157. Dr. Tania Elliott: Allergies, Immune Health, and Hidden Toxins in Your Home
4/21/20261 hr 4 min
Allergies, chronic inflammation, and constant exposure to environmental toxins are reshaping how our immune system functions, often in ways that go unnoticed until symptoms appear. What many people see as isolated issues like gut problems, skin reactions, or fatigue may actually reflect a deeper immune imbalance.
In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Tania Elliott, double board-certified physician in internal medicine and allergy and immunology, to unpack how the immune system operates across infection defense, hypersensitivity, and autoimmunity, and how modern exposures like microplastics, synthetic chemicals, and ultra-processed products are disrupting this balance. We break down how chronic inflammation begins, why gut health is central to immune regulation, and how everyday products in your home may be silently driving immune dysfunction.
We also explore how simple, high-impact changes like reducing toxin exposure, improving indoor air quality, and retraining the immune system through targeted therapies can restore balance and reduce long-term disease risk.
Dr. Tania Elliott is a double board-certified physician in internal medicine and allergy and immunology, focused on helping patients understand immune health, reduce toxic exposures, and apply practical, science-backed strategies to improve resilience, longevity, and overall well-being.
What We Discuss:
- (09:07) Immune system explained in three core functions
- (10:42) How chronic inflammation begins
- (11:13) Gut health and microbiome disruption
- (12:50) Signs your immune system is out of balance
- (15:39) Environmental toxins and ultra-processed foods
- (17:39) Skincare, sunscreen, and endocrine disruptors
- (21:33) Microplastics and hidden daily exposure
- (24:00) Teflon, PFAS, and long-term health risks
- (30:01) Building a healthier home environment
- (40:07) Why allergies are increasing
- (41:40) Hygiene hypothesis and early exposure
- (45:10) Peanut allergy and early introduction
- (50:01) Recurrent infections and immune deficiency
- (51:21) Immune testing and biomarkers
- (52:30) IVIG therapy and immune support
- (57:11) Allergy immunotherapy and long-term solutions
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Function Health: Learn more and join using my link. Visit www.functionhealth.com/drshah and use gift code DRSHAH25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.
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Learn more about Dr. Shah:
Website: drshah.com
Clinic: next-health.com
Instagram: darshanshahmd
Learn more about Dr. Tania Elliott:
Website: Dr. Tania Elliott
Instagram: drtaniaelliott
LinkedIn: Tania Elliott, MD
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDarshan Shah· Host0:00
[gentle music] Welcome to Extend with me, Dr. Darshan Shah, a podcast dedicated to cutting-edge science, research, tools, and protocols designed to help you extend your health span. Having become one of the youngest doctors in the country at the age of 21, and trained and board-certified at the Mayo Clinic, I've accumulated three decades of practice as a board-certified surgeon and longevity expert. Over that time, I've discovered that a mere 20% of health knowledge yields 80% of the results when it comes to your health span. We are living in a new era where we are creating a new healthcare system no longer focused on disease management, but achieving optimal health and vitality. Join me as I interview world-renowned experts, offering you a step-by-step guide to proactively avoid disease, and most importantly, extend your health span. Most people think about their immune system only when they get sick, but immune function is constantly shaping inflammation, energy, gut health, and long-term disease risk. Subtle symptoms like bloating, skin changes and rashes, fatigue, or even recurring infections are often early signals that the immune system is out of balance. In this episode of Extend, I am joined by my good friend, Dr. Tanja Elliott. She's a double board-certified physician in internal medicine and allergy and immunology. She's a true expert in our immune system. She focuses on immune health, environmental exposures, and the root cause of chronic inflammation. Dr. Tanja Elliott combines clinical expertise with practical strategies