Conversations in Nutrition

Dr. Royal Lee spent his lifetime reading, learning, listening, questioning, creating, and ultimately contributing more to the vast field of holistic nutrition, food, and agriculture than any other single person. Imagine the wealth of knowledge that can amass over the course of such a life. Now imagine holding such knowledge in your hands.

Written in the early to mid-twentieth century, Conversations in Nutrition is a collection of informal fireside chats from Dr. Royal Lee, along with two chats from John Courtney, his close associate and the head of Research and Development at Standard process. These conversations explore the very foundations of health and nutrition with prescience and clarity, and the insights remain relevant to this day.

“The Origin of Catalyn.” This 1939 chat with a group of Wisconsin doctors touches on some of the profound, personal events that led to the creation of Catalyn, the foundational product of Dr. Lee’s nutritional line.

“The Healing Profession.” Why do so many in the medical profession remain in a state of ignorance about natural foods rather than seek out knowledge that could protect their patients’ health? Dr. Lee asked this question in 1955, and we are still asking it today.

“Acidosis and Nutrition.” Given that many diseases and conditions that afflict us can also cause blood pH to fall outside of healthy limits, practitioners will learn much from this talk that Dr. Lee gave to a group of doctors in 1947.

“Informal Discussion on Health.” Dr. Lee tackles questions straight from his audience in this chat from 1955. Of particular note are his insights into many Standard Process products that remain popular today.

“Food Integrity.” An important 1935 lecture on the never-ending battle between natural foods versus synthetic imitators. We can only imagine what our nutritional landscape would look like today if commonsense had prevailed back then. But it did not, and we live with the ramifications. Practitioners—share this information with your patients.

“Enzymes: A Functioning Mechanism.” In this chat, Dr. Lee draws out the important connections between enzymes and human health. Many gems of knowledge are also strewn throughout the extensive Q&A section at the end.

“The Importance of Food Enzymes in Promoting Mineral Assimilation.” In 1950, at the American Academy of Applied Nutrition’s 14th Annual Convention, Dr. Lee spoke to the “who’s who” of nutrition science—including Dr. Weston A Price, Dr. Francis M. Pottenger Jr., and John Myers—about the relationship between food enzymes and mineral assimilation.

“Synthetic Fats.” In this 1955 chat, Dr. Lee decries the switch in the American diet from natural fats to synthetic fats, no matter the serious harm to our health. Despite his warnings, this particularly foolish food enterprise is still marketed to American shoppers today.

“Cardiovascular Disease Today.” Mainstream medicine has yet to reduce cardiovascular disease by any significant measure, let alone halt it. See what Dr. Lee was saying about this rising epidemic back in 1956—in particular his thoughts on the role that vitamin deficiency plays in the progression of the disease. This lecture is notable for its reference to the Endocardiograph, the original precursor to what we now know as the Heart Sound Recorder (HSR). Understanding the connection between the Endocardiograph of Dr. Lee’s day and the HSR of ours is essential information for practitioners.

“Endocardiography in Conjunction with Nutritional Heart Therapy.” More historical background on today’s Heart Sound Recorder from 1957. Dr. Lee’s associate John Courtney discusses the specialty of the Endocardiograph to identify vascular lesions as they develop. In other words, in time to do something about it.

“Vitamin Supplements.” The proper uses, relevant properties, and unique merits of important Standard Process vitamin supplements, as described by John Courtney in this engrossing fireside chat from 1963.

In his Introduction to Conversations in Nutrition, Dr. Leo Roy offers readers this wish: “May they influence your thinking and your professional work, and may your life never be the same again.” With such a deep examination of Dr. Royal Lee’s incredible body of work, it cannot be otherwise.