

Try and find an aluminum canopy for the back of the truck, which is the best-tolerated type.

The bed liner may need to be offgassed or can be covered with Reflectix.

If ordering a brand new truck you can request no liner.

Cargo Trailer

A cargo trailer that I converted into a RV

Details on converting a cargo trailer safe in this post. 

The company WeRoll can customize these and they have more robust roof lines compared to the standard models. 

Ambulances and Refrigerated Trucks

A decommissioned ambulance used as an RV home

The benefit to these two options is that they are already insulated and ready to go.

A decommissioned ambulance is insulated and offgassed since they already have quite a few years on them by the time the government sells them off.

Refrigerated trucks could be found either new or used and they are well insulated and also ready to go.

If you went new you would have to check out the offgassing levels to see if it suits you, but I would expect it to last longer.

Creating a Safe-Room in Your House 

To create a non-toxic room in your home you can use Denny Foil, or heavy-duty aluminum foil on the walls/ceiling/floor.

These materials block VOCs (chemicals/toxins including mold).

Heavy-duty aluminum foil is much easier to work with than the type used in cooking. You may need several layers to totally block smells. 

You want to use green Painting Tape for this as it will not damage the walls and is easy to remove – a healthy person could rip off/take down the whole room is probably 20-30 min (small room). The blue tape is toxic so I wouldn’t use that. You could use aluminum tape but it is very sticky and will leave a residue and will be hard to take off. Aluminum tape also smells and offgasses more than green tape.  

I would not do this where you have colder air inside than outside (AC use). 

Cover outlets. As for light fixtures, I would go around them. 

The only thing in the room should be clean bedding i.e. a new non-toxic mattress or camping cot (etc). New non-toxic bedding and pillow.

Be careful that when you open the window or the door that the air coming in might not be good, so this won’t be a long-term solution. 

If you can’t foil the walls you can make a room within a room and use positive pressure as explained here in this post. The picture above shows how pressurized rooms keep out contaminants.

You can use foam, plastic or any airtight material. Isolate that by using positive pressure which will work to reduce chemicals like offgassing.

That can be a solution for someone extremely sensitive who has trouble with offgassing (when the issue is offgassing rather than mold).

You can find more information by researching isolation rooms. 

Ecovillages

A cob house at OUR Ecovillage on Vancouver Island
A cob house at OUR Ecovillage CC BY-NC-SA

Staying in a cob house (or straw bale, adobe, light straw-clay house) can be a really good option 

Ecovillages may rent out rooms in natural homes and there is a possibility of getting in on the communal meal plan as well. Search for some in your area and ask about monthly stays.

I have seen some natural homes listed on AirBnB as well as on lists of intentional communities/ecovillages. 

Always ask about propane, natural gas, cleaning products, and water damage. I have found that is wet/cold climates cob and similar materials do not hold up to mold after a few years.

Slabs and roofs often have mistakes that lead to mold. Green roofs can be very problematic. Amateur built houses are especially prone to mistakes that lead to mold.

This type of building is best when raised off the ground, or with a simple roof, otherwise, don’t bank on this being safe if more than 1-3 years old. 

Ecovillages are also a good place to set up a tent where you might have access to outdoor bathrooms and kitchens that are more MCS safe than campgrounds.

It may also be a safer environment for those traveling solo. I have used the Intentional Communities website, Google for places near you, and the site wwoofing.

If you have physical energy you can work on a wwoofing site in exchange for free rent (camping or small cabin usually) and often food.

Another option for those who have energy to do work is remote cabins that are advertised on Craigslist where you do some house and yard work in exchange for rent. The cabins might not be safe, but this could be a free spot to camp or live in a trailer. 

Other Emergency Housing

We should have emergency and long-term safe housing for people with MCS, but in reality, there is very little.

Check out the Environmental Health Association of Québec if you are a Quebecer. 

For housing listings in the US and Canada, join EI Safe Housing on Facebook. 

When I come across AirBnBs, hotels and short-term rentals that look safe I list them on my Pinterest page.

While many turn to Airbnb or other short-term rentals, in the beginning, this can be a difficult and sometimes impossible road if one is super sensitive and/or masked to mold. 

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 8 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

I spent two years in tents and small structures in order to heal from extreme chemical sensitivity. 

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Travel Tips for Those with Chemical Sensitivity & Mold Sensitivity

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Recently many folks have set out on a Locations Effect sabbatical without enough information on the risks or challenges in developing nations. They have run into many unexpected problems that I’m going to outline in this post.

If you have health challenges or environmental sensitivities and you take off unprepared to a developing country this can lead to very difficult and risky experiences.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Me standing next to a catamaran on Playa Ancon Cuba
Pretty pictures of good days don’t tell the whole story! (Cuba) CC BY-NC-SA

A number of folks recently have set out for locations known to have good outdoor air to experience the Locations Effect.

There are many developing countries (the Global South, also known as third world countries) that have great outdoor air and might also be appealing in terms of cost savings.

But there are a number of really important things to know before you take off if you are someone that has health challenges or mold and chemical sensitivities.

If you haven’t traveled to a developing country before, or you haven’t traveled while sensitive, it’s essential that you know what you are going into.

My Background

I have a 5-year degree in International Development Studies, and my area of expertise is Latin America. I also had to study development factors – poverty, disease, access to health care – in all other regions of the developing world.

I worked for a year in Ghana and have backpacked through Morocco, Ghana, and Togo. In Latin America, I have spent about 7 months total in Cuba, Mexico, and Costa Rica, outside of tourist areas.

I have traveled recently with very high environmental sensitivities to mold and chemicals. I am also immunocompromised and physically limited.

A white girl carrying a large bucket of water on her head in a compound in Adaso Ghana
The compound where I lived in Ghana. CC BY-NC-SA

What you MUST consider before doing a Locations Effect Sabbatical In a Developing Country

1.Much higher disease potential

Mosquitoes fogging in the Caribbean to control for mosquito-borne disease (also a MCS trigger)

Almost all of the developing world has high disease potential. All topical areas, other than very high elevations and a few other exceptions, have very risky mosquito-borne illnesses.

Denge and Chik V are the most concerning for those already sick. Malaria and Zika are the next most concerning. There are a couple of others that you should research as well. Vaccines are not available for most mosquito-borne illnesses.

Parasites are rampant in developing nations. They are mostly in food and water, but can also be caught by walking barefoot or swimming in freshwater.

There are many other illnesses transmitted through food and water: viruses, ecoli, hepatitis, etc. Many of us get sick very easily and it is almost a guarantee if you are immunocompromised.

I cook all my food and take pretty extreme precautions with water after a few really rough experiences.

2. Unexpected MCS (chemical sensitivity) triggers

A town with red dirt roads in Ghana with lots of cars and mini vans called tro tros
This is a town in Ghana: Car exhaust is way higher than you might expect in the developing world CC BY-NC-SA

Possible unexpected MCS triggers include: way more potent (less regulated) car exhaust, more cigarette and cigar smoke in public, burning garbage smoke, scented cleaning products, more cologne or perfume use, increased pesticide spraying both inside for pests and outside for mosquitos.

Other unexpected triggers might include, charcoal burning, wood-burning, exhaust from boats, other people’s mosquito repellant and sunscreen, and widely used incense (including in restaurants) or smudging.

These differ by country.

You may not find any unscented personal care or cleaning products in stores.

3. Unexpected level of mold in buildings

A close up of me outside a new concrete house in the canary islands that was unexpectedly moldy
An unexpectedly moldy building led me to set up a tent in this front yard.

In general, in both developing nations (due to poor building standards), and tropical locations (where mold grows faster), buildings are more likely to be moldy.

If the type of construction is different than where you are coming from, you will not be able to predict which buildings might be OK if you haven’t been there before.

There are exceptions, for some people the general mustiness (or even visible mold growth) in concrete buildings in tropical areas is not enough to affect them. Many can still improve, but those already unmasked probably won’t.

On the other hand, there may be simpler structures available that are even better than buildings in the US, Canada and Western Europe.

If you are aiming to stay in a building, this has to be carefully considered.

I also prepare for the possibility of musty or otherwise contaminated beds and bedding by bringing bedding and tarps to sequester beds.

4. Exasperation of symptoms from heat

Heat exhaustion started for me in Latin America in vehicles that didn’t have AC

If you haven’t traveled anywhere hot for a while, this might be an unpleasant surprise.

You also should look at whether taxis, buses and hotels often have AC (likely many or most don’t).

High-end hotels usually have AC almost anywhere in the world, but even then, not always! Some areas are prone to power outages.

If you are reliant on AC in hot weather you have to think this through carefully.

There are tropical countries that are not that hot and there are developing countries that are not hot at all.

Plan ahead if you know this will be a problem.

5. The safety profile of the area

Many people assume Jamaica is too dangerous. Crime is limited to certain areas of the country. Most of the country is relatively safe and I would not rule it out.
“Jamaica ’14” by keatssycamore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 

While many people do assume that some developing nations are more dangerous, do not go based on news reports. Look up actual statistics. I look at whether crime is isolated to certain areas or certain groups of people.

What are the real risks and will they be likely to affect you in the area you plan to go to and the activities you plan to take part in?

There are many guides to safety for travelers out there. Look at those and then look at special circumstances (like is it safe to camp where camping is not the norm).

Driving is often the biggest risk to personal safety. I consider myself an excellent driver and would never drive in a developing country, at least not until being there for a long time and getting used to the norms.

The Lonely Planet outlines things you need to know like which cities are not safe to walk in after dark and whether you should use a money belt or not. This is always my first resource. They have a book for each country.

6. Do they have the foods you need

A brother and sister pounding fufu in adaso Ghana
Food in Ghana was delicious but it was very different than in Canada. It was hard to find imported foods. CC BY-NC-SA

The foods you are used to might not be available in many developing countries. There may not be organic food stores or no distinction made between organic and conventional produce.

You may not find the types of foods you need or expect. Expect less variety and a different variety of foods. It’s possible that imported foods are extremely expensive.

There are some places that don’t have grocery stores (or the grocery stores are just small stores for canned goods). You may find it hard or almost impossible to gather groceries yourself from all the places they are sold.

It might not be realistic to go gluten-free or vegan.

In Cuba it was prohibited to cook in a casa particular (a bnb).

7. Do they have supplements you need or are you able to order them

A pharmacy in Cuba with basic wooden cubbies for organisation
Farmacias in Cuba are limited. Drug availability is limited. Supplements are also very limited.
“Drugstore in Cuba” by Wagner T. Cassimiro ‘Aranha’ is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

The availability of supplements is limited, sometimes severely limited (possibly nonexistent) in most developing countries.

Some countries have high tariffs on imported goods and it may be extremely expensive for the shipping cost as well.

In some countries like Mexico, it is not legal to order supplements from abroad. In Ghana, it was difficult and very expensive to send anything there by Fedex.

8. Is good medical care available

A hospital room in Ghana with two metal beds
This is one of best hospitals in Ghana. I have been hospitalised 3 times in very poor medical facilities.

If you are on any medication you will want to check if that medication exists in the country you want to go to, and how easy is it to get.

You will also want to look at the quality of medical care, both clinics and hospitals. What kind of ailments (including emergencies) can they address? Which ones are not treated there?

How far away are you from a good hospital if something did happen.

How common is it that doctors and nurses speak your language (or do you speak theirs).

Don’t expect alternative health care – look up whether they have the practitioners you need.

Make sure you have travel medical insurance!

9. Is camping allowed or viable

My Airbnb hosts on the balcony of the home that has my tent on the balcony in La Boca Cuba
My tent on a front-facing, very visible balcony. The whole town knew I was camping but it was very safe and no one discouraged me from doing it.

Camping is mostly a first world activity. If you plan on camping as your primary option or backup option, be sure to research the feasibility thoroughly.

If camping outside of a proper campground, check on the legality, safety and general acceptance of doing this.

If camping is non-existent there, it’s most likely there are no stores in which to buy camping gear that may need to be replaced.

10. Are vaccines necessary

A close up of a needle going into someone's arm to vaccinate them
I got a lot of vaccinations for my travels when I was younger.

There are a few countries that have vaccine requirements, but not that many. If that is the case I would suggest looking at whether whether the vaccines are tolerated by you.

Many vaccines are likely recommended (though not required). The first thing I do is check on what the transmission routes of those diseases are. If they are food and waterborne, you may be able to avoid them by cooking your own food.

Some depend on the area you will be in and the likelihood of your exposure. I always look at the Lonely Planet books for everywhere I have ever traveled to as they have very good overviews of disease profiles and vaccine requirements.

11. Noise levels!

People dancing salsa on the beach in the Cayman Islands in front of a hotel
The Caribbean and Latin America in general are loud! I stole this photo from Ricky.

It’s possible and likely that developing countries will be noisier than Western countries – whether it’s traffic, roosters, howler monkeys, people who get up very early, or a culture of playing music in public places – this is another thing to know about.

If your sleep is highly affected by noise then plan your strategy accordingly. I like a three-step approach to earplugs for worst-case scenarios. Foam, silicone, and noise protection gear. (And note, don’t count on being able to buy these locally).

I bring a borderline insane amount of things with me, including earplugs and any supplement or medication I think I might need, emergency snacks and scent-free products. Here is my packing list.

You may also want to plan carefully where you stay – whether it’s a rental or campground. Find out what it’s close to. Find out when the holidays are.

I got stuck in Cuba’s week-long New Year’s celebration, woken by howler monkeys in Costa Rica, and was right by the community well in Ghana where everyone pulled water at 5 am.

What else!? A lot…

The rooftops of shacks and a concrete building in a dusty town in Ghana
A typical town in Ghana. CC BY-NC-SA

There many other things that could be different in your destination country.

Rocky roads can be painful for many to drive down, they may not be conducive at all to wheelchairs. There may be very different cultural norms that influence clothing you wear. They may not be tolerant of LGBTQ. There may be limited access to ATMs. Credit cards may not work there. There may be many safety precautions you need to take that you would not think of in your home country. Etc etc etc…..

Most of that you can find in regular travel guides and blogs.

Again, I recommend the Lonely Planet as the first place to look. I’ve never gone anywhere where I didn’t carry the local guide book everywhere.

How I Recovered from Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)

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This post will be a short detour from building material to talk about my healing from MCS.

It can be much easier to bring down sensitivities than to try and avoid all toxins. Even if you are not extremely sensitive you may want to build more resiliency and do more out there in the real world.

This is my journey through bringing down MCS from severe to moderate then to mild and finally gone.

At the most severe I reacted to the tiniest amount of 3rd hand smoke, scent-free detergent, and lightly scented natural lavender deodorant on other people. I could not stay in regular buildings due to the offgassing and cleaning products, nor in regular tents.

This post contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

STAGE ONE, THE TINY HOUSE

The main foundation for bringing down MCS is certainly mold avoidance. Many or most of these methods I have found are not effective when in mold.

Soon after leaving my moldy apartment in Toronto I was able to move into my tiny house and start mold avoidance protocols.

I also chose an environment where there was good outdoor air, so it was the perfect environment to detox in when severely ill.

I didn’t do anything but mold avoidance for the first few months.

One of the first things I did, other than some good nutrition, was to remove my amalgams at a biological dentist.

I then started a full Shoemaker course of Cholestyramine (CSM). Which was intense but immediately brought down brain fog and increased my energy.

My sensitivities came down by the end of the course. CSM was life-changing for me, that’s what got me back to work. That was the most effected binder but I did try some other binders for mold after that.

I then brought in Alpha Lipoic Acid which helped my sleep quite a bit. I tried the Andy Cutler approach to ALA which is the most cautious approach.

The next addition was Bulletproof Glutathione Force which brought down my sensitivities some more.

Next, I added Liposomal Vitamin C, Molybdenum and my sensitivities to chemicals continued to come down.

That is what worked for me, in the first stage of detox when I was in my tiny house.

Being in a non-toxic house and doing proper mold avoidance first was very important before starting any of the more intense detoxification methods.

STAGE TWO, TINY HOUSE FAILS, I START TRAVELING

To get to the next stage, after my tiny house failed (went moldy) I went more extreme with mold avoidance.

I spend time traveling the world for the Locations Effect. My MCS went down dramatically during this time.

I traveled to Cuba where I have the most notable Locations Effect. I also camped out in a tent, cargo trailer, and shelter in Canada.

I spent two years living in tents, shelters, and simple trailers (with a few BnBs and hotels in there too).

The most important part of this journey is the mold avoidance which including avoiding indoor molds and outdoor toxins.

STAGE THREE, HELL TOXIN ERA

During this time of camping I started to dump metals (according to test results). MCS continued to drop, and I also noticed my sweat became very toxic.

I became sensitive to the substance known as hell toxin (HT). This was incredibly difficult, but breaking from this toxin was the moment I was able to make the leap into regular housing for the first time in almost a decade.

My MCS and mold sensitivity came down dramatically (again) and quickly when breaking from HT.

In order to heal from this sensitivity, I used minerals, mineral balancing, lots of nutritional support, Zeobind, FIJI water, ALA and The Root Cause Protocol.

I barely feel HT now at all and it’s a minor annoyance at it’s worst.

STAGE FOUR BRAIN RETRAINING

I watched a few friends fully heal with brain retraining and many others make huge improvements.

Even once one is in a non-toxic environment, and detox has been added, the brain can still overreact to very small amounts of toxins.

I am doing The Gupta programme and the last of my sensitivities is gone after only a few months of really committing to the program.

Healing Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) with Mold Avoidance – Interview with Solona

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This posts contains affiliate links to the books I read and recommend. Upon purchase, I earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

This is an interview with Solona, a fellow Canadian, who I have known in the online world for a few years.

I have followed her journey from severe MCS, to planning effective toxin avoidance, to 85% recovery in just 4 months. She’s still in the journey, but is recovering quickly.

Update! After one year of mold avoidance, Solona has effectively recovered her healthy! She now has a YouTube Channel that is very helpful for those starting out.

Here is a tour of her amazing decommissioned ambulance.

I wanted to interview Solona because she had and overcame the key bottlenecks which are:

  1. Assuming she was already avoiding mold
  2. Making an avoidance plan with brain-fog
  3. Finding a safe home to heal in

We talk about a couple books in this interview – the Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance by Lisa Petrison, and Bryan Rosner’s book Lyme Disease Supercharge (which is actually about Mold Avoidance). I want to add Julie Rehmeyer’s book Through the Shadowlands to this list of helpful books in this journey.

INTRO

Corinne: This is my first interview. I want to do a healing from MCS, mold illness, healing from CFS series.

I want to talk about the journey from severe MCS, to quite a rapid healing journey.

STARTING WITH SEVERE MCS

I want to inspire other people who are starting out, who have high MCS, who want to go further with avoidance in order to get better. Not to just avoid avoid avoid and go in circles.

Is that correct, would you say you had severe MCs, I remember you talking about fragrance residue on packaging.

Solona: Oh definitely.

C: Did you have any other symptoms like fatigue?

S: I was diagnosed with CFS, I think about 20 years ago. I was bedridden for a few years. At my very worst, the scariest symptom I had was paralysis, especially around gasoline. I would lose the use of my limbs and I couldn’t walk or use my arms. And then I would get slurred speech. Those were the scariest symptoms. Then the garden variety ones also.

C: And I remember the forest fires, was that a big turning point? We are talking about the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The fires hit hard, 2 years ago, was it?

S: It was last summer. The big clue that this was mold, was that I relapsed after nearly 10 years of being mostly recovered. After being in Ontario. I went to Ottawa for a job. It’s really bad there and I crashed within about 2 months. I moved back to my home in BC to get well, then the forest fires hit in 2018, and even when they cleared I did not recover.

C: So Ontario was worse

S: Ontario was what made me crash, for sure.

BOTTLENECK 1: ASSUMING ALREADY AVOIDING MOLD

C: One thing I found really interesting ….We were both in the Canadian groups for MCS and other groups. I have seen you over time, though we haven’t talked on the phone, I don’t know you really well.

But one thing I saw that I wanted to talk about is I have seen photos of your house [where you were really sick right before avoidance]. I think at the time you did think you were avoiding mold. Is that because it was better than many other houses? And you were able to sense mold in other houses?

S: It’s because I never knew about extreme mold avoidance. I had a very good sense of smell so I can smell mold. I had no idea about outdoor toxins or molds you don’t smell, molds you don’t see. I was living in mold and I didn’t know it. And that’s why I didn’t recover like I did before. And I can’t really explain why I was OK in that house a few years prior.

But I can say I have recovered symptoms that never went away before, now, with mold avoidance.

C: Houses get worse over time if there are errors. It wasn’t a very new house, what was it from the 70s?

S: 70s yes.

C: I’m also in BC and the houses are not well built.

A lot of other people are in this stage now –  you had no visible mold, no water stains on the ceiling, right?

S: No, nothing obvious

C: No smell of mold. Did you have a basement?

S: No

C: basements are often musty, but you couldn’t get under it to see if there were any problems.

S: As I later learned, once I unmasked I didn’t really tolerate the area well for some reason.

C: When you started the more extreme avoidance you moved from one area of BC to another. Not extremely far. Some people do mold avoidance and they feel like they have to go to the southern US or even to the Caribbean.

S: I think it’s about 3 and a half hours [from the moldy house in Slocan Valley] to Kelowna [the first new location for avoidance]. The thing is, I learned through experience there are levels of unmasking. And I think I unmasked and cleared out and healed to a certain degree in Kelowna until I left went to an even clearer place [Idaho] and came back. I cleared out even more and now I don’t think I can tolerate Kelowna.

C: OK, you started in the Slocan Valley where your house was, then when you started mold avoidance you went to Kelowna and improved, and then you went to northern Idaho and improved even more?

S: That’s right. I spent a week in northern Idaho and felt incredible, and did a tonne of healing even in that one week. And then went back to Kelowna and instantly felt sick again and my symptoms got worse the longer I stayed.

C: [Going back in time again] I’m interested in that time, where you got a lot worse, you went to Ontario, probably hit a moldy building, came back and then hit the fires, and everything was really hard. But what do you think lead you to that shift [to mold avoidance]….

S: You did!!

C: Me?

S: It was 100% you. I was trying to find housing…..to buy a new house….

C: ….and I was like “no, they’re all terrible”

S: Yeah, well, no, it was when I decided….. I finally gave up… I looked for housing for ages, I finally gave up and made a joke that I will live in my car. So then I was posting vehicles. I put a deposit on a camper van.

I remember you said, “you don’t know what’s behind the walls”. And I was so discouraged at that point.

C: That was the one that was built out…. it was old. [Camper van build outs are very prone to mold].

S: Yeah it was old enough that it probably would have been contaminated. And I didn’t know about extreme mold avoidance, I hadn’t read the Beginners Guide to Mold Avoidance. I didn’t know all the nuances.

I was so discouraged I was like, “stop telling me the vehicles are not good!” So then that led me to actually read the book [Beginner’s Guide] and go, “ohhh now I know what she’s talking about”. I bailed on that camper van. And then changed my plan to actually doing extreme mold avoidance.

C: But you were in the mold groups, I wasn’t just coming into other groups and saying things like that! That was an extreme mold avoidance group.

S: And I didn’t know that it was different than what I was doing [already].

C: So, we’re going back to that time [again for a minute]. Houses are so difficult to find around here. You had MCS and some mold sensitivities. When you’re in that extreme level of MCS, you’re so limited. Usually people end up choosing moldy houses.

S: We are avoiding new houses because of the offgassing….

C: ….and maybe some have fragrance you are ruling out so many options, even just a cross-contamination of a fragrance.

So you were in the mold groups and the van was an idea, that van was tricky, I’m glad that van didn’t’ work out!

Then you found the most amazing vehicle of all time…

S: I researched probably 15 different solutions – inserts for trucks, medical transport, then I thought, what about an ambulance? Then that led me to the term Campbulance. I was watching van life videos like crazy to learn how to do it. I thought the campbulance would be more sterile and well maintained.

I found one being sold by the Province of BC. The Province gets rid of them every so often. I did tonnes of research and moved into an ambulance.

C: Ya, it’s such an awesome vehicle.

BOTTLENECK 2: MAKING A PLAN WITH BRAIN FOG

This is another key area. It didn’t seem like you had that much brain fog at the time.

S: Oh, I did at the time.

C: Cause now you can see the improvement?

S: It’s not as bad as it was in the beginning, but I was having trouble at work….

C: This was a critical time, you did have less brain fog or more clarity [than others], you were able to sift through the information, organise the information that was in the groups.

That’s another bottleneck stage. The first bottleneck, is thinking, I’m already avoiding mold because I can smell it in other buildings. The second bottleneck is how do I make this happen. What are the options and the solutions.

Do you think that looking at the struggles of others in the groups now. Do you think there was anything different about you at that point?

S: I think because I’ve been doing this for so long, MCS avoidance. I deliberately made a career I can do from home. My life has revolved around [MCS]. I don’t know that I could have done this just winging it if it was my first time, as quickly as I did it. I already had a job set up….

I also have a brain that is good with spreadsheets. I had spreadsheets with all the different vehicle options, all the features that I needed.

C: You had places lined up, you had places with wifi, since you need to work.

S: Exactly.

I listed and downloaded all of the apps, like freecampsites.net that show you where you can boon-dock, where they can show you wifi signals, I just researched all the places I could go.

C: I remember you even had a spot in case the fires did come (this last summer). Which was a lot of research.

[But], you also didn’t get into the bottleneck where you over-researched and just didn’t do anything. Like this ambulance could break down, this van is moldy, this tent might not work…

S: I think I got lucky because I didn’t do it perfectly at first.

C: No one does!

S: I made lots of mistakes but it still worked anyway. I think it just works out, you just keep doing it and it works out.

C: I think I want to stick that point a little bit, because you were able to do that strategic thinking planning comparing and get to the solution in a reasonable amount of time.

S: I think it’s a lot easier to do that when you have a sounding board, someone who is a little more cognitively with it. Now I have a few facebook friends and I help be their brain.

C: In the beginning, there are not a lot of people, and that’s why I do this as a job, there are not a lot of people who have the bandwidth and time to help the people that are in the beginning who have cognitive difficulties. I think it’s a key time for people to get help with the decision making. Especially if they are worse off than you.

Once I saw you get on a roll with it, I was like, oh, you’re gonna be fine.

S: 20 years ago I would have needed my mom, I was planning my trip to BC to get well, I told her I need you to be my brain. I think if someone is worse they need someone to lay it out step by step for them.

C: And now that you’re at the stage where you have some experience, you’re doing a little better and you can hook up with other mold avoiders who are in that stage and you can help each other. That’s a lot easier to find because you can mutually help each other. In the beginning, that’s a lot harder to find, because you’re the one in need. And a lot of people get stuck there. That’s a tricky spot if you get stuck.

BOTTLENECK 3: FINDING A SAFE HOME

[On to] the ambulance! I don’t want to talk too much about the ambulance because I could talk a LOT about the ambulance. We need to find out more, if we can find out how this was built. I think this has SIPS walls or spray foam. It is well built.

S: I asked for the blueprints but never got them. I just know it’s well insulated. A refrigerated truck is similar.

C: I want to dig deeper and I know other people are looking into custom building. Yours… I wish we could dissect it. It’s not very new right?

S: It’s a 2009.

C: It’s not too old. Most trailers don’t hold up that long [to mold]. There’s the fiberglass types. I go through all the types that tend to last a little longer but they all have their drawbacks. Yours I think is made like the older Camplites, that have a sandwich laminated wall. Or it just wouldn’t hold up this long. Maybe in 10 years when it dies, we open it and rebuild more of them like it!

That’s another difficulty – finding a trailer that is offgassed. I bought a Camplite when I was starting out, it was metal-foam-metal. I thought this would be fine. This was 8 years ago. It was so strong with the offgassing, it blew my mind. It reeked like glue. It was a well-made trailer, but I wasn’t able to use it until it offgassed. I regret selling it, because once it did offgas I should have kept it for emergencies or traveling. I just didn’t realise what a gem it was.

There are other options, vans that don’t have wooden walls and nothing in them….

RECOVERY, NOT JUST AVOIDANCE OF TRIGGERS

C: You actually made pretty quick gains…

S: I think the reason was that I spent 10 years in avoidance, and it was a pretty fast and short crash.

And this is why I knew it was mold, that mold avoidance is the reason I got well, because I spent a year in the Slocan Valley (in BC, Canada), which is as pristine as it gets in terms of MCS – no cell towers, I had the best water, the best air [in theory], and I still stayed stick for a year [after returning from Ontario], and then as soon as I did mold avoidance, within two months, I was like I’m going to go for a hike now. I went, WOW.

C: And then from there you got even better. So within the first two months… you started in Slocan, then you went to the Okanagan. Within two months you saw quite a lot of results.

S: I left in June and within two months I was slow hiking, by August I was feeling even better.

C: By now…. you started June….. it’s been 4 months.

S: It’s mid-October now, I’m in Idaho. The longer terms things are healing now. I had really bad psoriasis. My energy levels are even better. My diet and appetite are even better.

C: That’s so awesome.

Are you still sleeping in the ambulance.

S: I’m sleeping in a tiny house/cabin. That was built with MCS and mold in mind.

C: And you’re still feeling as good or better.

Yeah one sign of health is remembering my dreams and have lots of dreams, really good sleep, 8 hours. I have the best sleep now, I go walking every day, I work full time. We carry water, I can chop firewood. I can do lots of physical tasks I couldn’t do before.

C: Do you want to say what percent you are better?

S: 85%. That’s pretty subjective.

C: Yeah, some people would be thrilled with 85, and some people as they get better they will say they didn’t even realise there was another level of health.

I’ve also been sick for a long time and have trouble with those percentages.

S: I leave 15 % because I could do more intense hikes. And I also give it such a high number because some of the really scary things are better.

I can (but don’t) pump gas. I got diesel on my hands and brought it inside, and though, “oh, that smells bad”. And I was perfectly fine. For me that was a huge huge leap.

C: I don’t think people know I was as extreme as you, or close. I was floored by having someone else pump my gas [at my worst].

S: I went dancing and it was a room full of perfume – when I was really bad I would have been really sick after 5 minutes. In this case I actually danced for I don’t know, maybe an hour. Then I did get sick but I was able to step out and be OK. I’m not perfect where I can dance in a perfume room for 3 hours.

C: It’s [still] a lot of progress in a short amount of time. It’s taken me a lot of years to be OK around perfume. And everyone has such a different journey. It’s really hard to say how it’s going to go. Some people, their MCS disappears almost immediately, though they might not have been as severe as us from the beginning.

For people as severe as us, it’s not unusual that it’s going to take some time. Fast gains are always exciting though.

FINAL MESSAGE FOR THOSE WITH MCS

S: I think the one and only thing I wish the people with MCS knew, is that mold avoidance isn’t necessarily what you think it is. It took me years to realize it’s not what I thought it was. [Understanding the role of] outdoor toxins is HUGE. Understanding it’s not a smell. At least giving it a shot. I have heard a lot of people say I’m already avoiding mold. Which is what I used to say. Then realizing, oh, I really wasn’t.

I think the best way I can explain it, it’s not just your everyday average mold, it’s “super toxins”. And avoiding those is a bit of an art form, but it’s worth learning and at least giving it a shot.

C: I agree. What I see is that people with MCS and lyme are aware of mold. They are aware of the offgassing, the fragrance, toxins in the outdoor air. [All the toxins out there]. But some toxins are more destructive. If we can take out the bigger ones….

I will link to Lisa and Erik’s book, and Bryan’s book, I should add Julie Rehmeyer’s book as well, Through the Shawdowlands which is also very helpful. They talk about taking out the master toxin. Mold is one of the really key ones. Fragrance isn’t the master toxin. You won’t get out of this by avoiding fragrance.

I know for sure from watching this for 10 years.

Free Location Effect Sabbatical E-Booklet

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Sign up for the email list for a free 14-page e-booklet on the Top 4 Spots for a Location Effect Sabbatical, 2021

This includes the top 4 American locations in four states: Arizona, Nevada, California and New Mexico. The booklet was updated in 2021.

These are campsites for RVs and tents (some have cabins, but not vetted) where experienced mold avoiders have found a lot of healing within the last year.

Many of these locations are tried and true for many years, but I make sure I have recent reports on all of them.

The brochure covers the basic information you need to decide on which one will be best for you, including:

  • Location
  • Elevation
  • Basics on the campsite (hook ups, bathrooms etc), how spacious they are, costs, proximity to stores, WiFi and cell coverage
  • Temperatures (and other weather related details).

This post on the Locations Effect goes into more detail on what a sabbatical entails (and also what to bring!)

Title Page and Example Page:

A Mold Avoidance Sabbatical

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How to Conduct a Mold Avoidance Sabbatical: Using the Locations Effect to Heal 

This article will provide guiding principles to choosing a location and type of lodging for a Mould Avoidance/Locations Effect sabbatical. I will also share some of the tips and tricks I have found over the years.

Those two sabbaticals are not always the same thing, but here I am talking about them as if you are doing both at the same time. This article will still be helpful if you’re looking to do a locations effect sabbatical with only moderate mold avoidance.

Over the past 10 years, I have watched people with CFS, Fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and MCS conduct mold avoidance experiments. It seems to be very rare for people affected by these diseases to not be affected by mold and other environmental factors, like off-gassing and the quality of the outdoor air.

This post contains affiliate links to relevant books and products that I use and recommend. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission through affiliate links at no extra cost to you.

To conduct this sabbatical will need to find temporary safe accommodation in the cleanest environment you can access. Erik Johnson, who discovered the connection between mold, the locations effect and CFS, talks about a “Mobile Environmental Control Unit” which is a “safe house” trailer or RV to use as a baseline.

I have written a post on mobile safe home and safe trailers, a customized trailer, cargo trailers and vans. A tent is a good baseline for many. It is not easy to find a trailer that meets the needs of those very sensitive to mold as well as chemicals.

A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance: Techniques Used by Hundreds of Chronic Multisystem Illness Sufferers to Improve Their Health is the book you want to start with when conducting a mold avoidance sabbatical. 

Here is my Visual Packing List of Some of My Favorite & Unusual Supplies I Bring with me on a Sabbatical.

(See the comment box on each image to see my notes on each one).

Avoidance Test Run 

Almost everyone I know with CFS/Fibro or Lyme has felt better in a “good location.” Some people will say they felt 80% better in Cayman Islands or had many symptoms go away while camping in a national park or while vacationing in the Rockies or Aruba.

There are many more stories on the Locations Effect Facebook group from people who have felt much better from CFS and related illnesses using this method. 

From watching this over the years, I can say that pristine outdoor air is where you get the big boost, but you still have to be as particular about the indoor air.

In a good location, sometimes in a fantastic location, you may have a higher tolerance for regular housing. But not everyone is so lucky. 

For those who are already hypersensitive or are coming from a house that is less moldy than most, a lot of caution has to be taken before assuming that.

Something I feel that has been lacking in support groups is experience in how to choose safe housing for this experiment. Buildings the world over are moldy. The majority of trailers are moldy as well. So to step out and try this experiment is not so simple if you are not starting out with a tent. 

If you have MCS and or EMF sensitivity this is even more difficult.

 A Few Common Mistakes are:

  • Going to a good location but choosing a regular hotel or rental online that has not been vetted or even carefully analyzed. It should never be assumed that simply choosing something that looks clean online is not moldy. Most buildings in almost every climate are moldy.
  • Many people who are sick with these types of illnesses have traveled, whether it’s domestically or internationally, and have often felt better in a new location. That is a huge clue. However, it’s also very possible that you have traveled and not felt better anywhere else either because you were going to similar locations, bad locations, bringing your stuff, or you were choosing regular housing that was moldy or toxic. If you don’t think the locations effect applies to you because you have traveled before, that is not enough info to go by if you have chosen regular hotels and rentals in the past.
  • It’s a mistake to think that because a climate is drier or because you’re going to a beach location it will be better. Islands are also assumed to be better but are not always so. Florida has some of the most toxic beaches. Drier climates have moldy buildings just like everywhere else. Of course lower summer humidity and less rainfall may mean there are more buildings that are a better choice. But a drier climate does not guarantee safer housing or better outdoor air. 
  • The Canary Islands are an example of a place I’ve been to that are drier than many places, but the buildings are moldier than usual because of the lack of heating and cooling. There are many great locations where people have healed that are certainly not dry. The Canary Islands are also an example of islands that are not as great as you would expect. Hawaii is another example of islands that are not spectacular. Also note, poorer countries often have poorer building practices.

Find a Good Location

Using the Locations Effect, Mold Avoiders, and Mold Avoiders on the Road groups on Facebook, and suggestions from others who have recovered, find a good area. The key aspect here is the outdoor air quality.

People have felt remarkably better in places that are exceptionally pristine – these might be in the mountains, tropical coastal areas, or the desert. Those are the most popular choices, though forests and grasslands and all types of ecological areas can be good. 

None of these locations can be expected to stay good if they have been recommended years ago. Housing recommendations are even trickier. For my updated list of housing in good locations, see my list here, I keep track every time somebody shares a specific place where they recovered.

Check with people in the Facebook group Mold Avoiders or the Locations Effect to see if the area is still good. 

I often do consultations on this topic because locations and especially buildings change over time. I am able to vet places near me and I can use my network to vet housing in other locations. Otherwise, I can analyze them through photos to some degree. 

There are factors here that are individual, not everybody does well with altitude, not everybody does well in a tropical setting if it’s hot. I would definitely take into consideration your individual factors, but I would not assume that you are looking for just a drier climate or just a beach location. 

However, there is still enough of a consensus on locations where people have healed as long as you take into consideration those personal aspects such as altitude and heat, etc.

Ricky’s Caribbean Effect

Many are able to do a lot of healing in clean, clear turquoise waters. When looking for healing water, look for clean water and clean sand meaning not a lot of seaweed or debris.

Look for bright turquoise and calm waters where you will be able to sit and float in the water. You can look through Google photos (not promotional shots) and satellite images to find these waters.

Typically each island has good sides and not so good sides.

The “Ricky Islands” are Aruba, Cayman, Turks and Caicos, St Maarten and Anguilla. Others have done well on Aruba (most reports on Aruba from avoiders), Cayman and Turks.

There are areas on other islands or the Caribbean coasts that can be really great, for example the best beaches in Cuba are both on the north coast resort area and playa Ancon south. A number of people have made big gains on the Caribbean coasts of Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica.

The eastern Caribbean Islands have not been as good. The Bahamas have mixed reports and may be too far north, though Exuma fits Ricky’s Criteria.

Avoid areas with sargassum, too much seaweed, red tide and cyano (like Florida). There can be other toxins in the water if sewage or other toxic runoffs are dumped there.

Avoid human-made bays which are not as good. You may want to look at trade winds as well to make sure you have water coming off the ocean.

Spending time in and on this type of water has been really helpful for many people. Staying somewhere with a direct line of sight to the ocean breeze has been helpful for many. 

Ricky, who has made a 100% recovery on various islands, has developed this method of analyzing water, the location of housing on the island and which islands are best. You can read his advice in the Locations Effect Facebook page or follow his journey to relocate to the Caribbean permanently here.

When I’m looking at locations I’m looking for three things:

1. Places where people have totally or almost totally recovered just from the locations effect.

2. Places where the most extremely sensitive people have made great improvements.

3. Enough consensus on the location. A lot of mixed reports indicate that the location might not be the best for those super sensitive or to make the best chance at recovery.  

One additional strategy you can use is to look at the progress of people who have similar illnesses to you, similar sensitivities, and a similar level of unmasking. This last piece can be really important especially if you have really specific sensitivities, for example, you need to avoid pesticides or high EMF areas that other mold avoiders may not be avoiding as scrupulously. 

Generally, though, it’s the mold avoiders who are healing who have the highest level of sensitivity to the environment, not just to mold, but to many different types of outdoor toxins.

I look at the reports over the last 10 years and I look at who is reporting – have they made a significant recovery, and are they unmasked already. For those just starting out and who are not unmasked and are coming from a really moldy place, they may see a quick improvement by changing locations with only decent enough housing.

This does not mean the location is excellent, and they often cannot hold on to these gains if the location and housing are not great.

Choosing Lodging for the Sabbatical

A tent is less risky as you have way more control over the environment you are sleeping in (but it could be difficult to offgas). A tent can be hard for someone who is extremely sensitive to temperature. But there are lots of tips and tricks in my post on camping.

I have made progress in a tent even when 90% bedbound. Other options include glamping, RVs, and hotels/rentals.

Finding lodging that is chemical/scent and mold-free is trickier, and everyone is different in their sensitivities, so even a good recommendation is tricky. Places also may have been contaminated or become moldy since the recommendation was made.

Tenting on Sabbatical

Here is my post on camping.  I go through options for tents for people with chemical sensitivities as well as how to keep your tent and gear as mold-free as possible.

I also share some of my tips for people with challenges around comfort.

When looking at glamping setups I’m looking at them just as closely to inspect the age and condition of the materials.

Canvas is a no-no unless it’s brand new in a dry climate. I want to see raised off the ground. No used tents on flat surfaces.

Yurts and domes need to be looked at carefully for offgassing and mold.

When glamping, look for well built simple structures, raised off the ground. These otentiks can be found across Canada. Ask about the age and materials.

Trailers for a Sabbatical

Airstreams can be rented from many different places but you want to go as new as possible there.

Having a cargo trailer with no wood, offgassed Camplite or offgassed fiberglass trailer could provide a good baseline home.

Here is my post on trailer options. And here is my post on converting a cargo trailer. I have a separate post on cargo vans.

There are sites that rent converted vans like Outdoorsy. If you have never lived in a metal trailer before you have to take some caution here, as not everybody can tolerate metal.

A metal trailer with interior metal walls and low offgassing is one of the best bets for trailers
Photo credit livingvehicle.com

Indoor Lodging for a Sabbatical

There are a few ways to go about finding good rentals or hotels. One way, if you’re totally masked and this is all new to you, is you could just look for somewhere someone has recovered recently.

If you do not have MCS you may be able to bank on something new if it is carefully chosen – analyze the likelihood of this type of building being moldy in that country and climate.

If you are already very sensitive to chemicals and or mold, you have to be a lot more cautious with the recommendations. Usually as new as you can go is the best bet, but not always.

Depending on where you are in the world it is possible for older buildings to be better built. There are many building types that are moldy from the get-go. In some countries building practices are so poor that the building will be moldy within a year.

I look at the type of construction and the quality that could be expected based on where it is and who it was built by. But not everybody is the same in what is best for them. A wooden simple hut or log cabin may be great for some, but some can’t tolerate wood. For me personally, a very new concrete high-rise with climate control is usually the best option, but they’re not perfect.

Concrete is often wet for great lengths of time during the building process and does not dry properly. Concrete buildings are an even bigger problem in tropical countries where there is no climate control (no indoor humidity control) or if building standards are poor (example: slabs built wrong).

The HVAC type has to be analyzed for its propensity to go moldy as well.

A concrete high rise that fits my requirements

The type of building you choose will depend on where it is located. There is no one fits all recommendation here. There are places where I would prefer a little wooden hut or cabin.

Sometimes glamping setups can work, but there’s no guarantee that those are going to be made with materials that were not water damaged or have not gone moldy with time.

I have at times done well with an Airbnb that has an outside sleeping space, but even then there was a learning curve because a moldy building can be felt and even smelled from 100 feet away or more.

And, outdoor concrete, tiles, and balconies are very prone to mold in tropical countries. So this is not always as easy as it seems.

I would go brand-new and I would make sure you have a large enough space outside to backyard camp. Because of these requirements, this option can be expensive.

There are certain areas of the world where I would not go with anything that has a slab or a basement due to poor construction practices or waterlogged soil. In fact, I very rarely choose ground level accommodation. Even for small huts or cabins, I want to see them raised off the ground.

This is where I bring in my experience of traveling throughout different parts of the world in different climates and trying out hundreds of buildings while mostly sleeping outside and staying unmasked.

I use the knowledge acquired from Building Biology and building science experts to analyze what’s not working.

Some things you can ask about are cleaning products, air fresheners, last year of renovations, any water damage especially hurricane damage or leaks, pesticides, and anything else that you’re specifically sensitive to.

My Tips and Tricks for Packing for a Sabbatical

You can see a visual packing list here on Amazon with notes on each one, of all the items I bring on a trip that will involve travel and bnbs or hotels.

This includes being prepared for a balcony or patio sleeping and items needed for travel.

Many of these need to be offgassed if you have MCS.

These are some of the key items:

  • Caution with cotton in high humidity environments, like camping in a tropical setting, especially if hand washing clothing. This compact microfiber towel dries quickly.
  • I have these cute plastic shoes which I love. If you are camping you’re going to want rubber or plastic shoes. They are good for beaches too. Easy to wash and decontaminate and they look decent. You can leave them outside without them going moldy.
  • Although it’s not necessary, I do like charcoal soap and gloves to decontaminate the skin. You may end up showering more than usual, in which case you’re going to need non-irritating soap and a better moisturizer than usual. I have found probiotics to be very useful on the skin when showering a lot to protect my microbiome.
  • This dish soap works well as an all in one soap – dish, laundry soap, body soap and shampoo in a pinch. But when travelling light I bring this laundry soap in bar form. If you require scent-free soaps you will want to check that the country you’re going to has that option. Another item you’re unlikely to find in store in many parts of the world is a scent free and natural sunscreen. I like badger.
  • I use mylar bags to sequester items. Careful, if the aluminum starts to flake off or become dust form, discard these immediately.
  • I use these aluminum tarps to sequester a bed. I may be sequestering off-gassing, mold or bacteria. I also use them if my sweat is contaminating the bed. Throw out often. If the aluminum flakes off or becomes dust form discard immediately.
  • I use little glass jars with glass lids to isolate and store items like medication because it is very easy to decontaminate them.
  • I bought this affordable tablet for my last trip on a Black Friday sale. For a shorter trip, this can replace both your laptop and your phone. Use Skype to make phone calls and if you need to do a lot of work buy a portable keyboard as well. You will need one that comes with a SIM card slot if you are out of Wi-Fi and can’t tether a phone.
  • I used to bring a heating blanket everywhere I go so I can sleep with the window open, on a balcony or in a tent. You will almost certainly have to wash or air those out before using it. If you can tolerate a heating blanket, you’re going to be able to have access to way more fresh air and colder temperatures.

My Tips for Decon During a Sabbatical 

  • I find that it’s much easier, in the beginning, to have separate clothes for indoors and outdoors until you are able to really assess when something is contaminated, if it can be washed, or if it needs to be thrown away.
  • If you can, wash the bedding when you arrive or bring your own and request no bedding. Examine the washing machine in the building that you are staying in to see how moldy it is. (They are usually moldy, but Airbnb’s run by professional management companies often ship out their laundry, if you find a new building like this you may find a washer and dryer that have barely or never been used).
  • Wash clothes by hand with non-toxic, scent-free soap. Note, Borax is no longer considered safe to use in the laundry for decon but many people do still use this and I think the risk is low. For those who are not very chemically sensitive, quaternary ammonia, like Unscented Downy, can be very useful for removing mycotoxins from clothes. Some people start to detox a lot through their sweat and that may be cleaned by boiling or other methods. Some use ozone on their clothes or EM1 to soak them.

A Few Final Notes:

  • I see improvement in symptoms after one day of being in a good location. Certainly one week is minimum for your test run,  but I would aim for 3 weeks.
  • After a few weeks, you will have a heightened sense of smell and will be able to detect contaminated objects much more easily. Note that some molds do not have a scent,  judge places and items more on your symptoms then how they smell.
  • EMFs in a location are an important factor as well as pollution, chemicals and mold. Factors that seem to be very important are mystery toxin, cyanobacteria, toxins around military bases, sewer related toxins, flame retardant associated toxins, some brand new buildings that have high offgassing, and regular air pollution. In some locations that are particularly bad, we don’t always know what the toxin in the air or water is.

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What is Hell Toxin (HT) and How to Break, Decon and Clean It

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What is Hell Toxin (HT) sometimes referred to as HCCT? Hell Toxin is a group of unidentified environmental toxins experienced by hundreds or perhaps thousands of people.

The toxins all known as HT have similar properties to each other (sometimes they are differentiated into different strains), and are experienced in similar ways to folks who are reactive.

Many who have gone through mold avoidance or been exposed to toxic molds experience this toxin and react to it.

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Photo by Sandip Kalal on Unsplash

The Typical Reaction

The typical reactions to this toxin are burning and other skin irritations, sometimes even resulting in what looks like burn marks. However, not everyone who is reactive to HT gets a burning feeling or tingling sensation on the skin.

Keep in mind that burning alone, does not define an HT reaction or presence of the toxin. I have seen many people over the last year panic over skin burning, itching or other irritations, who found out it was to a myriad of toxins or allergens that were not HT.

Those who “simply have burning” can usually easily, or much more easily, find the cause and avoid it.

I have also seen folks mistake EMF sensitivity for HT reactivity as well. EMF sensitivity abates with the absence of the trigger and there is no physical toxin that is present that can spread. It can be confusing to figure out the difference in some cases.

The typical experience includes a high ability to cross-contaminate. At the mildest stage, this could simply be spreading by water, instead of it washing out or improving with washing like most toxins, and having to throw out items instead of cleaning them.

But in the more typical advanced reactivity stage, it is highly cross-contaminating and it cannot be mistaken for something else.

Will I Unmask to HT with Mold Avoidance

Keep in mind that unlike cyano, mystery toxin or stachy, not everyone who embarks on mold avoidance will become sensitized/reactive to HT, most don’t.

This is a misconception that everyone will “unmask”, and this came from MT (Mystery Toxin) and HT being discussed together and discussed more widely in the forums now.

I also don’t consider HT to be an outdoor toxin the way MT is, though it certainly can contaminate outdoor environments.

Photo by Blake Wisz on Unsplash

Do I have HT?

If you are unsure whether you have HT, check in with a few folks who have a lot of experience to run by your reactions, symptoms, and experience with them.

Dr Daniel Cagua-Koo helps patients through physical treatments and cleaning protocols.

I help folks in the beginning stages on how to manage this toxin which can become quite costly and devastating.

Please get more than one opinion if you are unsure. There are a number of ways that experienced folks will look at how the toxin acts to identify it.

Signs you have HT (you might not have them all): 

  1. Burning, tingling, itching of the skin or feeling of something tingling in the air or something that feels like radiation
  2. Cleaning things with water and regular soap does not get rid of it and at the very least worsens the toxin (for example, in the least reactive stage you wash a piece of clothing and it spread to everything thing else in the wash).
  3. A more advanced version worsens drastically with water
  4. It is not possible to wash it out of clothes (other than a few successes with very special protocols)
  5. The toxin can worsen dramatically with some efforts used to kill or compete with it. Almost all the products used to kill or clean can also “blow up”
  6. If you are successful with cleaning it, it is only from specialized methods
  7. Electronics, paper, plastic are the quickest to get contaminated and the hardest to remediate
  8. It worsens around electronics (or EMFs in general)
  9. It contaminates things in ways that mold or bacteria cannot contaminate things, for example being unable to be cleaned off metal or ceramic with soap and water
  10. The toxin can feel like it has a charge in advanced reactivity. Because it acts like a charged particle, it can jump, and cling
  11. In advanced stages, it can spread quickly. Unless you physically improve with treatments or detox the toxin usually spreads if it’s not cleaned with special products
  12. You will likely feel this on specific items like from certain warehouses and certain new products. Many new electronics do have this (I speculate it is the aluminum-based Flame Retardants in part), certain clothing brands, phone brands, and warehouses should feel bad to you otherwise it’s not likely you are reacting to the same thing

How do we Know we are all Reacting to the Same Toxin?

One other way to tell is that those who have this reaction react to the same items – there are brands of electronics, clothes, entire warehouses in Kentucky, and other common stores and places where we find the same toxin – and while we are all a bit different – our experiences with the toxin are similar enough to have been able to define this as a toxin in the environment and not just an internal reaction. 

We have also sent items to each other and to Dr Dan and visited each other.

We have visited buildings or homes of another reactor to see if we are talking about the same toxin and we have found we do react to the same places or items and therefore have identified it through these ways.

Photo by Rafael Leão on Unsplash

Why do we not get it Tested?

Many discussions have taken place on how to get this toxin properly tested and identified, however, a large amount of funding is needed to undertake this testing.

Mold testing experts and industrial hygienists have given their thoughts on this and after taking in the information, have agreed that the amount of funding needed is very high, and is not available at this time.

Keep in mind we do not know what this toxin is. Dr. Daniel Cagua-Koo hypothesizes that this has a nano metal component. Nano metals are used frequently now as flame retardants (nano aluminum), and as antimicrobials (nanosilver).

Most people who react to it seem to agree with this assessment and theory.

Where to send it for testing and how to collect it are other challenging areas.

The substance clearly has something about it that makes it different from just any nano metal. Many hypothesize it might have a biological component as well.

It acts in similar ways to candida auris which has been described by mainstream scientists as “spreading like wildfire”, but has not been identified as the same thing.

While prominent doctors have not spoken publicly about it, many doctors who treat mold illness, CIRS, and related illnesses do acknowledge this toxin.

Wilson practitioners also seem to be aware of this toxin/reaction.

Photo by Louis Droege on Unsplash

What informs our Hypotheses on what this Toxin is

While we can hypothesize based on our symptoms and how the toxin acts, we start to confirm a theory based on what kills or cleans it up, as well as places it is likely to be found.

What are the Main Cleaning Protocols

Kill methods (do not usually resolve the problem on their own, they are one step of the cleaning protocol – just a kill method usually equals a blow up).

They include: silver hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide (without silver, up to 30%), Ozone (No longer recommend ozone on or near HT as 9 people have lost everything to this), boiling, flamethrower torch, antimicrobial essential oils, tinctures or teas: pepper, tea tree, cedar). Sage, juniper (wood), turpentine, and citronella can also be used.

Other methods that may work in this stage are high temps over 40C for prolonged periods and enzyme cleaners.

Break down or compete with the toxin – enzyme cleaners break down a number of toxins from biological to chemical. Enzyme cleaners can be used alone but are usually part of a full protocol.

Enzymes used on HT include MoldToxin Klear (US), Enzyme Komplete (Canada) and Liquid Ate (Canada and US).

You can add additional enzymes to make this stronger.

Probiotics help to compete with the toxin, the main one used in EM1. Teraganix is the brand used throughout the US and Europe. EM1 can be used on objects, skin and the home without another step.

On clothes it’s not used without a kill step.

I have also used probiotics soaps (I really like the soapnut probiotic soap, although it’s not essential), and made a lotion using oral probiotics mixed with body lotion, any oral probiotic will do – this part is essential for me.

I also really like serrapeptase mixed into lotion. This is stronger than probiotics in lotion and works better for me.

Binders are used after the kill stage: Bar Keepers Friend, TSP, Zeolite (Odourout), Pectin, quaternary ammonia (Steramine, Barbicide, or Shockwave).

Repopulate the biome after killing and binding, with EM1.

I have found enzymes and cedar tea to both be good cleaning products that work for “kill” and “clean up”. They work well to remove it off my skin too.

To make cedar tea I soak cedar branches (the green part) in water, boil it at least twice, and then soak overnight.

Photo by Ehsan ahmadnejad on Unsplash

Cleaning Protocols

Silver Peroxide protocol (most are not using silver anymore, because the benefits are not worth the risks, it’s not really needed).

Dr Dan’s Protocols – Called “3 Part” is hydrogen peroxide, quats and Barkeepers in one bottle, followed by enzymes or EM1. See his website River of Life Medical for new protocols to try, he is always changing and adding new things.

  • Mix to 3%-30% HP, plus Steramine or other similar quats, with Barkeepers.
  • Barkeepers can be mixed in the bottle or sprinkled on separately. Generally, you might start with 6-10% HP depending on your strain with about 1/3 of each product.
  • Follow with balancing the biome with Enzymes or EM1.
  • High concentrations of HP burn the skin and are dangerous to work with. They are dangerous to breathe in too if you spray of fog.

Sara Tamames Protocol with boiling and EM1 (includes soap nuts and Swiffer). I would say only works on mild strains and/or mild reactivity. While boiling and EM1 have both been used by many others in conjunction with other products, I haven’t seen this protocol alone work for many people.

  • In this clothing protocol, you pour boiling water over clothes in a bucket. Then when that cools you pour it off. Then you soak in EM1 overnight.

Vulpex protocol (soaking item in Vulpex overnight, followed by a soak in quats and then Oxyclean). This seems to work only for those partially masked or less sensitive. TSP is used instead of vulpex by more people.

Plants, teas, extracts and essential oils in the above list. I use cedar tea. Used for cleaning objects, the home and can be used on the body in certain concentrations. Essential oils listed above can be sprayed in a room or on items. See Dr Dan’s website for more essential oil formulas.

The hardest thing to remediate is clothes (or other cloth items). This should not be attempted in the beginning.

Protocols for Personal Care of the Body

I have found probiotics mixed into unscented body lotion to be a big help.

I also find that spraying Liquid-Ate on my skin to be a lifesaver. It neutralizes the toxin that is on the skin, helping me to get into a clean area like the bed, uncontaminated. It has a very light citrus scent that may not be noticeable to those with a normal sense of smell.

When HT was really bad I would follow that with the Yes to Tomatoes Charcoal Wipes (warning, they are scented), to wipe the remaining small amount of HT off of the skin (I have also used to them to protect items like cards).

I have also used EM1 and cedar tea to wipe down my skin successfully.

Swimming in a chlorine pool has been a good way to decon, I have found, and many others have too.

Soaking in Epson Salts provides some resilience from the toxin, many of us have found. You can also sprinkle Epson Salts on the bed, this is very helpful. I also soak clothes in them.

I have not found it hard to decon from my skin and hair, personally. Though some have a lot of struggles with their hair.

Photo by Fernando Jorge on Unsplash

Hair Washing 

I haven’t had my hair be prone to contamination but others have. They have used baking soda, essential oil shampoo, anti-dandruff shampoo, and other strategies.

Helping prevent the spread in the environment

I use 6 mil poly on beds and change it out when necessary. It’s a better idea to use sleeping mats and discard them when necessary unless you have this more under control since it’s not possible to remediate a bed.

It is better to be off the ground though, a camping cot can help.

At times I have put foil over floors and sometimes on the face of cabinets to help prevent the spread. Just regular heavy-duty foil. It’s by no means a perfect block, but it has helped me. Cardboard is also a decent block.

The main prevention is to prevent contaminated objects and people from coming into the environment.

Airtight metal and glass containers can be of some help, but it’s not the same strategy as sequestering other toxins like mold.

Breaking from HT 

If you have a certain case of HT that you need to “break” from it I recommend joining the Facebook group and reading through other folks’ accounts of breaking from HT.

I can help you create a break out plan.

There are various experiences breaking from HT:

1) Those who did a successful clean break – some people had to do it many times to get clear. This is very unlikely to be a “one and done” situation. You can either do a bunch of breaks in quick succession or do then when the levels in the environment build up too much. I have done three complete clean breaks.

2) Those who broke but it didn’t work – they ran into it again or found that the source was colonization and very quickly were back in the same situation.

3) Those who are fine with living with some of it around so are not trying to break from it 100%. They might just break from stronger strains/the worst item or end up bringing down their internal reactivity.

The majority of people need to let go of their things.

Breaking 100% is a difficult task and takes a lot of planning.

Healing 

Many folks have healed from a variety of methods – these treatments have helped people recover.

Interim management is possible through clean breaks, daily management techniques, and cleaning.

Photo by Anastasiya Romanova on Unsplash