At 39, Leslie Kenny was told she had five years to live. Today, at 59, her biological age is 21 – thanks to immune-resetting therapies, anti-inflammatory living, and a radical shift in mindset. – Interwiew.
As the Co-Founder of the Oxford Longevity Project and CEO of Oxford Healthspan, she is on a mission to democratize science-backed tools for healthy aging. With a background in entrepreneurship and a deep personal journey through illness and healing, she challenges the outdated belief that aging equals decline. In this interview, she shares how she reversed her biological age, why women are key players in the future of longevity, and what it truly takes to thrive – cell by cell, choice by choice.
At 39, you were told you had only five years left to live – and today, at 59, your biological age is 21. What has this journey taught you?
“It taught me that the body is far more resilient than we are led to believe and that our doctors are not all-knowing. Making use of a novel immune modulating therapy called IVIg (Intravenous Immunoglobulin), I was able to reset my immune system. “
“At the same time, I used lifestyle changes to remove any and all triggers to my immune system, whether that be gluten, dairy, work stress, poor sleep or past trauma. “
“With the right inputs and mindset, I learned first hand that the body has an astonishing ability to reset, repair and rejuvenate. The mind, when aligned with the will to heal, becomes a powerful partner in recovery. Most importantly, I learned that healing is not just physical – it is deeply emotional and spiritual too. The more you can align yourself philosophically and spiritually with your treatment protocol, the less under threat or stressed you feel.”
At the start of her journey, Kenny didn’t feel at home in her body – she felt betrayed by it. Illness, infertility, and a relentless drive to achieve hit all at once, triggering a wave of shame she could not easily outrun.
“I was ashamed and embarrassed by my failure both to have a baby and to be ill at such a young age”
-she recalls. Healing, she discovered, was not just about medical interventions – it was about dismantling fear, shame, and the belief that chronic illness was a life sentence. It took years of quiet, consistent practices – journaling, meditation, gentle movement – to rebuild trust and relearn the language of her own body.
In a world that pulls our attention in every direction, she believes self-connection is radical: “We are so easily distracted by everything from deadlines to social media to family obligations that we forget to check in with ourselves and catch problems before they escalate.” She also had to challenge another myth – that health is something you outsource. “Health is not a transaction you buy from your doctor. Patients and doctors must become partners in health,” she says.
“Once I became an active participant in my wellness journey, the true healing began.”
Therefore, for Kenny, the future feels like “a blank canvas” – filled with possibility, purpose, and contribution. Becoming biologically younger has reshaped her view of aging: it is no longer a fixed decline, but “a flexible, dynamic process” defined by cellular vitality and mindset. While some say self-care is expensive, she doesn’t see it as vanity, but as stewardship of the body – and no luxury handbag or designer shoe can compete with the radiance of true wellbeing. “After all,” she adds, “good health is the ultimate luxury to wear.”
Leslie Kenny
You are at the intersection of science, wellness, and entrepreneurship. What blind spots do you see in today’s longevity conversation?
“Too often, the industry treats ageing like a disease rather than a process we can influence.”
“There’s so much focus on silver bullet therapies like CRISPR or Yamanaka factors, but these are far from being commercialized and even when they do become available, they are likely to only serve a tiny percentage of people.”
Kenny believes this narrow focus distracts from the real opportunity: making the basics of healthy aging – sleep, movement, food, relationships, and stress reduction – widely available now. She also highlights how the industry overlooks the social dimensions of premature aging and chronic illness, especially deprivation. In her view, aging should be reframed as an opportunity for societies to prosper – particularly in countries facing population decline. Keeping people healthier for longer not only reduces costs, but also frees up resources that can be reinvested in future generations – supporting education for example.
The Oxford Longevity Project aims to make innovative science practical and accessible. How do you bridge the gap between lab research and real-life wellness?
“It currently takes around 17 years for research to move from the ivory tower to the people. We try to bring cutting-edge ideas to public attention much earlier than that.”
They spotlight overlooked data – like the fact that only 4% of menopausal women take BHRT, even though it can cut Alzheimer’s risk in half.
At the heart of their work is a systems biology mindset, which sees the patient as an interconnected whole, not just a bundle of genes.
They aim to bring Nobel Prize-winning ideas like autophagy into daily practice – whether through fasting, exercise, or food-derived spermidine. Kenny’s Oxford Healthspan makes Primeadine®, a food derived spermidine product that targets nine of the twelve hallmarks of aging, from inflammation to mitochondrial decline, but the founder is clear: it is no magic pill – it works best as part of a larger lifestyle shift.
Transparency is the Oxford Longevity Project’s guiding principle – they cite sources, educate without hype, and trust the public to think critically. Kenny wants to lead the charge in reframing ageing as a phase of vitality – by democratizing longevity science and building a global movement of proactive, educated health advocates who lead by example.
Leslie Kenny
As a woman in a science-driven, male-dominated field, what unique perspective do you bring to Oxford Healthspan’s vision and growth?
“I bring empathy, intuition, and a lived experience of reversing disease. I focus not just on the molecule, but on the person. My (in)fertility experience also informs my thoughts on extending fertility in women as part of the healthspan conversation.”
“I believe women are uniquely positioned to lead with both heart and evidence.”
Kenny is part of a growing wave of women reshaping health tech and longevity science – not just with data, but with empathy, collaboration, and holistic thinking. “Women bring a deep understanding of the emotional landscape of health,” she reflects, but they still face persistent barriers: underrepresentation in clinical trials, lack of funding, and gender bias. She points out that many aspects of women’s aging remain overlooked – from perimenopause and menopause to autoimmunity and fertility.
“Women are not small men. We deserve research that reflects our biology.”
Inflammation, for example, affects women differently due to hormonal shifts – and tackling it has been central to Kenny’s own healing. “Reducing inflammation isn’t just about pain relief; it’s about preserving function, mood, and healthspan.”
You have spoken on global stages about empowering people to take charge of their health. What is one myth about aging you would most love to bust?
“That it is all downhill after 40. I’m living proof that the second half can be healthier, sharper, and more vital than the first. I’m 59, which is a prime number, and I like to think of this as the ‘new prime of life’!”
For her, longevity extends far beyond biology. “I nourish my relationships, stay purpose-driven, and cultivate joy. Laughter, love, and learning are just as important as mitochondria!”
And if she could leave one thought with readers?
“You are not at the mercy of your genes or your diagnosis. Ageing is plastic. With the right tools and mindset, you can write a whole new chapter at any age.”
The article contains a product presentation.
Author: Révész Bogi
(Featured image: Leslie Kenny)
