How To Make 60 The New 20: Reverse Your Biological Age

Reversing your biological age isn’t about chasing youth—it’s about giving your body the right conditions to become stronger, healthier, and more resilient at every age. 

In this episode, Debra sits down with longevity expert Leslie Kenny to uncover how she transformed a devastating autoimmune diagnosis into a mission to optimize health and extend healthspan. 

You’ll discover why inflammation, muscle, stress, sleep, and immune health are deeply connected—and how small, consistent changes can create extraordinary results over time. 

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to improve your energy, strength, or future health, this conversation will challenge what you thought was possible. 

Reverse your biological age by learning practical strategies that help your body work for you, not against you.

My Guest:

Leslie Kenny, an Oxford-based longevity expert and graduate of UC Berkeley, personally reversed diagnoses of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and infertility, later giving birth naturally at the age of 43. Now 60, with a biological age of just 21, her remarkable recovery inspired her to dedicate her life to translating cutting-edge longevity science into accessible, evidence-based solutions for the public. Leslie went on to co-found the Oxford Longevity Project, a nonprofit devoted to educating and empowering individuals to age smarter through science-backed strategies. She also founded Oxford Healthspan, the company behind Primeadine®, a premium, food-derived spermidine supplement sustainably sourced from the longevity islands of Japan, where exceptional numbers of centenarians thrive.

Proven Longevity Habits Every Woman Needs To Reverse Your Biological Age

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:04:59] You were told at 39 that you had three autoimmune diseases and only a few good years left. Can you take us back to that moment, and what was going through your mind?
• [00:22:46] Many women in midlife are diagnosed with Hashimoto’s without realizing it’s an autoimmune condition. How do lifestyle factors contribute, and what should women know?
• [00:27:17] What impact do lifestyle habits have on inflammation, autoimmune disease, and healthy aging?
• [00:32:38] What role does spermidine play in healthy aging, and why has it become such an important area of longevity research?
• [00:36:45] Can you get enough spermidine from food alone, or should women consider supplementation?
• [00:41:01] Your biological age is dramatically younger than your chronological age. What does that actually mean in terms of how you feel day to day?
• [00:43:15] Looking back, what do you wish more women understood earlier about protecting their health and aging well?

The Journey That Changed Everything

• Leslie Kenny shares how being diagnosed at age 39 with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus—and being told she had only a few healthy years left—became the catalyst for completely changing how she approached health.
• Rather than accepting a prognosis of decline, she adopted the mindset of becoming “the best patient possible” by investigating every lifestyle factor she could control.
• One of the biggest lessons: a diagnosis does not automatically define your future. It can become the starting point for discovering underlying causes.

   

Reverse Your Biological Age With Muscle, Sleep, and Smarter Midlife Strategies 

Managing Disease vs. Finding Root Causes

• Researching patient communities led her to studies on immune modulation instead of simply immune suppression.
• Many conventional treatments manage symptoms without necessarily addressing what triggered immune dysfunction.
• It is important to identify inflammatory triggers rather than assuming medication alone is the complete solution.
• Patients benefit from becoming informed participants in their healthcare decisions.

Building an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

Rather than relying on one intervention, Leslie systematically improved the factors she could influence:

• Removed foods that triggered her immune system after allergy testing.
• Increased daily movement through hiking and yoga.
• Prioritized restorative sleep.
• Left a highly stressful job.
• Addressed emotional trauma through therapy.
• Reduced chronic inflammatory triggers wherever possible.
• Focused on supporting immune balance instead of overwhelming it.

Women in Midlife Face Unique Challenges

Midlife women often experience overlapping stressors:

• Career demands
• Caregiving responsibilities
• Family obligations
• Aging parents
• Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause

Chronic stress combined with hormonal shifts can increase inflammatory burden.
Supporting recovery becomes just as important as managing responsibilities.

Can You Really Reverse Your Biological Age?

• Biological age reflects how well the body’s systems are functioning rather than simply counting birthdays.
• Leslie’s perspective:
  • • The body possesses remarkable regenerative capacity.
    • Aging is influenced by lifestyle, immune health, and environmental exposures.
    • When the body receives the right inputs, it often responds positively.
• Healthy aging is about improving function—not chasing perfection.

   

Reduce Inflammation and Build Stronger Muscles To Reverse Your Biological Age

Why Muscle Is One of the Best Longevity Medicines

• Healthy muscle is metabolically active and supports overall health.
• Key lessons include:
  • • Muscle functions like an endocrine organ.
    • Healthy muscle releases anti-inflammatory signaling molecules (myokines).
    • Maintaining muscle supports long-term healthspan, not just appearance.
    • Building muscle is an investment that pays dividends throughout aging.
• Recommendations:
  • • Prioritize regular resistance training.
    • Stay physically active throughout life.
    • Think of muscle as part of your longevity strategy.

       

Connect with Leslie:

• Website – Leslie’s New Prime, Oxford Healthspan and Oxford Longevity Project
• Instagram – @lesliesnewprime, @oxfordhealthspan and @oxfordlongevityproject 
• YouTube – @LesliesNewPrime