Creating a Society Where "Unable to Eat in Old Age" is No Longer the Norm
epice participates in the "April Dream" project to announce its vision of supporting the "ability to eat by mouth" through its product "+leaf" to combat elderly frailty. Inspired by the founder's father's health recovery, the company aims for a society where people can live their own way regardless of age.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 16:47
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 08:25 (471h 37m after Collected)
epice is participating in "April Dream," a project to share dreams on April 1st. This press release describes the dream of epice.
### The impact of the "ability to eat," realized through changes in my father
My father is currently 84 years old. With age, his food intake decreased, constipation persisted, and his opportunities to go out dwindled. His muscle strength also declined, approaching a state known as frailty. I have been giving him "+leaf," a protein supplement we currently develop and sell, every day.
Changes appeared within about three days of starting. From a state where bowel movements took a long time, he began to have them naturally almost every day. Furthermore, as his bowel movements became regular, his food intake gradually increased, and he began to show more motivation in daily life, such as walking and going up and down the stairs at home.
Through this change, I strongly realized that the intestinal environment and the way nutrients are taken have a significant impact on daily physical condition and life. On the other hand, I also feel that there are points to be further pursued for a design more suited to the bodies of the elderly.
### The importance of "eating by mouth"
As the population ages, problems such as decreased food intake, constipation, and muscle weakness—known as frailty—are occurring in many people. When I previously covered home medical care sites, I was struck by a doctor's words: "The ability to eat by mouth, no matter how old one gets, leads to that person's will to live." In that setting, efforts were being made to support "eating by mouth" in collaboration not only with medical care but also with local administration.
"Eating" here refers not only to solid meals but to the overall intake of nutrients through the mouth. This concept is also linked to the design of +leaf, which allows for nutritional intake through the mouth even in liquid form. In reality, a decrease in eating leads to nutritional deficiencies and loss of muscle strength, reducing opportunities to go out, and further weakening the ability to eat itself—such changes...
### The impact of the "ability to eat," realized through changes in my father
My father is currently 84 years old. With age, his food intake decreased, constipation persisted, and his opportunities to go out dwindled. His muscle strength also declined, approaching a state known as frailty. I have been giving him "+leaf," a protein supplement we currently develop and sell, every day.
Changes appeared within about three days of starting. From a state where bowel movements took a long time, he began to have them naturally almost every day. Furthermore, as his bowel movements became regular, his food intake gradually increased, and he began to show more motivation in daily life, such as walking and going up and down the stairs at home.
Through this change, I strongly realized that the intestinal environment and the way nutrients are taken have a significant impact on daily physical condition and life. On the other hand, I also feel that there are points to be further pursued for a design more suited to the bodies of the elderly.
### The importance of "eating by mouth"
As the population ages, problems such as decreased food intake, constipation, and muscle weakness—known as frailty—are occurring in many people. When I previously covered home medical care sites, I was struck by a doctor's words: "The ability to eat by mouth, no matter how old one gets, leads to that person's will to live." In that setting, efforts were being made to support "eating by mouth" in collaboration not only with medical care but also with local administration.
"Eating" here refers not only to solid meals but to the overall intake of nutrients through the mouth. This concept is also linked to the design of +leaf, which allows for nutritional intake through the mouth even in liquid form. In reality, a decrease in eating leads to nutritional deficiencies and loss of muscle strength, reducing opportunities to go out, and further weakening the ability to eat itself—such changes...