When I moved to Italy in 2024, one of the first things I noticed was that Italian nonnes, or grandmothers, live in a very special way. They walk everywhere, often across town, unaided. Many are dressed to the nines, but they don’t try to hide their age either.
At the time, I was delighted—and not surprised—to come across a new wellness trend on social media. “Nonnamaxxing” is the idea that anyone can maximize their life by adopting the habits of Italian grandmothers. This is a sensible guide.
You can certainly learn a lot from Italian grandmothers. Italy leads the European Union in life expectancy and is a country with an increasing number of centenarians. The cluster of Sardinian villages is one the world’s five blue zones. Online guidance included leaving social mediahe eats homemade everything, wears cotton nightgowns, and welcomes leisurely lunches with friends. Some of these suggestions are in line with how I have seen Italian grandmothers live. But as a health and science journalist, I’ve noticed that there’s more to it than what looks good on Instagram or TikTok. In fact, Licia Fertz, a 96-year-old Italian nonna in Viterbo, Italy, tells SELF, the exact opposite is true.
“I put on makeup and dress in fun colors, even if I don’t leave the house, because presenting myself well is an act of self-love,” says Fertz.
Italian nonnas seem to be the health gurus we all need. Read on to learn the secrets to a happier, healthier and longer life.
Embrace aging
I rarely see an Italian nun who doesn’t look her age. It’s actually one of the first things I noticed when I moved here. At pools and beaches, it doesn’t matter how old they are; women, not included, often wear bikinis. Frankly, it’s refreshing and underscores the cultural mindset that aging is a natural part of life.
Fertz tells SELF that this way of thinking is key to your long and healthy life. “Never think of yourself as old,” says Fertz. “You were born young.”
It turns out that as you get older, a more positive attitude about aging can help you age. THE recent study found a correlation between women’s perception of aging and the actual rate of aging.
Sonya LyubomirskyDistinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and author of How To Feel Loved, tells SELF that mindset is like putting on a pair of glasses or a coat. “What we think about aging certainly matters a lot,” says Lyubomirsky. “Is it a gift? Wisdom, maturity and the richness of life, or decay and loss?” Both could be true, he says. “But you can choose.”
