In 1957,a House of Tomorrow was opened at Disneyland. The place was furnished from top to bottom in plastics. That futuristic vision is now reality. Plastic and synthetic furnishing and building materials are rampant. So are plastic clothing and accessories – under the guise of words such as polyester, vinyl, Styrofoam, acetate and so on.

Sure, they're cheap and they last forever. But the problem for chemically sensitive people is that plastics, like formaldehyde, tend to ”outgas” – dispersing tiny molecules of whatever they're made of into the air, especially when they're heated.

If you’re surrounded by a lot of synthetic material – such as carpeting, clothing and furniture – you can eventually be overwhelmed by the insidious building of fumes, and not even know what’s happening until you start to feel sick. But there are simple ways to get around the problem – starting from the floor up.

”Next to getting rid of gas heat and gas powered appliances, avoiding use of synthetic carpets and sponge rubber is the most important thing you can do to relieve chemical allergy,” says Dr. Randolph. Next to go would be vinyl upholstery, tablecloths, curtains, drapes and polyester clothing.

As it happens, many people – and manufacturers – are returning to natural building materials and furnishing: brick, wood, stone, clay, ceramic tile, terrazzo, quarry tile, stoneware, earthenware, terra cotta, hemp, wicker, burlap, wool and cotton rugs. And all natural fibers such as cotton, linen, silk and wool are once again giving polyester a run for the money.

As you shop, scout around for non-plastic versions of whatever you need. If you must occasionally buy plastic, avoid new items. Out-gassing tend to diminish after about two years, especially for hard plastics. Soft plastics, on the other hand, tend to outgas indefinitely. The harder the plastic, the safer you are.

”By all means, buy used wooden furniture rather than new synthetic material when you’re trying to create a chemically clean room at home,” says Dr. McGovern.