The way we talk about food you would think there is some type of crisis here in 'Murrica: somehow, strangely, we think we just can't get enough protein in our diets. I hear this over and over again from participants who I provide wellness coaching to, although in a 'shadow' format, the classic example being "I need to limit/I have a problem with carbs". Since we need a certain number of calories for health, a certain percentage of those calories must come from the big three macronutrients of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. (If you are lost already, don't panic. "Macronutrient" is just fancy talk for "food building block"; think of them as different primary colored Legos, if that helps, which go into the structure of all food.) If you reduce the percentage of calories you take in from carbohydrates, the percentage of calories from fat and protein will increase. And the word protein comes from the Greek root for primary or first, with good reason: without it, Very Bad Things can happen to the body starting with tissue wasting (your body breaks down your internal organs to get those red protein Legos) and leading to gastrointestinal disorders, increased susceptibility to infection, decreased wound healing and more.

Merriam-Webster recently updated their dictionary to include "they" as a gender neutral pronoun, and about time, too. Also they officially sanctioned the word "rhotic", which refers to a style of American speech where the "r" sound is pronounced so that you can actually hear the consonant. I was delighted to listen to a "non-rhotic" speaker inform me this week that she was having trouble with "cahbs, yaknowhatImean? I gotta stay away from cahbs". Fortunately we don't have to go to Bah Hahbah to understand what this person is talking about; read on, dear explorer, to discover what science has to say about this family of molecules.

Because I am a geek, my idea of media "binge watching" involves streaming video from the proceedings of government committees involved in crafting guidelines for physical activity and nutrition. During my most recent trip into the fascinating world of behind-the-scenes science I was profoundly reminded of a fundamental concept: conflict of interest.

As an exercise physiologist I prescribe physical activity based on the scientific evidence that it measurably improves health outcomes. Cardiovascular activity such as brisk walking reduces blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart disease, our number one killer in the US according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strength training such as lifting weights or calisthenic practices like yoga and Pilates improves functional capacity, muscular endurance and bone health. Flexibility training improves the range of motion around our joints and balance training reduces the likelihood of falls.