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Crocheting and knitting are oftentimes associated with a hobby people take on as they age. But before you younger folks pass judgment on what is sometimes viewed as a granny-like activity, you’re going to want to pay attention.

Research suggests stitching not only brings joy, but there are also several benefits–both physical and mental. This includes decreased anxiety and depression as well as a reduction in chronic pain. There is also evidence it helps those recovering from anorexia nervosa (AN). The activity is said to distract them from obsessive thoughts about eating, weight gain and body shape.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – It’s long been debated in science whether or not food falls under the category of addiction.

While food addiction is not formally in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition: DSM-5), researchers say it does fall under the category of a substance abuse disorder & behavioral addiction.

This is different from a craving, which can be defined as an intense desire for something. But in a study by researchers in the department of psychology at the University of Michigan, scientists say there is such a thing as a food addiction and it’s not something to be taken lightly.

To find out if you struggle with food addiction, take this scientifically validated quiz and then score the results.

To find an overeater’s anonymous support group, click here.

INDIANAPOLIS (Indy Style) – Whether it’s morning, mid-afternoon or you’re pulling an all-nighter, a good cup of coffee is one method to help us stay awake. But what if I told you coffee followed by a 15 to 20 minute nap might be a better way to increase your alertness so that you can complete whatever tasks lie ahead?

Here’s what the evidence says: a cup of coffee before a short nap is thought to increase energy because of its effect on an innate compound in our body called adenosine. Adenosine is located in every cell of our body.

Caffeine is a stimulant while adenosine causes sleepiness. A nap post-cup of joe essentially eliminates adenosine from the brain while you are sleeping.. That quick snooze is clearing adenosine from the brain and creating a path for caffeine.

Caffeine then makes its way to the brain cells it’s designed to attach to. When we wake up, we tend to feel more focused and are better able to maintain concentration. So, according to science, ‘coffee naps’ might be more beneficial more so than coffee or naps alone.

For more from Dr. Mary Gillis visit, Facebook.com/DrMaryGillis.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Whether it’s pins and needles or a feeling of numbness and tingling when you go from sitting to standing, we’ve all felt it before. Our foot’s asleep.

It’s what’s called paresthesia and usually happens when a person sits in one position for a long time with one foot under one leg while the legs are crossed. This position cuts off the connection between nerves in the brain that travel to the feet. Blood flow is also cut off and oxygen isn’t able to get to the tissues in the lower limb.

Typically, a sleepy foot is harmless and disappears within minutes. To wake it up, doctors recommend changing positions and avoid sitting for long periods. But there are cases when something else might be going on, especially if the sensation persists to the point where it’s difficult to walk.

Below is a list of medical causes of sleepy feet:

For more from Dr. Mary Gillis D.Ed., you can follow her on Facebook.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Those squiggly moving optical oddities that sporadically appear in one’s vision are known as eye floaters. The spots tend to move when a person tries to look at them, but then floaters end up disappearing out of one’s field of vision.

They might seem as though they are an irritant on the lens, or surface, of the eye and if a person rubs the area they might go away. But it doesn’t work like that 

According to the Mayo Clinic, eye floaters are actually part of the eye, specifically, the retina. The retina is a layer close to the back of the eyeball responsible for sending nerve impulse to the brain so a person can see. The lens is responsible for focus. 

The eyes are sensitive to light and when light enters the eye, it casts a shadow over the retina. Since the retina is one of the back layers, the shadow appears over it. Staring at a bright light is just one reason why a person would see them.

Most of the time the floaters are harmless and a natural result of aging. However, if a person begins to experience a sudden increase it’s time to see a doctor.  The following list explains a few reasons why this might occur.

Inflammation

This can be a result of debris causing an infection or an existing inflammatory disease. 

Bleeding

Risk factors of bleeding include diabetes, hypertension and injury to eyes’ blood vessels.

Torn retina

If not repaired, this could lead to permanent vision loss.

Eye surgery and medications

Sometimes after surgery shadows can appear, but this temporary.

As parents, we want to be seen as invincible and the number one go-to-source for our kids. Part of that means pressure to maintain the illusion of perfection. But it’s just not true. We all have a past. We’re not perfect. So, what happens when our kids start asking questions? How and when do we tell them we’ve made mistakes?

News 8’s medical reporter, Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed., was on Indy Style Wednesday to discuss an interview she had will best-selling author, educator and mom-extraordinaire, Deborah Ann Davis. Davis provides tips and tricks to help guide parents through these difficult–sometimes awkward–conversations.

Watch the full interview with Davis below:

To learn more about Davis’s work, click here.

To follow Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed. on Facebook, click here.

I think we can all agree–hangnails are painful. But why do they hurt so much? Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed., was on Indy Style Wednesday. Gillis spoke about what hangnails are (they actually aren’t part of your nails), what’s causes the pain and how to protect yourself against infection.

For more health-related stories, visit Facebook.com/DrMaryGillis.

Do you constantly put things off? Find yourself stewing in your head about problems instead of actively taking steps to fix them? What about telling yourself you know exactly what someone is thinking when they blow you off? If so, you are self-sabotaging your life!

Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed., was on Indy Style on Wednesday to talk about a new book by behaviorist, Dr. Candice Seti, PsyD, The Self Sabotaging Behavior Workbook: A Step-by-Step program to Conquer Negative Thoughts, Boost Confidence and Learn to Believe in Yourself. The book is designed to help you understand what type of saboteur you are, understand triggers and develop strategies to overcome these behaviors that are holding you back from reaching your full potential.

To order a copy of The Self Sabotaging Behavior Workbook: A Step-by-Step program to Conquer Negative Thoughts, Boost Confidence and Learn to Believe in Yourself, click here.

For more from Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed., visit her on Facebook.

Walking with a spouse or a partner can be one of the most enjoyable activities couples can do together. However, there may be some drawbacks. This week on Indy Style, WISH-TV News 8’s medical reporter, Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed., discusses new research about both the physical and psychological health benefits as well as drawbacks associated with walking with a partner. 

For more from Dr. Mary Gillis D.Ed., you can follow her on Facebook.

Four-leaf clovers, corned beef and cabbage, and pots of gold at the end of the rainbow are a few things that may come to mind when we think of St. Patrick’s Day.  

But, it’s also a day when we might be wondering if the concept of luck truly exists. According to scientists, the answer is yes. 

News 8’s medical reporter, Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed., was on IndyStyle to discuss four key principles that separate people who consider themselves lucky compared to those who seem haunted by bad luck.