Food Intolerance Evaluation

What are Food Intolerances?

Food intolerances are a non-allergic, non-immune response to specific foods. Intolerances involve an enzymatic deficiency that prevents you from properly digesting, metabolizing, and absorbing certain food groups or combinations of foods. Since this evaluation is based on genetic enzymatic deficiencies, the results do not change or need to be re-evaluated, unlike food sensitivity panels. Results also do not fluctuate based on the quantity of a specific food that you are eating, or if you are on a steroid medication such as prednisone, whereas sensitivity panels can be skewed with these variables.

What are the Symptoms of Food Intolerance?

Food is medicine and what we put in our mouths can either contribute to health or disease. You may have already tried tedious elimination diets, or even gone through testing to find potential food allergies or sensitivities. But you're still struggling with frustrating and disrupting symptoms like:

Bloating
Digestive discomfort
Constipation
Diarrhea
Heartburn
Fatigue
Weight gain
Skin issues

naturopathic doctor help with digestive issues.

What is a Food Intolerance Evaluation?

The food intolerance evaluation, also known as the food intolerance method or the Carroll Method, requires only a few drops of blood (from the ear lobe or fingertip) for the bioenergetic electrodermal biofeedback process to be completed. Since this evaluation doesn’t require a traditional venous blood draw or skin prick test, it’s easy to get a sample for all ages, and can even be uneventful and nearly painless for people with a fear of needles. It’s another topic for another day, but these tests provide such valuable data. We can even learn about ways our blood types can influence our diets.

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Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergies and Sensitivities

Allergies and sensitivities are based on immediate or delayed immune reactions triggered by specific foods. Consuming food allergies such as peanuts or shellfish can be life-threatening. When you eat your specific food intolerances, a toxemic reaction occurs, which is the equivalent of garbage rotting in your intestines. This toxemia contributes to digestive concerns, as well as fatigue, weight gain, high blood pressure, skin concerns, and mood issues, in addition to negatively affecting our overall health by increasing our systemic inflammation.

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Real People Dr. E has Helped with Food Intolerances

"Our family is so thankful for Dr. E! She has helped us identify food intolerances, work to heal our guts and use homeopathic medicine to treat various ailments with great success! She is also one of the most caring practitioners we have ever seen."

Jill P.

"Dr. Shawna is the best! She listens, she's patient, and her compassion is incredible. I've struggled with GI issues for 5+ years and tried everything that traditional medicine told me to - but with little/marginal results. Have never talked to anyone so much about my BMs as I did Dr. Shawna, but it was worth it as she found a simple, cost-effective, and natural way to really turn around the quality of my life. So glad I was open to a friend's recommendation and sought out her help!"

Brent M.

"Dr E. has been a valuable investment in my better health. I had seen numerous other types of doctors without any improvement with my digestive issues. She was able to bring about the positive results I was looking for with these issues and numerous others as she works to treat the whole person not just 1 problem. My life has greatly improved because of this and I am grateful. I would highly recommend her care!"

Robyn H.

FIM Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about the Food Intolerance Method with our most frequently asked questions. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Check out our blog to learn more about Food Intolerance vs Food Allergies & Sensitivies.

What is FIM?

Is a Leaky Gut the same thing as a food intolerance?

In my clinical experience, when patients have allergies or multiple food sensitivities, they also have severe intestinal hyperpermeability or “leaky gut” and are consuming their food intolerances unknowingly. We can see this correlation through a urinary indican test. When patients avoid their intolerances, their “leaky gut” and food sensitivities can resolve since their digestive tract is healthier and less reactive or inflamed, leaving them less susceptible to developing future food sensitivities or allergies. Since dietary intolerances are genetic, they do not change or resolve.

Dr. E

Dr. Shawna Eischens (Dr. "E."), Naturopathic Doctor, and owner of Hope and Healing Naturopathic is an expert in finding the cause of your concerns so you can live a life free of pain, anxiety, fatigue, or other symptoms that are holding you back from enjoying the life you deserve!

Dr. E attracts motivated patients who are ready for a health advocate who is non-judgmental, passionate, experienced, and determined to help you THRIVE instead of just survive! Dr. E is a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, a mentor through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a volunteer for Naturopathic Medicine Institute, and nature-loving outdoor enthusiast.

Dr. Eischens is a licensed Naturopathic Physician in Arizona and Minnesota.

She has received additional training and is certified in:

Dr. Eischens is a member of:

AANP (American Association of Naturopathic Physicians)
NMI (Naturopathic Medicine Institute)
AZNMA (Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association)

Hope and Healing Naturopathic was awarded "BEST OF THE VALLEY" in 2024 for the "Naturopathic Medicine" category.