Drogheda Acupuncture and Wellness Clinic - Suzanne Cafferky

05/08/2025

TCM sees global warming as more than physical,
that creates a deep imbalance: excess yang (heat) and deficient yin (coolness).
The philosophy of TCM has always recognised that the natural environment can affect the human body and any imbalance can disrupt health, highlighting our connection to nature.
A simple example is wind. How many of us have had a headache or a creaky neck after being out in the wind?
Heat is the same- in our eyes it is a real pathogenic isssue and we will see a rise in conditions like heatstroke, fever, and other heat-related ailments due to the increasing environmental temperature as well as disrupted sleep, immune systems and more.
We need to restore and respect the concept of balance .

As heatwaves become more intense with climate change, scientists are racing to understand how extreme heat changes the way our brains work.

02/08/2025

Lots of people dont know what acupuncture can help with, so here is a snapshot of this week- menopause issues, (especially hot flushes) long Covid issues, recovery post surgery, fertility, PCOS, sinus(lots of that), pain, stress relief, anxiety, low mood, digestive problems, period pain, migraine, headaches and a few people that come for their general wellbeing.

01/08/2025

A testimonial I received today.

01/08/2025

A fundamental principle of acupuncture is to shift the body out of a stressed ('fight-or-flight') state and into a restorative ('rest-and-digest') state, promoting healing.

Many people experience immediate relaxation during or right after a session. This can feel like calmness, reduced mental chatter, slower breathing, or even drowsiness and even falling asleep. In Western terms, this initial shift activates the parasympathetic nervous system ("rest and digest"), counteracting the "fight-or-flight" (sympathetic) stress response. In other words helps reduce cortisollevels that have people feeling wired and on edge. Usually to treat chronic stress, a typical initial course involves 6-12 weekly sessions and what's important to note is improvement is often cumulative.

01/08/2025

This week, I'm making a conscious shift: My 'Rest and Sleep' are officially TOP priorities.

Why the sudden focus? As a lifelong night owl, I have finally admitted that sleep is more beneficial than the staying awake a lithle longer! But to be honest– as I get older, the fallout from that sleep deficit, especially on mornings when the alarm screams "EARLY!", just isn't worth it anymore. That groggy, heavy feeling, the struggle to focus... it takes a real toll on my wellbeing and my day. Do you know what I mean?

It got me thinking deeply about sleep quality and solutions beyond just forcing an earlier bedtime (easier said than done!) after chats with some people in with me this week too. What I hear back is a lot of people really struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep and that's why I want to share why Acupuncture can be such a powerful ally for restless sleep and insomnia:

1. Calms the "Monkey Mind": Ever lie awake with thoughts racing? Acupuncture helps regulate the nervous system, shifting it out of the stressed "fight-or-flight" mode and into the calm "rest-and-digest" state. This quietens the mental chatter that keeps us all awake.
2. Balances Your Body's Rhythms: Traditional Chinese Medicine views insomnia as an imbalance in energy flow. Acupuncture works on specific points to harmonize the body's internal clock (circadian rhythm), signaling that it's truly time to wind down and promoting deeper, more restorative sleep.
3. Tames Stress & Anxiety: These are huge sleep stealers! Acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins (feel-good chemicals) and helps regulate stress hormones like cortisol, creating a more relaxed internal environment conducive to sleep.
4. Addresses the Root Causes: It's not just about sedation. My focus will be to work to understand *your* unique patterns (trouble falling asleep? Waking at 3 AM? Restless legs?) and tailor treatments to address underlying imbalances like hormonal shifts, pain, or digestive issues that might be disrupting your rest.
5. Natural Reset:Think of it as gently hitting your body's "reset button." By improving overall energy flow (Qi) and blood circulation, acupuncture supports your body's natural healing processes, including its ability to achieve and maintain healthy sleep cycles.
6. Regulates hormones. Sleep is crucial for hormone balance and is your body's nightly hormone reset, recharging your metabolism, mood, and stress response.

So, here's to prioritizing rest – because feeling truly refreshed shouldn't be a luxury. If restless nights are your norm, maybe exploring acupuncture could be your key to unlocking deeper, more peaceful sleep. I'm certainly viewing my own sleep health with renewed focus and curiosity!

31/07/2025

There have been lots of sinus cases coming into me this summer where people feel weighed down, foggy headed, faces are sore to touch and they feel generally 'off'.
Acupuncture is highly effective at helping to alleviate all the symptoms and when combined with herbs, people usually bounce back very fast. What I love to see is how their faces usually look less swollen, they can breathe again, have no foggy heads and the pain has gone.

How does acupuncture work? Well, we have a few points on the face that inervate nerves that affect the sinuses but there also body points that help to rectify the imbalance, reduce inflammation as well as addressing root issues like digestion etc....

Text me on whatsapp 0877937771 if you think that I can help you.

31/07/2025

Interesting slides. I hear lots of people use the word 'warrior' as part of their coping mechanism. Personally I think if the strength of the word offers someone a leg up and fuels endurance then why not use it. Anyone who deals with any chronic disease needs all the helpp mentally and more to get through the bad days/times.

16/07/2025

I am back to the comment; never undestimate the power of women's hormones on her health and wellbeing.
This research is very important.

Menopause may be the missing link in how we understand autoimmune disease in women—and new research is finally catching up.
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A large multicenter study out of Italy just analyzed over 1,500 women with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rare but serious autoimmune condition. What they found is something many of us in clinical practice have suspected for years: menopausal status at the time of disease onset—and especially early menopause—can significantly influence how this disease presents and progresses.
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🔬 Women who were postmenopausal at disease onset had more gastrointestinal symptoms, more lung involvement, and tested positive more often for anticentromere antibodies. They also tended to have limited cutaneous disease.
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🔬 Those whose disease began before menopause were more likely to have diffuse skin involvement and more signs of vascular dysfunction.
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🔬 And women who experienced early menopause (before age 45) faced a higher risk of developing digital ulcers and had significantly worse lung diffusion capacity—both signs of more severe disease.
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This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that estrogen plays a key role in immune modulation, vascular tone, and tissue repair. When estrogen disappears—especially too early—women may become more vulnerable to aggressive or atypical autoimmune manifestations.
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This isn’t just about SSc. It’s about how we’ve failed to incorporate hormone transitions into our understanding of chronic disease in women. Menopause is not just the end of reproduction. It’s a systemic shift that affects nearly every organ—and it deserves to be taken seriously by every specialty.
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This research is hopeful. It means we’re asking better questions. It means we’re finally acknowledging the full impact of hormonal loss. And it means better care could be on the horizon.
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💛 For science-backed tools and education for midlife women, tap the link in bio.
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15/07/2025

❤️
Keep all sorts of music playing as the vibration and sound activates our minds, hearts, mood and bodies and helps us as we age.

Playing Music Helps Older Brains Stay Sharp

Musical training may protect the aging brain by preserving neural networks critical for understanding speech in noisy settings, according to new research.

Older musicians demonstrated better speech-in-noise perception and retained more youthful brain connectivity compared to older non-musicians.

These results align with the “Hold-Back Upregulation” hypothesis, which suggests cognitive reserve from enriching activities like music helps the brain age more gracefully.

Imaging data showed that musical training maintains efficient connections within auditory and motor regions, reducing the need for compensatory overactivation seen in non-musicians.

While cause and effect remain to be confirmed, the study highlights the potential of lifestyle factors in protecting cognitive health.

Researchers recommend exploring similar effects from activities like bilingualism and exercise in future studies.

08/07/2025

Its simple, you don't want any diagnosis as you age including osteoporosis. What you want to learn is how to help prevent it. Besides dietary advice, weight bearing exercise and even Tai Chi can help.

08/07/2025

A bit more about how exercise/movement can extend our longevity.

08/07/2025

Acupuncture resets our bodies to a 'rest and digest' phaze allowing us to then heal. In my own opinion, that's one of its core strengths.

You can’t heal in fight-or-flight.

Your body has two modes: survival or restoration. And what you eat can help determine which one you’re in.

Ultra-processed foods, excess sugar, and caffeine without adequate protein create blood sugar chaos. Each spike and crash sends a stress signal to your brain: cortisol rises, your heart rate jumps, and your nervous system prepares for threat.

In this state, your body isn’t focused on healing. Digestion slows. Detoxification stalls. Immune and reproductive function are put on pause…

But here’s the good news: You can regulate your nervous system starting with your metabolism.
- Protein-rich, nutrient-dense meals keep blood sugar steady.
- Nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, and omega-3s support neurotransmitter balance.
- Daily rhythms of whole foods, quality sleep, movement, and rest send the signal: you’re safe.

Of course, nutrition is only one piece of the puzzle. You also have to do the inner work: Unwinding chronic stress, setting boundaries, releasing stored trauma, and creating emotional safety all help shift your body out of survival mode.

Healing happens when your body and mind both feel safe. Start with your plate and build from there.

Your nervous system is listening to everything: your food, your thoughts, your environment. When it senses safety, it finally gets to do what it’s designed to do: heal. ♥️