From inspiration to influence: how to harness storytelling for business success

The 11 chapters are spread across 270 pages, and make for an informative read. There is also a five-page story index which effectively illustrates the principles of story tagging and taxonomy. Shawn Callahan is a storytelling author, trainer, and coach. Based in Melbourne, he has worked with companies ranging from Danone and Allianz to SAP and Tesco. He is the founder of Anecdote, whose consulting programmes are delivered in eight languages. Shawn holds a bachelor’s degree in geography and archaeology from the Australian National University. “Smart organisations are investing in helping…

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Moms-to-be, take care of your health. Your immune system may influence baby’s brain

The state of a woman’s immune system during pregnancy may shape the connectivity of her child’s brain, suggests a study, emphasising the influence of maternal health on a child’s susceptibility to psychiatric disorders later in life. The findings showed that short and long-term brain functioning can be influenced by immune system activity during the third trimester of gestation. Infections, stress, illness, or allergies are commonly known to trigger immune responses. When the body’s immune system detects one of these factors, two proteins namely IL-6 and CRP are released as part…

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Are you suffering from depression? It may negatively influence your memories of the past

While it is known that people with depression see their present and future life enveloped in grief, however, a study has recently found that it also casts a long shadow over people’s memories of the past. According to researchers, depressed people have a peculiar view of the past — rather than glorifying the ‘good old days’ they project their generally bleak outlook on to past events. Previous research has shown that your gender may also influence how you suffer from depression and that shock therapy could act as an antidepressant. Dr Hartmut Blank…

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Can Season and Place of Birth Influence Celiac Disease Risk?

Winter babies and people born in places with shorter days and less sunlight might have a lower risk of developing celiac disease than peers born in warmer regions or seasons, a Swedish study suggests. About one in 100 people have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. People with celiac disease can’t tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley. Left untreated, the condition can lead to complications such as malnutrition, low bone density, lactose intolerance and…

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Food proximity can influence choice

A new review has suggested that marketers’ tactics to place things where we are more likely to pick them up could help motivate people to improve their diets. The review showed that manipulation of food product order or proximity can influence food choice and that healthy food nudging seems promising. Eighteen studies were included in the review. Sixteen of the studies showed nudging made a positive impact. “The review confirmed our expectation that there are very few scientific works available which deal with nudging healthier food choices by changes in…

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