When I moved to Italy in 2024, the first thing I noticed was the very special way Italian grandmothers lived. They walk everywhere, often all over the city, without any help. Many of them dress to the nines, but they also don’t try to hide their age.
I was thrilled—not surprised—when I came across a new health trend spreading on social media. “Nonnamaxxing” is the idea that anyone can make the most of their life if they embrace the customs of Italian grandmothers. The guidance happens to be reasonable.
There is certainly a lot to learn from Italian grandmothers. Italy leads the European Union in life expectancy, and is a country with a growing number of centenarians. A group of villages in Sardinia is one of The five blue zones in the world. Online guidance Includes Get rid of social mediaeat homemade everything, wear cotton nightgowns, and welcome leisurely lunches with friends. Some of these suggestions are consistent with how I’ve seen Italian grannies live. But as a health and science journalist, I’ve noticed that there’s more to it than just what looks good on Instagram or TikTok. In fact, just the opposite is true, Licia Wertz, a 96-year-old Italian nonna based in Viterbo, Italy, tells SELF.
“I put on my makeup and dress in fun colors, even if I don’t leave the house, because presenting yourself well is a kind of self-love,” Wirtz says.
Non-Italians seem to be the health gurus we all need. Read on to learn their secrets to a happier, healthier, longer life.
Embrace aging
I rarely see an Italian woman who doesn’t look her age. In fact, that’s one of the first things I noticed when I moved here. At pools and beaches, age doesn’t matter; Women, including others, frequently wear bikinis. Honestly, it’s refreshing and confirms the cultural mindset that aging is a natural part of life.
Wertz tells SELF that This mentality It is the key to living a long and healthy life. “Never think of yourself as old,” Wirtz says. “I was born young.”
It turns out that as you get older, having a more positive attitude toward aging can help you live longer, too. A Recent study She found a relationship between how women view aging and the actual pace at which they age.
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. “Our mindset is definitely very important when we think about aging,” Lyubomirsky says. “Is it a gift? Is it about wisdom and maturity and the richness of life or about degradation and loss?” She says that both can be true. “But you can choose.”
