For many centuries, humanity has tried to find ways to conquer terrible diseases such as plague, smallpox, cholera, typhus, and leprosy. Because of this, other scientific research, such as in the field of healthy nutrition, remained neglected for a long time. Doctor Ekaterina Mikhailovna Kuzmina was one of the first to pay attention to this problem. She was born on September 17, 1904, in Khvalynsk, Saratov Province. After the revolution, her family emigrated to Switzerland, where Ekaterina graduated from the medical faculty of the University of Lausanne.

Kuzmina's interest in dietetics arose after one of her patients died of cancer. This prompted her to study oncology. She conducted experiments on laboratory mice suffering from cancer, feeding them exclusively natural products: whole grains of wheat, brewer's yeast, raw vegetables, and dry bread. To Kuzmina's surprise, the disease in the mice slowed down by almost half. Later she wrote: "Experiments on mice showed the interaction between nutrition and disease development. This is now called orthomolecular medicine, which uses vitamins, amino acids, and nutrients for therapy and disease prevention."

Kuzmina concluded that one of the causes of oncological diseases could be improper nutrition. She recommended limiting sugar intake, avoiding fried meat and canned foods, as well as giving up coffee, tobacco, and alcohol. In the 1940s, she developed her own diet aimed at restoring the body's protective functions and improving food absorption. Her breakfast of natural cottage cheese with grains, seeds, and fruits became popular in Switzerland. However, at that time, the scientific community was skeptical of her conclusions, although today many European doctors are revisiting her ideas.