About Ella Brooks

Ella Brooks is a New York City-based health writer and editor who has covered health and nutrition for magazines and newspapers nationwide, including Shape, Prevention, Natural Health and Woman’s Day. She’s a devout hand washer and never misses her annual flu vaccine.

Website: http://studioonenetworks.com

Articles by Ella

Can a Toothbrush Make You (or Your Family) Sick?

Can a Toothbrush Make You (or Your Family) Sick?

Toothbrushes should be clean: After all, their whole purpose is to scrub all the germs out of your mouth. But as it turns out, a dirty toothbrush could make you sick. “Bathrooms are moist and steamy: the conditions that bacteria love,” says Carol Wooden, a dental surgeon and spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. Research from the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry in the... 

Moms: How to Sleep Soundly, Even When You’re Sick

Moms: How to Sleep Soundly, Even When You’re Sick

Sore throat. Stuffy nose. Wheezing cough. When you’re sick with a cold or flu, all you want to do is crawl into bed and sleep for a week or two. But your pesky symptoms make it impossible to rest easy. When bedtime finally rolls around, you actually feel worse than you did during the day. “When you have a cold or the flu, congestion worsens at night,” says Dr. Neil Schachter, medical director... 

This Summer, Help Your Kids Fight the “Common Mold” Allergy

This Summer, Help Your Kids Fight the “Common Mold” Allergy

The term “hay fever” brings to mind pollen and ragweed allergies, but mold can be the sneaky culprit behind summer sneezing, sniffling and itchy eyes. “Many allergy sufferers assume their symptoms are caused by pollen, when they’re actually allergic to mold,” says Dr. James L. Sublett, section chief of the pediatric allergy department at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, in... 

How to Stop Your Baby’s Wheezing — and Prevent Asthma

How to Stop Your Baby’s Wheezing — and Prevent Asthma

Are you concerned when you hear your baby wheezing? You’re not alone. “Wheezing is very common in infants,” says Dr. Stanley J. Szefler, a pediatrician and the head of pediatric clinical pharmacology at National Jewish Health in Denver. “Almost one in three children has a wheezing episode at some time in early childhood.” The good news: A new study published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology... 

Moms and Dads: Why Stress Can Be Good For You

Moms and Dads: Why Stress Can Be Good For You

Stress has become a way of life in our 24-7 world — and with the holidays at our heels, it might seem like you’ll never get to relax again. Fortunately, there’s some good news: “Contrary to the widespread notion that stress is necessarily bad, short-term stressors enhance immune function and help the immune system respond more rapidly and effectively,” says Firdaus Dhabhar, a physician... 

Why Sniffles Hit Hardest At Night

Why Sniffles Hit Hardest At Night

When your child wakes up coughing or complaining of an earache, it’s tough to know what to do. And many common ailments — from asthma to croup — worsen in the wee hours. Lying down plays a role in most colds and sinus symptoms “because it causes secretions to drain into the throat and may obstruct drainage happening during the day,” says Dr. Michael Steiner, pediatrician and director...