Episode 86: Beth Skwarecki, the Health Editor of Lifehacker, on Health & Fitness Trends

Beth Skwarecki is the author of two books and the Health Editor of Lifehacker. She's here to dispel fitness and health myths that might be leading us astray.

Beth is a member of the National Association of Science Writers and the Association of Health Care Journalists. After getting a BA in biology from Alfred University, she received her Master's in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Rutger's University.

She also has previously taught nutrition and environmental sciences at the Community College of Allegheny County.

Her two books will interest the science nerds out there:

• Outbreak: 50 Tales of Epidemics That Terrorized the World
• Genetics 101: From Chromosomes and the Double Helix to Cloning and DNA Tests, Everything You Need to Know About Genes

This conversation focuses on the many side aspects of a healthy lifestyle that make running easier.

After all, it's critical to have a lifestyle that supports running. You can't train well if you barely sleep and drink a lot...

We're talking about:

• DNA trivia for runners
• How her job has changed her outlook on health and fitness
• How to engineer a less groggy morning (for the morning runners out there!)
• Whether elderberry supplements are a waste of money

Beth and I also discuss running in the dark, the cutoff point for running in extreme cold, and the warning signs of frostbite.