I'm not really using "vanilla" GNOME since I have a number of extensions, but the only one that really modifies the workflow is Tray Icons: Reloaded.
That said, while it's definitely not for everyone, I'm very comfortable with it. I like that everything feels "out of my way" unless I need it, and I find the Activities view to be easier for finding a minimized program at a glance than a taskbar.
What, you don't see why a Twitter-esque app would need access to your Health and Fitness data?
/s