Dr. Otis G. Carroll is considered one of the most significant naturopathic physicians of this century. He practiced from 1917 – 1962, in Spokane, Washington. His clinic was a “Mecca” of healing, drawing people from all over the world. His work was based upon the European nature-cure approach, which favored a simple, vegetarian diet, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, and herbal medicine.

With all of his success, he was unable to help his chronically ill son. This stimulated his continual search for better methods, which led him to the work of Dr. Abrams, a professor of physiology at Stanford University. Abrams had been experimenting with new techniques in diagnosis. Dr. Carroll modified Abrams’ work to devise a method of testing for foods which are not well digested or metabolized in a particular body, and thereby become a source of maldigestion, intestinal toxemia, dysbiosis, and chronic irritation to body tissues. Through this work, Carroll discovered that his son was intolerant to fruit, which he had always thought was a perfect and healing food for everyone. He removed fruit from his son’s diet, and for the first time his son recovered.

This method has been used since 1920, on tens of thousands of patients with incredible results. It is relatively unheard of as it requires a skilled practitioner to interpret the results properly. Throughout the years it has been determined that there are common categories of food intolerance. Most people tested intolerant to one of the following foods or food categories: milk, egg, meat, sugar, fruit, and potato. Less often, people will show intolerance to other foods such as soy, nuts, fish, etc. In addition, he discovered that most people had a problem with one or more combinations of food. The most common food combinations were: grain with potato, grain with milk, grain with fruit, grain with sugar, and fruit with sugar. A person’s system can handle either food alone, but cannot digest them together.

Food Intolerance testing is not a food allergy or food sensitivity test. Food allergy test results can change from day to day within a person and also tend to very greatly depending on the lab analysis procedure used. The food intolerance test bypasses this vague allergy testing, getting to the root of the problem, which stems from improper digestion of a food or food combination. A person’s food intolerance is genetically determined, with the same intolerances often running through families. Because it is genetic, avoidance of the offending foods is permanent.

Currently, we are aware of several different kinds of reactivity to foods. Intolerance has to do with digestion and metabolism, and is an enzymatic phenomenon, genetically determined. Food intolerance means that a particular body does not digest or metabolize a particular food well. (Ex. Lactose intolerance) As a consequence, maldigestion occurs, and toxic metabolites are formed in the intestine and absorbed into the blood. These will affect or interfere with normal function of the body, and become part of the basis of chronic illness.

Allergy is different. It is an immune system reaction in which food is perceived as if it was a foreign protein and the body inappropriately reacts, creating symptoms. Food allergy is often secondary to a hypersensitive system created by eating one’s food intolerance. There are also other, less well defined reactions, which are generally referred to as food sensitivities. There are currently several methods of food allergy and sensitivity testing in use.