Testimonials

I suffer from Osteoarthritis and Fibromyalgia. I have had both of these diseases for over 15 years and I am currently 43. Western medication over a period of five years put me body into several other medical problems: irritable bowel syndrome, constant yeast infections, bladder infections, and no tolerance for wheat or yeast or processed foods. Over the past ten years, I have seen Dr. Cridennda for many related issues. My arthritis doctor in March of 2010 suggested from my blood work that I was developing RA. Thankfully-I only have the antigens for this disease as well as Lupus, but stress and lack of exercise and poor diet could contribute to me developing this as I get older. Dr. Cridennda has helped me keep these diseases at bay for now and I have felt an 80% improvement in my pain levels since targeting these problems with acupuncture. My dosage of pain killers has been cut in half and I am able to continue what I love-teaching golf as an LPGA Golf Professional as well as my active lifestyle of skiing, hiking and biking. Thank you Dr. Diane, Kelly Hodge-LPGA Golf Professional

During my first pregnancy, I had very severe PUPPPS (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy). I was miserable with it, and the only thing my obstetrician could do for me was to put me on massive dosages of steroids throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I am so glad to be a patient of Dr. Diane’s for this pregnancy, as she has been able to treat the condition when it came up around 23 weeks. In western medicine, the only thing that they can do is treat the symptoms. Through eastern medicine and Dr. Diane’s knowledge of acupuncture, she was actually able to treat the cause of the condition directly and really make it go away. I am so grateful to not have to be on the drugs since it isn’t clear what effects it might have on the baby. Acupuncture is a safe, effective way to treat this condition, and Dr. Diane has mastered the protocol needed to treat the even most severe cases. I am able to enjoy the last part of this pregnancy thanks to her! Sarah Wilkerson

Three weeks before my first marathon, I developed peroneal tendonitis in my right foot. I had struggled with the same problem in my left foot about three months before and knew immediately that I was in trouble. I could almost see my dream slipping away before my very eyes. I had trained for two previous marathons and was unable to make the start line due to injuries. I was willing to do anything to run this race. I was desperate. I didn’t know much about acupuncture before meeting Dr. Diane. A friend had recommended her to me and I figured I had nothing to lose. Dr. Diane was amazing! At our first meeting, she truly listened to me and all of my concerns, hopes and dreams. Her goal, as was mine, was to allow me to train through the tendonitis and run my marathon to the best of my ability. I was treated up until my marathon and was able to maintain my rigorous schedule while my tendonitis healed. I noticed a difference after my first treatment. With each subsequent session, I felt progress and gained confidence that I would be able to run the marathon. By race day, I was 100% thanks to Dr. Diane. I had three goals going into the race: 1) Finish 2) Finish in under four hours and 3) Qualify for Boston (A bit of a stretch). I achieved 2 of my goals and nearly the third. I give a lot of credit to Dr. Diane for making the start line and reaching my goals. I am truly grateful for her. I continue to visit for monthly treatments to ensure I keep my mind and body healthy. I plan to run another marathon and will depend on Dr. Diane to again, prepare me to reach not only the start line but also reach my dreams. Stacey 10-2010

My husband and I were able to get pregnant with our first child without any problems. When we started for our second, months went by without any luck. We started getting tests done to make sure there was nothing wrong; all results showed that we shouldn’t be having any problems. Eventually we went on Clomid to help the process. Each month we went in for ultra sounds to check egg size and number, along with the thickness of my uterine lining. After a few months, my uterine lining was thinning and we were told we wouldn’t be able to continue with Clomid and would need to begin more intense treatments. At this point I sought the help of Dr. Diane. During one month off of any treatments with the fertility clinic, I began taking herbs three times a day and had acupuncture treatments twice a week. After one month, I started Clomid again for one last try. The ultrasound showed a very thin uterine lining again, so Dr. Diane did special treatments right around my ovulation. It worked! I got pregnant that very cycle. Continuing treatments during my first trimester helped with nausea and we’re now only a few weeks away from the birth of our second baby. I wish I would have come here first!

I just want to say how much I benefited from my appointments with you as I struggled with my ear challenge. I was in such distress when I came for my first acupuncture appointmet; your support, empathy and kindness meant a great deal to me. Your passion as a healer and your knowledge of your medicine created a safe and calming environment for me. Thank you for taking the time to teach me about the various dietary changes which will reduce the inflammation in my system. I never realized how detrimental carbs and sugar in my diet could be. I feel ready to use this new found knowledge to create wellness and longevity for myself. AEC

I am sending this note to say thank your for all you did. I truly believe that the preconception acupuncture and herbal therapy along with dietary changes help me conceive my twins. I heard the heartbeats at the OB appointment last week. It looks like I am having one of each. My husband and I can't thank you enough for helping us create an instant family. I will continue my prenatal care and am looking forward to this journey. Jennifer

I decided to try acupuncture as part of my prenatal care during the last trimester of my second pregnancy. My stepmom and mother had both used acupuncture and had fantastic results. Primarily, I was interested in using acupuncture to ease the pain and length of labor and delivery. My first labor was 30 hours long, painful, and while baby was born healthy and I delivered vaginally, it wasn’t as natural as I had hoped. I talked to my OB (Dr. Andy Fowler from Blue Skies) about acupuncture, and he was positive and supported the idea. I started treatments with Dr. Diane around 32 weeks, and absolutely noticed instant relief from edema and felt much better following acupuncture when I had colds. Otherwise, Dr. Diane advised my nutrition and helped balance my system. I didn’t use any herbal supplements. Acupuncture sessions were pleasant and a nice break from my busy days. During my first pregnancy I was terribly swollen and probably protein deficient. Dr. Diane helped me avoid both of these. She also advised me how to maintain electrolytes during labor and avoid becoming fatigued and dehydrated (both conditions I suffered during my first labor / delivery). When I reached, and passed, my due date Dr. Diane began treatments to help advance labor and ease the delivery. These treatments were less pleasant, but I was hopeful they would speed things along and allow for a quick and easy delivery. A few days before my daughter was born labor started and stopped, twice. So, the third time labor contractions started I ignored them. It was late evening, and since my first labor was so long, I expected to be in labor for at least 10 – 15 hours (the OB told me the average second pregnancy labor is 1/3 – ½ the length of the first). I tried to go to sleep, took a nice bath, and rested on the couch. I sent my husband to bed hours before and was lying on the couch when I noticed contractions were pretty strong and pretty regular. I didn’t want to wake my husband so I downloaded an App on my iPhone to time contractions. At that point my contractions were already four minutes apart. After twenty minutes of contractions at four minutes apart, I sat up and started to pay attention to them. When I sat up, contractions started to come much more quickly – two minutes apart. After twenty minutes of contractions at two minutes apart I woke my husband, called my mom to come and watch my first, and we went to the hospital. When we arrived at Memorial Central, it was nearly four in the morning. I was already six centimeters dilated, and contractions were measuring off the chart. I was calm and breathing through them. Dr. Diane had given me information and coaching on doing acupressure during labor. During each contraction I asked my husband to pinch the pressure point on my right hand, and it really helped distract me from the pain and concentrate on relaxing. After a few hours of contractions, I opted for an epidural. I had a bad experience with the epidural the first time through, but because of some abnormality in my uterus, my contractions averaged three times longer than most women’s. So, when I was having contractions a minute apart that were lasting three minutes long, there was no relief, and no break. I spoke at length to the anesthesiologist about my previous experience, and he did a phenomenal job. I still was in pain, felt everything, but it took the edge off. At seven a.m. I was ready to push. Dr. Stephanie Fowler was the delivering Obstetrician. I pushed once and my baby’s head came out, but the shoulder was stuck. Dr. Fowler advised me “you need to make this a good push. The baby’s heart rate is a little low”. When I began to push two labor and delivery nurses jumped on top of me and helped push from the outside. My baby was completely blue, not breathing, and the nurses instantly whisked her off to triage. The baby didn’t cry for what seemed like forever, but was probably 1-2 minutes. Thanks to the fantastic staff at Memorial, she was crying and recovered quickly. At that point we learned “it’s a girl” and we named her Mae. Mae was 8 lbs 14 ounces and 21 inches long. I am 5’2” and petite. Dr. Fowler told me this was my “maximum capacity” size for a baby. Unfortunately, my placenta wouldn’t detach. Dr. Fowler had to manually manipulate it, and after about twenty to thirty minutes she was able to remove it. That procedure was more painful than delivery, but I was grateful for her calm, competence and expertise. I later learned that a placenta that won’t detach is a leading cause of maternal mortality, but at the time I had no idea how serious it was. Both baby and I were fine – we were home within 28 hours of delivery. My first labor was 30 hours long, and required a lot of medical help to progress. My second was probably 5-6 hours long, but I was only aware of it for four hours. I pushed for an hour and a half with my first daughter, and for less than ten minutes with my second. I was thrilled to combine both Eastern and Western medicine during my second pregnancy. I believe Dr. Diane helped my body incubate a big, healthy baby girl. And I know that Western medicine averted the potential for serious complications for both the baby and me. I would recommend acupuncture to anyone for pretty much anything – it was a great experience. I am done having babies, but if I were to get pregnancy again I would absolutely include acupuncture as part of my prenatal care. BS

Dr. Diane treated me for pain in my trapezius muscle in July and August 2011. The pain only exists when I am casting a fishing rod off of a boat in Canada twice yearly. Due to the frequency of casting, while fishing in June 2011, the pain would become so intense and it made it very difficult fish and took the joy out of my trip. Another trip was planned for the last week of August 2011. I didn’t want to deal with pain again this year, so I began having acupuncture treatments twice per week for a few weeks before I went. I had an opportunity to test the progress of the acupuncture sessions. It was quite amazing when to my surprise (and delight) I hand no pain whatsoever for the first three days on my fishing trip. The fourth day I experienced a slight burning sensation but nothing serious. The fifth and last day it became a bit fatigued but not painful. This pain has persisted for the past six years and has gotten increasingly worse to the point where it would begin hurting the first day and hour I would start fishing. These few sessions of acupuncture have made my fishing trip a real pleasure without the pain I have endured previously. Thank you Dr. Diane.

Two weeks before my marathon I came down with a terrible chest cold. Dr. Diane had treated me for running injuries that really helped me in the pas;t so I immediately scheduled an appointment to see what she would recommend. Dr. Diane was able to treat my symptoms with acupuncture and herbs. I left for my race not knowing if I would be able to run the full marathon. However, the treatments and herbs helped in restoring my health. By race day, I was feeling well enough to run the full marathon. I have Dr. Diane to thank for this! In addition, Dr. Diane has recommended herbs that will help improve my overall health. I am confident that my follow-up treatments will help insure my health for future races. Thanks again Dr. Diane. Annie

Diane, Valerie, and staff at East Winds Acupuncture. Thank you so much for your support on the dream of making our family. This year flew by so fast. Nine months of pregnancy and the first two months of our son’s life have already passed by. We are all healthy and doing well. Kazunari was only 5lb 9oz when he was born, but he weighs 10lbs 2oz now. I am getting ready to go back to work in January. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday and happy New Year. Kaori, Tomo, Kazu