What Leslie Kenny Eats in a Day

We get a lot of questions about our founder, Leslie Kenny, and chief among them is what she actually eats. So we sat down with her to find out. Leslie's diet is a thoughtfully curated blend of personal preference, medical insight, and seasonal rhythm. Here are her dietary dos and don'ts, her favorite meals, and the principles she lives by.

In short: Oxford Healthspan founder Leslie Kenny follows a mostly plant-based, whole-foods diet shaped by her autoimmune history. She avoids tomatoes, gluten, dairy, and alcohol, favors seasonal soups and dairy-free risotto, practices daily time-restricted eating, and starts each day with a signature coffee. Her approach is personal, not a prescriptive plan.

Leslie has honed this way of eating for her own needs and tastes. It is shaped by her medical history, particularly her autoimmune disease and its triggers, her allergies, and her own likes and dislikes. This article is not a diet to follow or a method to treat any condition, such as lupus. The diet that works for Leslie is unique to her, so treat it as inspiration and a source of tips, not a definitive guide.

Foods Leslie Avoids

Leslie avoids foods she has found trigger her autoimmune symptoms, chiefly tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, and green peppers. Following an allergy test, she also cut gluten and dairy, and she avoids alcohol for its inflammatory potential. These are her personal triggers, identified with her doctor, rather than universal rules.

First, Leslie's "don'ts." She has cut these foods because she has found them to trigger her autoimmune disease:

• Trigger foods: "Everyone [with autoimmune conditions] has different triggers, but tomatoes are tough for me. I remember having flare-ups each time I would eat them, so now I just avoid them," Leslie explains. Potatoes, zucchini, and green peppers are also on her "no touch" list for the same reason.
• Gluten and dairy: "I had an allergy test conducted by my medical doctor, and it showed sensitivities to both gluten and dairy," Leslie notes.
• Alcohol: "I decided to cut alcohol for similar reasons," she adds, pointing to its inflammatory potential and its well-documented links to age-related disease.

Inspiration from Popular Diets

Leslie has tried various approaches, notably the anti-inflammatory Zone Diet by Dr. Barry Sears and the Autoimmune Paleo diet, before settling on her own guidelines.

"I've borrowed a few concepts from these diets, like avoiding sugar and using high-quality oils, but ultimately I follow what works best for me."

In practice, that means eating mostly plant-based, whole foods, and, as much as possible, what is locally and seasonally available.

Key Guidelines

• Focus on plant-based, whole foods.
• Choose seasonal and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
• Avoid sugar and use anti-inflammatory oils like extra virgin olive oil.

A Day in Leslie Kenny's Autumn Diet

A typical autumn day for Leslie starts with a single cup of her signature coffee and no breakfast, giving her a natural 15-hour fast most days. Lunch is often a gut-friendly soup, and dinner might be a dairy-free risotto. She eats mostly plant-based, seasonal whole foods and keeps her routine flexible.

Morning Ritual: Signature Coffee

On most days, Leslie starts with a single cup of her signature coffee (ingredients below). Because she is not usually hungry in the morning, she does not eat until around midday.

"I tend not to have breakfast. I have my coffee and that carries me along until about 11 [AM]. Then, I might have some olives. And, typically around 1, I'll have lunch. Occasionally, this will mean that I fast for 18 hours [with her last meal before 8PM], but most often it's around a 15-hour fast (breaking fast at 11). In the summer, I like to do circadian fasting so you only eat when there's sunlight."

That daily time-restricted eating is one of the levers Leslie uses to support cellular renewal. Her coffee itself combines high-quality ingredients with a few functional additions:

• Coffee beans: Sourced from Oxford-based Colombia Coffee Roasters, known for their organic, single-estate beans.
• Additions:
  • WillPowder Swiss Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides for skin and hair.
  • WillPowder MCT Keto Creamer.
  • Naturya Raw Cacao.
  • 1/8 teaspoon of the Chinese herb He Shou wu (Fo-ti), cycled three months on and one month off.
  • Optional cinnamon for added richness.

"There's a lot of ritual in my coffee preparation, and every step, from selecting the beans to the stir-ins, is carefully considered."

What's for Lunch?

"I love soup!" laughs Leslie. "I know a lot of people hate it, but it's my go-to at this time of year."

Leslie's go-to gut-friendly soups:

• Chicken soup: Her homemade version has a chicken bone broth base with garlic, onion, ginger, carrots, celery, broccoli, peas, and fresh parsley. She recommends plenty of spices, since the variety supports the gut microbiome (and adds extra flavor).
• Shiitake mushroom soup: This one stars sliced shiitake mushrooms stir-fried with sofrito, a mix of celery, onion, and carrot, plus garlic and ginger. When she wants something heartier, she cracks an egg into the hot soup or adds prawns for extra protein.

Dinner: Dairy-Free Risotto

Risotto, in all its vegetable forms, is a favorite. Leslie mentioned the pea, mushroom, and pumpkin varieties in particular. Her version is dairy-free but no less satisfying for it.

"Risotto is a favorite of mine, and I've found ways to make it dairy-free without sacrificing any of the deliciousness."

Quick-Fire Questions: Snacks, Indulgences, and Supplements

Coffee or tea? "Both! But never with milk or sweeteners."

Fish or meat? "Both! But I try for the highest quality."

What are you snacking on? "Fruit!" [She held up a mandarin when I asked.] "I like apples, nuts, sunflower seeds, and sprouts. I'll also have tortilla chips or popcorn."

Any indulgences? "Yes! Gluten-free carrot or coffee cake. And I occasionally have a dessert of blueberries, strawberries, almond milk, cacao nibs, and Primeadine. It tastes like ice cream."

What is your supplement stack? "Because I take BHRT, I think it's important to take N-acetylcysteine, DIM, and Calcium-D-Glucarate. I also take liposomal glutathione, astaxanthin, and Primeadine, of course."

What are your go-to foods for hair, skin, and nails? "Spermidine, collagen, and He Shou wu (Fo-ti)." (He Shou wu, also called Fo-ti, is a Chinese herb traditionally used in longevity tonics.)

Conclusion

Leslie Kenny's diet is a study in personalization. By prioritizing whole, anti-inflammatory foods and paying close attention to how her body responds, she has built an approach that supports her gut health, works around her autoimmune triggers, and still leaves plenty of room for meals she loves. It is not a one-size-fits-all guide, but it is an inspiring example of how thoughtful, individual choices add up to better balance.

Age Well with Primeadine

Primeadine® is the food-derived spermidine supplement Leslie takes every day, made from Japanese wheat germ: gluten-free, glyphosate-free, and third-party tested for purity. Spermidine supports the body's natural autophagy and cellular-renewal processes, which tend to slow as we age. Whether you stir it into your morning coffee or take it before bed as Leslie does, it is a simple daily step toward aging well. Explore Primeadine and the full range.

This article is for educational purposes only and reflects one individual's personal choices. It is not medical or dietary advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition, including autoimmune disease. Oxford Healthspan products are not intended to treat any disease. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing your diet or supplement routine, particularly if you have a medical condition or take medication.