Self-Proclaimed Gut Specialist Yosuke Kubozuka’s Unexpected 1.5 Meal Routine Started During COVID-19 Pandemic

“I only eat 1.5 meals a day. When my gut is clear, my mind becomes clearer and my personality becomes more positive.”

Yosuke Kubozuka (45), an actor whose high acting ability and free-spirited words that do not conform to societal expectations have earned him charisma and significant support, especially among young people. Not only are his works being watched, but his lifestyle is also under scrutiny. He is fervently engaged in “gut health,” to the extent of calling himself Kubozuka “Gut Specialist.”

“Gut health” refers to activities that improve intestinal environment for health. Kubozuka started his gut health routine during the chaotic times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After my work was canceled and I spent time at home, a senior recommended a book called ‘The Way of Fermentation—What the Microorganisms of a Sake Brewery Taught Me About Human Life’ by Keisa Terada. Terada is the former head of ‘Terada Honke,’ a sake brewery in Kamisaki, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture, that produces organic, additive-free natural sake. The book discusses gut health, microorganisms, and the importance of fermentation for humans. I was deeply impressed by its content.”

Originally, Kubozuka had been mindful of his diet since his twenties, avoiding fast food and convenience store bento, and aiming to eat meals free of additives at home. Inspired by ‘The Way of Fermentation,’ he read extensively about fermentation, microorganisms, and gut health, and came to the realization that ‘everything lies in the gut.’

“Microorganisms are essential for human life activities, and most of them reside in the gut. Good bacteria that conduct fermentation activities and boost immunity are among them. There is also the term ‘gut-brain connection,’ which suggests that the brain and gut influence each other. In other words, mental health issues like depression may, to some extent, be related to the activities of gut microorganisms. This idea resonated with me, and that’s why I started focusing on gut health.”

For gut health, Kubozuka practices “1.5 meals a day.” In the morning, he has vegetable juice and homemade soy milk yogurt. For lunch, he eats whatever he likes, and for dinner, he lightly snacks on gut-friendly root vegetables, fermented foods, and seaweeds. He considers breakfast as 0.25 meals, lunch as 1 meal, and dinner as 0.25 meals, totaling 1.5 meals.

“I actually want to reduce it to one meal a day, but if it causes too much stress, it defeats the purpose, so I stick to 1.5 meals. Eating less is meant to activate the cells. Also, when you eat a lot, too much of your life energy is used for digestion and absorption, and the energy that should go where it’s needed can’t reach those areas.”

For example, when injured, people tend to eat more to enhance recovery. However, Kubozuka says that the more you eat, the more energy is diverted to digestion and absorption, depleting the energy needed for healing, and thus, recovery can actually be delayed.

“Fasting has historically been considered a form of medicine in many cultures. In Germany, there’s a saying, ‘Diseases that fasting cannot cure, even doctors cannot cure,’ and in France, there’s a proverb, ‘Fasting is surgery without a scalpel.’ Of course, you can’t remain hungry all the time, but not overeating is crucial for enhancing natural healing power.”

Kubozuka advises that if it’s difficult to suddenly reduce your meals, start by not eating for three hours before bedtime. Generally, easily digestible foods are absorbed within about three hours. You might worry that not eating for three hours will leave you too hungry to sleep, but he says that’s just a misconception.

“I thought the same thing at first, but feeling hungry is a result of the brain judging it as ‘dangerous’ because it believes hunger could lead to starvation and death. Instead, think of it as ‘my body is moving towards health because of this hunger.’ By setting the mindset that hunger is a form of happiness, you can stay positive. Since starting gut health practices, I’ve found that alcohol is absorbed more quickly, improving my efficiency, and it’s all been beneficial.”