The Ancient Japanese Longevity Scrolls & Spermidine

About Leslie Kenny

Oxford Healthspan was founded by Leslie Kenny, a Southern Californian entrepreneur and graduate of both Berkeley and Harvard, whose life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis in her 30s. When her doctors told her lupus had a life expectancy of five years and that RA could only be managed, not cured, she set out to optimize her health as best she could with safe, natural solutions. She went back to school at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC, became a Bulletproof coach under health pioneer Dave Asprey, and took on health coaching clients worldwide.

At the same time, she began helping life science academics at European universities, including Oxford (where she lives), to raise money for their discoveries. At a meeting with one such scientist, she learned about a natural compound called spermidine, abundant in nattō, a traditional Japanese dish that she had grown up with. Spermidine was showing great promise in supporting health as we age. The science was compelling – one scientist even called it “an anti-aging vitamin” in a published scientific journal – and it was safe. Still, because it was natural, food-derived, and not a drug that would bring in more money, no one was interested in promoting it. Leslie immediately wanted her octogenarian mother back home in California to take it – especially since nattō is very hard to come by (it’s pretty smelly, for one thing!) Unfortunately, spermidine wasn’t available in the US (or really even known there). Spotting this unmet need, she decided to bring it to the US herself.

Today, at age 56, Leslie is living proof that we can get better with age, so long as we take responsibility for our health and meet our doctors halfway.