When I moved to Italy in 2024, one of the first things I noticed was the very particular way Italian nonne, or grandmas, live. They walk everywhere, frequently across the city, without any assistance. Many of them are dressed to the nines, but they also don’t try to hide their age.
I was then delighted—and unsurprised—when I came across a new wellness trend making the rounds on social media. “Nonnamaxxing” is the idea that anyone can maximize their life if they just embrace the habits of Italian grandmas. It happens to be sensible guidance.
There’s certainly a lot to learn from Italian grandmothers. Italy leads the European Union in life expectancy, and it’s a country where the number of centenarians is growing. A cluster of villages in Sardinia is one of the world’s five Blue Zones. Online guidance includes ditching social media, eating homemade everything, wearing cotton nightgowns, and welcoming unhurried lunches with friends. Some of these suggestions line up with how I’ve seen Italian grandmas live. But as a health and science journalist, I’ve noticed there’s more to it than what looks good on Instagram or TikTok. In fact, Licia Fertz, a 96-year-old Italian nonna based in Viterbo, Italy, tells SELF, quite the opposite is true.
“I put on my makeup and dress in cheerful colors, even if I’m not leaving the house, because presenting yourself well is an act of self-love,” Fertz says.
It seems that Italian nonne are the health gurus we all need. Read on to learn their secrets to a happier, healthier, and longer life.
Embrace aging
I rarely see Italian nonne who don’t look their age. In fact, it’s one of the first things I noticed when I moved here. At the pools and beaches, it doesn’t matter how old they are; women, nonne included, frequently wear bikinis. Honestly, it’s refreshing and emphasizes a cultural mindset that aging is a natural part of life.
Fertz tells SELF that this mindset is key to her living a long and healthy life. “Never think of yourself as old,” says Fertz. “You are born young.”
It turns out that as you age, having a more positive attitude about getting older could help you live longer too. A recent study found an association between how women view aging and the actual pace at which they age.
Sonja Lyubomirsky, a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and author of How To Feel Loved, tells SELF that a mindset is like putting on a pair of glasses or a coat. “It certainly matters very much what our mindset is when we think about aging,” Lyubomirsky says. “Is it a gift? Is it about wisdom, maturity, and the richness of life, or is it about deterioration and loss?” Both can be true, she says. “But you can choose.”
