As Told To is a recurring segment on xoNecole where real women are given a platform to tell their stories in first-person narrative as told to a writer.
This is Q's story, as told to London Alexaundria.
This was a few years ago. It had to be back in '21 because it was during the pandemic. And I work out, so my body is always sore, and normally, I would go to a chain, like a Massage Envy, for the most part. And I got bored with it. I got bored with changing locations. I got bored with changing the therapists.
And so I said, let me try to find something different. So what I did was, and it was like, later on in that evening. So I was trying to find somebody who do late-night massages outside of Jeju (Atlanta spa) and going that far. And so I did, like a simple Google search, just massage therapists that are open. I found one, and it was Black-owned, and it was in a reasonable amount of time. It wasn't too far, like it was less than 45 minutes from where I am. And I decided to give it a chance.
I wasn't looking for anything in particular except to get a really good deep-tissue massage because I was in a lot of pain, and they were open up until midnight, and so I went ahead and booked. I submitted my down payment, and I showed up. And when I showed up, it looked like it was maybe; I don't know if you want to call them; they could resemble homes, but it's like a plaza, I guess. It's his actual business. And when I went in there, it was clean. It was small and quaint, but it was very clean. No issues. And the massage therapist was very nice; very professional.
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He broke everything down for me. I told him my areas that I needed attention on, and then he gave me a few minutes just to get undressed. He said, if I'm comfortable, I can just lay on the table. If I would like to be covered up, just go underneath the cover. You don't have to get completely naked. You can keep your undergarments on if that's what you choose to do. But me, no matter where I'm at, no matter what type of massage I'm getting, I just like to be completely naked. And I just laid on top of the table because it was pretty warm in there. Like, it wasn't too cold, it wasn't too hot, it was just right for me. And so once he came in he got everything situated, he got the music playing, and he just gets to going, and he's massaging me on my back.
I opted for a deep tissue, and he's really focusing on my trigger points. And normally, when I get a massage, naturally, I'm relaxed. Naturally, I might get excited. But this time, it was different, and I think it was just because of the way that he really paid attention to my body. And not only was he good at paying attention to it, it had a certain type of sensualness to it. So I guess you can say it reminds you of something similar to a sensual massage therapist that you might see online, like a TikTok or Instagram. So it was something similar to that. So once he finished with my back, and he started going to my lower back and buttocks area, he went into my inner thighs, and he's doing my inner thighs and my calves. And the more he starts working my inner thighs, the more excited I'm getting.
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I'm getting super wet, but in my head, I'm thinking, okay, play it cool. Just be professional. Keep it going. But the more he kept going up my inner thighs, the more excited I got, and I know he felt how wet I was. The closer he got to my private area, I slowly open my legs up a little bit more so he can get the idea that I'm okay with him just going all the way through. And if you want to give me a happy ending, I'm okay with that too. But he still took his time, still kept massaging. And the more I opened up my legs, the closer he got, and then he had touched me on my vagina area, and I liked it, and I let out like a sigh.
And so he kept going and going and going. And then he didn't stop until I came. And once I came, he just like... it was nothing. Just kept massaging the rest of my body, and he told me to flip over. And when I flipped over, you know, he did the top portion of my body. He did like my temples on my head. He did my décolletage area, like the chest area. And then he did my legs and my feet, you know, on the top side. But then when he went into my inner thighs again, I get excited again, and he does it again, and so I come again, and after that, I'm completely relaxed, and this man is like, your massage is complete.
And I was just stunned, because I've never had that happen before, but it was amazing. And I said I could do this again. But then I started thinking, does he do this often? Or did he do it just because he knew that I was okay with about opening up my legs a bit more, so he knew that it was okay to keep going in that area. And I really didn't ask him, 'cause deep down inside, I didn't care. I just knew that it was something that I was going to keep with me that way if I want to see him again. I still got him in my back pocket, and I did see him again, but we'll save that for another time.
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And that reminded me that I should share a list of them, en masse. Because, even though it is warming up outside, that doesn’t mean that you can’t turn your hot cup of herbal tea into a tall glass of iced herbal tea, right? I mean, especially since cool temperatures actually help to restrict your blood vessels which, in turn, can reduce swelling and inflammation.
Anyway, if like her, your allergies have you feeling some type of way and it ain’t very good, here are 10 teas that might make it easier to adjust to the pollen that, like clockwork, the spring season has to offer.
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1. Peppermint Tea
If you enjoy the taste of mint, treat yourself to some peppermint tea over the next couple of weeks. Peppermint tea will bless you on a few different levels because it contains properties that will help to bring relief to gas and bloating; can give you an energy boost; help you to lose weight; help you to sleep more soundly, and peppermint tea can even help to ease menstrual pain discomfort.
The reason why you should try it for your allergies is since peppermint is able to relax your muscles and reduce pain, it may be able to soothe headaches and migraine tension that may be associated with them. Not only that but peppermint also contains antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, has menthol in it that can help to clear up your sinuses and, some studies even say that peppermint may assist in suppressing seasonal allergy-related symptoms like itchy eyes and sneezing.
2. Ginger Tea
If your palate prefers tea that is on the spicy side, go with ginger. It’s also a tea that has quite a bit of health benefits including the fact that it eases nausea and morning sickness; can help to reduce the risk of heart disease; helps to regulate blood sugar; contains cancer-fighting properties; reduces oxidative stress, and it can bring relief to menstrual discomfort too.
And just how does ginger tea help on the allergies front? For starters, the compounds gingerol and shogaol help to reduce inflammation within your system. Also, one study revealed that ginger has the ability to decrease certain cytokines (proteins that are secreted by your immune system’s cells that monitor inflammation within your body) so that you don’t have to deal with things like having a runny nose or an itchy throat. Another perk that comes with ginger is it can help you to sneeze less. Interesting.
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3. Lemon Balm Tea
What if something citrusy is more your thing? Lemon balm can (pardon the pun, considering the topic) scratch that itch, especially if you also have a taste for a tea that has a hint of sweetness to it. Health-wise, lemon balm tea is good for you because it helps to put you in a better mood; boosts cognitive function; helps to reduce anxiety and depression-related symptoms; improves your quality of rest; soothes indigestion, and contains pretty potent antiviral properties as well.
Another thing worth noting about lemon balm, is certain studies have revealed that by using it topically, it can reduce breakouts that are directly related to herpes (check out “If You Have Herpes, When Should You Reveal It To A Potential Partner?”).
Allergies-wise, lemon balm tea can be good for you because it is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which tend to work together to decrease symptoms that are associated with having allergies. However, it should go on record that if you happen to have some sort of thyroid issue, you should speak with your doctor before consuming lemon balm. Some studies say that high amounts of lemon balm can throw your thyroid hormones off a bit.
4. Green Tea
If any tea tastes kind of grassy or like a plant, green tea would be it — not really in a nasty way…it’s just kind of bland; however, it’s not anything that a teaspoon (or two) of honey can mask. Besides, the health benefits that come from green tea make it worth every sip because green tea can do everything from boost brain power, burn fat, and improve your oral health to lower your blood sugar levels, decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer and reduce your signs of aging.
The antioxidants in green tea can help to keep your immune system strong, which again, is always a plus as far as battling allergy symptoms are concerned. Green tea also has anti-allergenic agents in it that bring relief to sneezing, coughing and watery eyes.
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5. Rooibos Tea
Sweet. Nutty. Woodsy. Earthy. A hint of vanilla. When trying to describe what rooibos tea tastes like, all of these things can certainly apply. Personally, I like rooibos tea because it has no caffeine while being high in antioxidants. Some of its other benefits include the fact that rooibos can help to lower your cancer risk; reduce symptoms that are related to diabetes; it helps to bring down your cholesterol levels; it helps to fade the appearance of wrinkles (over time), and is also good for your heart.
Rooibos can make your allergies easier to bear because it contains a flavonoid called aspalathin which helps to reduce the symptoms that are associated with having allergies including nasal congestion.
6. Nettle Tea
“Sweet and earthy” is how a lot of people describe the taste of nettle tea. If you’ve got a urinary tract infection (UTI), it can help to flush out the bacteria that causes it. If you have arthritic pain, it can help to bring you some much-needed relief. If you’re trying to keep your blood sugar levels under control, nettle tea can help with that as well as keeping your cholesterol levels where they should be; it even contains properties that can help to heal acne and eczema-related symptoms.
Your allergies won’t like nettle tea very much because it also works as a natural antihistamine; this means that it reduces symptoms that are associated with hay fever including sneezing and itchiness.
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7. Chamomile Tea
There honestly aren’t too many things that chamomile tea can’t help to improve (check out “8 Teas That Are Really Good For Your Vaginal Health” and “Got A Killer Cold? These 10 Hacks Will Help You To Sleep Better.” and “10 Teas That Are Great For The Fall Season — As Far As Hair Growth Is Concerned”). Taste-wise, it’s mild, floral, and a little bit sweet. Health-wise, it reduces PMS symptoms, regulates blood sugar levels, and helps to keep your skin healthy, thanks to the properties in it that reduce breakouts and increase hydration.
Chamomile is also loaded with anti-inflammatory properties that help to bring relief to allergy symptoms. Chamomile also has anti-allergy properties in it that can block histamines and keep your eyes from watering up and your nose itching (although if you are allergic to daises, it’s best to avoid this tea because it belongs to the Asteraceae family…like daisies do).
8. Licorice Tea
To me, licorice tea is definitely reminiscent of black licorice although some people say that it’s a mixture of sweet and bitter flavors. And since licorice tea is basically made of licorice root, licorice root is good for you because it provides digestive support; can reduce acid reflux; helps to speed up the healing process of peptic ulcers; will fight reduce the bacteria that cause cavities, and it can even help to ease perimenopause/menopause-related symptoms.
The reason why licorice root can help you with your allergies is it contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help your respiratory system in top shape. Also, it helps to soothe a sore throat, prevent a runny nose, reduce sneezing and nasal congestion and licorice can bring relief to itchy and watery eyes.
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9. Black Tea
Black tea? Black tea is pretty robust with a smoky flavor and, if you’re looking for a coffee alternative, while it doesn’t have as much caffeine in it as java, it does contain more than green or white tea does. Moving on to how black tea can help out your health, it helps to strengthen your heart; lowers your risk of having a stroke; decreases your cancer risk; makes you more alert; reduces stress, helps your body to burn more fat, and even increases longevity.
Black tea may help to ease allergy-related symptoms because it has the flavonoid quercetin in it. Quercetin is great at fighting allergies because it hinders the release of histamines which helps to keep you from having a runny nose, hives, watery eyes, and face swelling. As a bonus, black tea contains anti-inflammatories and antioxidants too.
10. Yerba Mate Tea
This tea here has a bit of a unique flavor because it’s kinda smoky, kinda earthy, and kinda bitter — but again, if you add some honey to it, it could become a tea that you grow to really like; especially since it is able to do things like increase the quality of your workouts; help you to lose weight; give you more energy; lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels; improve the quality of your skin; make type 2 diabetes more manageable, and it can increase bone density too (which is important as you age).
Yerba Mate rounds out the list of teas that are wise to consume during allergy season because it reduces inflammation and it helps to fight off free radicals as well.
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As the weather starts to heat up, it’s always a good idea to stay hydrated. And if you want to do so while being outdoors, now you have some teas that can help you to take in the sun without dealing (so much with) seasonal spring allergy symptoms. Drink up!
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