Put down the phone and pick up the ladle.
While you were busy grinding for that promotion, grandmothers in Italy were busy grinding meat to make homemade sausage. They were busy taking long walks to the market, rolling out pasta dough and stealing dips in the Mediterranean without a second thought for their wrinkles — aside from how they’re well-earned after a long life.
And living like a nonna — the Italian word for grandma — might just be Gen Z’s twist on persuing “Blue Zone” longevity.
Social media users have recently embraced “nonnamaxxing” as the antidote to life as a hustling youth, beset by the pressure to navigate an impossible job market, remain relevant online and stay sane as the natural world around them is sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed.
But the nonna fantasy is more than a silly fad. Many elements of the classic nonna lifestyle have been proven to support longevity, from walking everywhere to eating more homemade meals made with seasonal ingredients.
In fact, Italy’s earned a reputation as a global leader in life expectancy, and parts of Sardinia have been classified as one of the world’s five Blue Zones, or places with the most residents aged over 100.
So what, exactly, does nonnamaxxing entail? According to an Instagram post by the brand Tallow Twins, staples include extra virgin olive oil, fresh produce like tomatoes, cooking with fats, and “homemade everything” for meals.
The Mediterranean diet is often held up as a top choice for health, as it’s been shown to slash dementia risk, lower your chances of developing diabetes, blast belly fat and prolong life.
Other nonnamaxxing musts are lengthy lunches with friends, airing out the home with open windows, smiling at strangers and enjoying “dolce far niente,” or the joy of doing nothing.
What’s so attractive about the nonna way of life — at least the nonna way of life as it’s been presented on social media — is its simplicity. And this is also a core tenant of its association with longevity.
Yes, food habits are central to this lifestyle, and eating more home-cooked meals that adhere to a Mediterranean diet has numerous well-studied health benefits — but the nonna’s longevity secrets extend far beyond the kitchen.
Social isolation has emerged as a major contributor to health problems as we age, from mental health to cardiovascular wellness and cognitive elasticity.
The nonne have this sorted. These grandmothers tend to be pillars of their communities, providing childcare for their grandchildren, taking frequent walks through town and spending long stretches of time at cafes and public places.
These behaviors have real health outcomes. A study from earlier this year showed that taking care of grandchildren helped older people preserve memory and verbal skills. The mindfulness associated with something like sitting and being present at a cafe can slow biological aging.
But if the nonnamaxxing trend has shown us anything, it’s that Gen Z likes a cute, aesthetically pleasant outlet for expressing its cynicism at being young in the 21st century.
In a recent conversation with SELF magazine, New York-based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert put it this way: “The appeal here is the fantasy of a life that feels grounded, warm and unhurried. A lot of younger people are burned out by the pressure to constantly optimize themselves, be productive and turn their lives into content.”
Of course, the nonne of our imagination aren’t always the nonne of real life. What we see as slow, easy and simple is actually undergirded by a lot of work: Cooking for the family, cleaning, taking care of children.
So while may think the greatest lesson that the nonne have to teach us is to “just enjoy,” it may actually be something different.
Cranking a pasta maker may look quaint, but there’s a need for it. Whether the nonna enjoys it or not, she has to do it. Her family’s gotta eat.
Maybe the nonna’s secret to longevity is to focus her labor and productivity more locally. To feed and nourish those in her own circles, instead of grasping at the approval of a billion internet strangers who don’t tangibly witness her as she goes about her life. Who can’t smell the sauce she’s spent hours crafting as it simmers on the stove.
