Michael Handel has a PhD in Economics -specialized in Sociology, Psychology and Motivation- with complementary studies in Nutritional Sciences. His consultant Dr. Handel Consulting has been advising managers and their teams in successful international companies for 30 years. He currently lives between Stuttgart (Germany) and Alicante (Spain).

Happiness is the key to health, success and a long life. Happiness is the best doctor and counselor.-Michael Handel

Interview with Michael Handel, author of “The Magic Elixirs”

With his new editorial proposal, “The Magic Elixirs”, by Ediciones Urano, Handel brings together his knowledge in different scientific disciplines to tell us about well-being and happiness.

Bertrand Regader: What does a book on happiness bring to people?

Michael Handel: A lot. Happiness can work real miracles. Whoever is happy has a stronger immune system, gets sick less often and heals faster. Happy people have a more positive aura, are more satisfied and attract success. Happiness slows down the aging process, has positive effects on our weight and keeps us mentally fit. So, is there anything better than a book that can make us happier?

B. A.: The Magic Elixirs was published in Spain in March by the prestigious Editorial Urano, and is proving very successful. What do you think is the reason for this interest among readers?

M. H.: Perhaps it is simply because it is a book written for everyone who wants to enjoy life and, as my readers say, it makes people happy already during the reading. One of my readers told me that: “this book is like eating chocolate. It melts pleasantly in your mouth, and makes you want more. More happiness, more health, more enjoyment of life. This has a contagious effect, and word is spreading fast.

B. A.: But can everyone be happy?

M. H.: Of course I do. Because our body possesses the incredible capacity to find balance and happiness on its own, if we have a positive attitude towards life and feed ourselves properly. And this is precisely what distinguishes this book from the rest of the traditional self-help books: the combination of life wisdom and nutritional advice from The Magic Elixirs is an infallible formula, easy to put into practice, not at all theoretical and with a lot of common sense.

Science and philosophy in search of happiness

B. A.: To whom is this book addressed?

M. H.: To anyone who wants to be happy, without stress or pressure, who wants to finally find a solution to their health problems and who wants to feel really good. To anyone who doesn’t want to make life miserable and who is looking for advice that really works. With this book, everyone can learn the art of living. And suddenly things will happen that seemed impossible before.

B. A.: You are a business consultant. How did you come up with the idea of writing a book on happiness and health?

M. H.: The answer is very simple. Happiness is the sign that we are on the right path, both in our private and professional lives. In all my projects as a consultant I have always seen that much more can be achieved with happy people than with stressed and anxious people. With people who are happy you can literally “move mountains”. For more than 30 years I have researched the secrets of people who are especially happy and in excellent health around the world. I wrote this book so that all my readers, and not just my clients, can benefit from the knowledge I have gained.

B. A.: What is the art of being happy?

M. H.: On the one hand it consists of enjoying the good things of daily life and constantly discovering new sensations and activities and, on the other hand, accepting the challenges, difficulties and crises of life, and taking it as an invitation for our personal growth. Happiness also depends on what we do for our personal well-being and how we deal with our illnesses. And happiness can even be eaten. It is incredible how much nature offers us to be happier through food.

B. A.: So happiness is born in the mind and in the stomach?

M. H.: That’s right. Our attitude towards life and our diet are the decisive factors in achieving happiness. And as for our health, we are not at the mercy of our genes. Only about 30% of our future is genetically determined. The rest we hold in our own hands.

B. A.: And does this book describe how to achieve this?

M. H.: Yes, the book is divided into three pleasant parts that show the way and provide examples and surprising ideas that each of us can put into practice. The first part is about happiness. Here we learn what really makes us happy, and how we can increase our sense of happiness through food. One of the most important factors in being happy is health. So, the second part is dedicated to issues such as obesity, sleep disorders, headache and backache, stomach and intestinal problems, depression, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. Many of these diseases can be prevented by simple measures, significantly alleviated or even cured. The third part is about wellbeing, optimism, and its enemies: stress and anxiety; about how to stay active and grow old while staying young. And all this without chemistry. Each chapter has a part dedicated to the mind and another to the stomach, that is, to food. And at the end of each topic there is a short and clear summary to find the information quickly whenever needed, so that the book becomes a good friend that accompanies us through the different stages of our life.

B. A.: And you, as the author of the book, found it easier to find your own happiness after writing it?

M. H.: Without a doubt. Reading and reflecting on happiness, and observing other people, really brought happiness to me too. Each and every one of us is responsible for our own happiness and can decide whether to give our well-being a chance or not. I am a happy person and I am also (or perhaps precisely because of this) healthy. But I know how quickly that can change. If that were to happen, I’d grab my own book and I’m sure I’d find the right recipe for happiness.