Mold Avoidance Resources
Erik Johnson heads into the wilderness in his custom-made, mold-resistant truck camper.
Many thousands of individuals suffering from mold-related illness have reported that they have become hyperreactive to microbial toxins (such as those made by molds or cyanobacteria) and that being careful to avoid even very small amounts of this kind of toxicity has been very helpful to them.
Following are some resources that may be informative for those interested in pursuing this approach to improving their health.
Photo credit: Jerzy Aust Photography
Mold Avoiders
Mold Avoiders is a recovery help website and community forum project presented by Paradigm Change.
The Mold Avoiders website presents a variety of resources useful for individuals hoping to improve their health by avoiding mold exposures that trigger reactions for them.
The Mold Avoiders standalone discussion forum has the goal of answering health-related questions of all types from individuals pursuing this kind of mold avoidance.
Only those who have been approved as Mold Avoiders Participants may read or post in the standalone forum.
The Mold Avoiders Facebook group is a space for discussion of new articles and videos; stories and photos shared by those pursuing mold avoidance; member polls; and other casual conversations.
The Mold Avoiders Facebook page provides links to new articles, videos and podcasts on mold avoidance topics.
The Mold Avoiders website page Mold Avoidance Basics provides a brief overview of the most important resources available from Paradigm Change/Mold Avoiders.
The Paradigm Change blog article Ten Things To Know When Joining Mold Avoiders provides more detailed information.
A number of additional Mold Illness Facebook Groups also provide information relevant to mold avoidance.
Paradigm Change Books
Paradigm Change has published a number of books on mold avoidance topics.
A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance is a basic mold avoidance instruction manual, written by Lisa Petrison and Erik Johnson.
The PDF version is free to those signing up for occasional newsletters on mold avoidance topics from Mold Avoiders. It also is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.
A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance (PDF)
A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance (Amazon)
Back from the Edge is a book about the life of Erik Johnson, including information about how he developed his mold avoidance approach. It was written by Lisa Petrison.
The PDF version is free to those signing up for occasional Paradigm Change newsletters. The book is also available in an Amazon Kindle version.
Erik on Avoidance is a book of writings from 2000-2015 about mold avoidance by Erik Johnson. It was edited by Lisa Petrison.
The PDF download is free. The book is also available in an Amazon Kindle version.
Additional books published by Paradigm Change are listed on this page.
Paradigm Change Articles
An article supplying quotes from a number of individuals on their improvements subsequent to starting mold avoidance.
Improved Patients Discuss Their Avoidance Experiences
Additional individuals pursuing mold avoidance shared brief versions of their stories.
A popular article on cross-contamination of possessions by Lisa Petrison and Erik Johnson.
The Mold Avoider’s Dilemma: What Should I Do About My Stuff?
An article discussing particularly problematic outdoor toxins by Lisa Petrison and Erik Johnson.
Outdoor Toxins of Particular Relevance to Mold Illness Patients
Individuals experienced with mold avoidance report on how different locations have felt to them, and the average ratings by location are plotted on a map.
An article by Lisa Petrison summarizing research on mold avoidance activities and other treatments.
Which Therapies Do Improved Mold Avoiders Believe Helped Them?
An article (suitable for sharing with family and friends) providing basic information about mold reactions.
Mold Hypersensitivity: Guidelines To Help Sufferers Stay Safe
An article by Lisa Petrison discussing some methods that might be used to acquire avoidance skill.
Using a Pulse Test To Identify Problematic Foods and Environments
An article by Erik Johnson and Lisa Petrison about how mood shifts can be helpful in determining exposures to problematic mold toxins.
A document discussing safety issues with regard to pursuing mold avoidance.
A page of information providing links to information resources written by or about mold avoidance pioneer Erik Johnson.
Living Clean in a Dirty World
Living Clean in a Dirty World is an information archive presenting easy access to a wide variety of articles and videos on mold avoidance and on other healing therapies appropriate for those working to recover their health from chronic illness.
The site includes some original content as well as links to particularly useful articles from many other sources.
Listings are curated by Paradigm Change and organized by topic.
Janis Bell and her partner in the movie “Moldy.”
Mold Avoidance Films
Dave Asprey has discussed his own efforts to avoid mold on many occasions. His 2015 film “Moldy” also featured a number of other individuals pursuing mold avoidance.
Background on Individuals Featured in “Moldy”
Jennifer Brea discussed some of her experiences pursuing mold avoidance in her 2017 award-winning documentary about ME/CFS, called “Unrest.”” She later wrote about the role that she believed that mold had played in her health issues in a blog article.
The health improvements of Lyme patient Sofia Webster as a result of pursuing mold avoidance were featured in a 2019 documentary on chronic illness issues, called “Becoming Incurable.” The mold avoidance aspects of the film are summarized in a Paradigm Change blog article. Sofia Webster also wrote an article on the topic of her recovery for the newsletter of a Lyme not-for-profit organization.
“Becoming Incurable” Depicts Mold Avoidance Activities
Michael Roland Williams directed the 2009 documentary “Black Mold Exposure,” featuring interviews with Jonathan Lee Wright and other individuals pursuing mold avoidance.
Several individuals pursuing mold avoidance were featured in the 2018 Netflix reality show “Afflicted.” However, the series prompted outrage due to its suggestions that participants’ illnesses were psychosomatic, and several of those individuals eventually filed suit against Netflix with regard to how they were portrayed.
Photo Credit: Ana Harris Writes
More Resources
Andrea Fabry discussed issues related to mold avoidance on her natural-living blog and toxicity-related website.
Kim Goodwin shared her mold avoidance story and related information on her blog and in several other outlets.
Little By Little, One Travels Far
How to Make A Low-Cost, Low-VOC Tent
How I Discovered I Was a Mold Warrior
Ana Harris discussed mold avoidance in detail in a Paradigm Change blog article and on her own popular blog.
Andrew Huang (a twenty-something working toward becoming a physician) discussed issues involved in healing through mold avoidance and other therapies in his blog.
Simcha MacGregor answers questions about mold avoidance on a Facebook page.
Sara Riley Mattson wrote a book – called Camp Like A Girl – about converting a cargo van into a home to use to get out into the wilderness. The Paradigm Change blog featured an article by Mattson as well as a review of the book.
Following in Erik Johnson’s Footsteps
Giles Meehan of “Get Well From M.E.” discussed the basic concepts of mold avoidance and the locations effect in two informational videos.
Construction professional Greg Muske has shared information relevant to mold avoidance in a number of articles on his blog.
Holly Noonan has discussed a variety of topics relevant to mold avoidance on her blog.
Julie Rehmeyer wrote a well-reviewed memoir about her ME/CFS and mold avoidance experiences, called Through the Shadowlands. She also wrote a number of media articles and participated in many interviews about the topic.
Bryan Rosner of BioMed Publishing has shared a wide variety of articles, videos and podcasts relevant to pursuing mold avoidance. His 2019 book – called Lyme Disease Supercharge – focused in detail on his own early experiences with avoidance. A Paradigm Change blog article by Lisa Petrison – called “19 Key Takeaway Points About Mold Avoidance” – summarized the book.
19 Key Takeaway Points Article
Mold Avoidance with Bryan Rosner Podcast
Mold Avoidance Diary with Bryan Rosner
Corinne Segura has shared information on a wide variety of mold avoidance topics on her blog and in a video series.
Connie Strasheim shared some thoughts on mold avoidance for those with chronic Lyme disease in a ProHealth blog article.
Sara Tamames shared details of what she has learned about mold avoidance in her blog and in a Paradigm Change blog article.
My Experiences with Mold Avoidance
Christa Upton is the author of the book Building A House for MCS: A Mold-Resistant, Low-Tox Home and wrote a Paradigm Change blog article on the topic. She also discusses mold avoidance issues on her blog.
Our Family’s Housing Success Story
A number of media articles in Australia focused on mold avoidance issues after MP (Member of Parliament) Lucy Wicks publicly discussed her own mold hyperreactivity issues.
Australians Focus on Mold Avoidance
Ritchie Shoemaker and Erik Johnson.
Clinicians
Daniel Cagua-Koo, M.D., discussed issues involving dealing with supertoxins in a Paradigm Change blog article.
An Experimental Protocol For Decontaminating “HT” or “Hell Toxin”
Joseph P. Klein, M.D., shared information on how he dealt with becoming hyperreactive to Stachybotrys in a blog created in 2001-2003.
Charles Lapp, M.D., wrote about mold avoidance in his newsletter.
Mold: Could It Cause or Perpetuate CFS/ME/SEID?
Dr. Sarah Myhill shared information about mold avoidance on her website.
Ritchie Shoemaker, M.D., discussed Erik Johnson’s mold avoidance approach in a book review.
Book Review: Back from the Edge
Karen Dean
Mold Avoidance Stories
James Baber discussed some of his mold avoidance experiences in an interview with Dave Asprey.
The Hidden Dangers of Toxic Mold
Janis Bell shared some of her mold avoidance experiences.
Biohacker Damien Blenkinsopp shared details of the measurement devices he used to gauge his improvements during a trip to the wilderness.
Khaly Castle wrote about her experiences pursuing mold avoidance with Erik Johnson.
An M.E. patient nicknamed City Changer wrote about how he concluded he did not need Ampligen after all once he started mold avoidance.
Karen Dean shared her experiences with all-metal housing as well as her mold avoidance story in a podcast interview and an article.
Interview with a Toxic Mold Survivor: Karen Dean
Eva Hagberg discussed some of her experiences pursuing mold avoidance in a memoir about her illness experiences.
A couple named Kelli and Mike discussed their mold avoidance experiences.
Porochista Khakpour wrote about pursuing mold avoidance and other therapies on her blog.
Beatrice Latherings shared her mold avoidance story.
Interview with a Toxic Mold Survivor: Beatrice Latherings
Ninka-Bernadette Mauritson discussed how mold avoidance helped to address her child’s autism issues.
Mom Removed Symptoms of Autism In One Year
Jill Neimark described pursuing avoidance of mold and chemicals through extended tent camping in an Aeon article.
Lissa Nilsson discussed some of her mold avoidance experiences in a blog.
Shemane Nugent shared information about her family’s mold avoidance experiences and illness recovery.
Steve and Karen Porath provided information in a 2001 People magazine article on how they burned their house down to address their mold problem.
Kaeley Pruitt-Hamm discussed her mold avoidance experiences in an interview with ME Action.
Musician with ME Releases Album
Jennifer Saleem discussed how her family abandoned their home and all their possessions when starting mold avoidance in her natural living blog.
Two sisters named Sarah and Rebekah shared their experiences with mold avoidance on their joint blog.
Ian and Nikki Sharp discussed their mold avoidance experiences in their blog.
A patient named Susie shared her mold avoidance experiences in a podcast interview.
A few articles in the blog Treehouse Daily discussed mold avoidance issues.
Joey Tuan discussed converting a cargo van into a tiny home for mold avoidance purposes.
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Updated 2/11/2020.