Mandamine Massage Therapy

Dear clients and friends:

September, and autumn in general, allows for much more outside activity, which is both exciting and invigorating, but it can also mean flare-ups of arthritis. About one in five adults in the US have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis, and while you’d think that’s all older folks, actually as much as 15% are adults under 45 years old. It impacts how a day is spent and how much exercise or activity is possible, even on the most beautiful fall days. Fortunately, there’s a mountain of evidence that shows massage therapy helps alleviate the pain and stiffness of arthritis!

Head over to me blog to read more! https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/massage-therapy-and-arthritis-4

Dear friends and clients:

As we’re heading into autumn, there’s so much more reason to head out into the cooling temperatures and fall foliage, something we’re very lucky to have here in Old Town Alexandria and further points in Virginia! Florida and California are all well and good, but they don’t have the burst of colors, the reds, golds, and rusts that begin to surround us here!

It’s really invigorating and inspiring to see, right? That’s why, when I’m writing my events blog for September, I’m particularly excited to get out and about, and I bet you are, too! And there are a few fun things happening you might be able to plan, now that you’re used to heading into Old Town to visit me at Mandamine Massage.

Head over to my blog to read more about my picks for celebrating September in Alexandria! https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/september-events-in-old-town

Dear friends and clients:

Announcing my aromatherapy choice for September! I invite you over to my blog to read all about it:

https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/celebrate-fall-with-new-aromatherapy-at-mandamine-massage-2

Dear clients and friends:

Last week, I talked about our recent issues with the air quality index, and one of the things I mentioned was how poor air quality can contribute to inflammation.

That got me thinking about inflammation in general, because it plagues SO. MANY. PEOPLE. We know that chronic inflammation is associated with a whole host of health problems and chronic conditions. That’s not a reason to panic. Our world has plenty of things that can stress our bodies, which is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in finding joy where we can and choosing happiness, one day at a time.

Still, there are things we can do to help our bodies manage inflammation. And massage therapy can be one of them. OF COURSE THERE ARE!! Massage therapy ROCKS!

Massage may help support the body’s inflammatory response by improving circulation and fluid movement, reducing muscle tension, and helping bring down the physical effects of stress.

Let me count the ways:

🌟Swedish massage uses long, rhythmic strokes and gentle to moderate pressure to encourage circulation and help you relax.
🌟Lymphatic drainage uses very light, specific pressure to encourage the movement of lymphatic fluid. This can be particularly useful when swelling and fluid retention are an issue.
🌟Deep tissue massage uses slower, more focused pressure to work with areas of chronic muscle tension and restricted movement. It’s not necessarily about “breaking up” knots, but about helping tight tissues relax and move more freely.

So, how does massage actually help? Head over to my blog to read more, https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/massage-therapy-and-inflammation

Dear friends and clients:

As I’m sure many of you have been contending with, we here in Mandamine Massage of Old Town, Alexandria have been having to check the “AQI,” or air quality index, quite a bit lately, most recently because of the very sad and destructive fires in Canada. It’s starting to get under control, although there are still over 500 of them right now up there (!!), but the days where we were seeing haze and getting “PURPLE” warnings (the worst and highest warning) are hopefully behind us. Still, some of us had to go outside, whether it was to walk the pup or head out to work or, you know, life things, so a few of my clients mentioned their lungs were stinging, or they were having a bit more asthma or breathing issues as a result of those days.

It’s interesting to learn that in Northern Virginia, air quality is typically at it worst during the summer months of June, July, and August, driven mostly by high ground level ozone (smog) and the aforementioned wildfire smoke.

That, of course, and in the way I usually do, made me think about how massage therapy can mitigate or help breathing or chronic issues like asthma, or help clear out or protect the body from damage of the various air pollutants we breathe in those circumstances. Would you believe there are a bunch of benefits? Of course you would! Head over to my blog, to learn more.
https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/massage-therapy-and-the-air-quality-index

Dear friends and clients:

As we wind our way through August and head towards crisper, cooler climes of autumn (do you BELIEVE IT?), it seems we should be doing all we can to enjoy August, in all its glory. And it may be hot, but Old Town Alexandria is glorious in August, with all its flowers and bustling tourists and happenings around town!

Head to my blog to read about my picks for celebrating August, https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/august-events-in-old-town

Dear friends and clients:

It’s officially August, which, here in Old Town Alexandria, is often a time of high heat and humidity with dry spells, then an intense thunderstorm. There’s really nothing like an August thunderstorm in Virginia!

And since it’s August, that means it’s time for a new aromatherapy for the month, which got me thinking about petrichor. That’s the scientific term for the earthy scent released dafter oils that accumulate in rocks and soil during dry periods are released by moisture. You know that smell of rain and earth that’s particularly intense in August? I wanted to capture that in an aromatherapy blend, so I decided to mix two that would do that, white fir and bergamot.

To learn more about the benefits of these essential oils and the blend they create, I invite you over to my blog to read more, https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/aromatherapy-massage-series-august-and-petrichor

Dear friends and clients:

Obviously I am looking at the news as much as anyone else, so gastrointestinal health became top of mind this week! I’ve not encountered anyone personally who has suffered from contaminated food, but that led me to think about how many ways massage therapy can help with tummy and intestinal troubles, be they temporary or acute. Even more simply, it can help with gut health overall!

Now, I’m not even talking about stomach or abdominal massage, I’m talking about how holistic massage can have an impact. I invite you over to my blog to read more, https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/massage-therapy-and-gut-health

Dear clients and friends:

Summer can be a lot of fun, but sometimes no matter what is happening, exhaustion creeps up. Actually, sometimes it’s because it’s summer that we feel so drained.

Maybe it’s spending too much time in the heat. Maybe it’s driving kids to camp and activities every day. Maybe it’s a vacation that looked relaxing on paper but somehow ended up packed from morning to night. Or maybe it’s just life doing what life does and asking for more energy than we really have.

You’re not alone.

Summer exhaustion, sometimes called summer fatigue, is a real thing. It can show up as low energy, headaches, brain fog, irritability, or that feeling that you need a nap even though the day has barely started.

Here in Old Town Alexandria, if temperatures drop into the high 80s, people start calling it “relief!” Our bodies work hard during these hot, humid days, and that effort alone can leave us feeling worn out. Add in longer daylight hours and sleep that isn’t quite as restful, and it’s easy to see why so many people hit a wall in the middle of summer.

So what can we do? I invite you to head over to my blog to read more!
https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/exhausted-massage-therapy-can-help-2

Dear clients and friends,

Now that July is in full swing, it’s time for my monthly roundup of the coolest and most fun things to do in Old Town Alexandria. I love that my clients come visit the city right around their scheduled massage therapy sessions, because, DID YOU KNOW that Old Town Alexandria was voted one of the Top 5 Best Cities in the US in 2025 by Travel + Leisure? And that Conde Nast rated it as one of the top 3 small cities in the US?

It’s an especially great time to wander Old Town, since it was founded in 1789, and therefore has been an integral part of building our country in the last 250 years! There are over 200 independent restaurants and boutiques along the avenues and on the historic waterfront, and you know small business is what gives character and quality to our country.

Head to my blog to read more about happenings in Old Town this month. https://www.mandaminemassage.com/s/stories/july-events-in-old-town