The Magic Elixirs’, a multidisciplinary recipe for emotional well-being.

A new proposal by Michael Handel and Ediciones Urano on happiness.

Michael Handel has a PhD in Economics -specialized in Sociology, Psychology and Motivation- with complementary studies in Nutritional Sciences. His consulting firm Dr. Handel Consulting has been advising managers and their teams in successful international companies for 30 years. He currently lives in 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 publishing proposal, "Los elixires mágicos", by Ediciones Urano, Handel brings together his knowledge in different scientific disciplines to talk to 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. People who are happy have a stronger immune system, get sick less often and heal 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.: Los elixires mágicos was published in Spain in March by the prestigious Editorial Urano, and it is having a lot of success. Why do you think there is so much interest among readers?

M. H.: Perhaps it is simply because it is a book written for anyone who wants to enjoy life and, according to my readers, it makes people happy while they are reading it. 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 they can. Because our body has the incredible ability to find balance and happiness on its own, if we have a positive attitude towards life and eat properly. And this is precisely what distinguishes this book from the rest of the traditional self-help books: the combination of life wisdoms and nutritional advice in The Magic Elixirs is an infallible formula, easy to put into practice, not theoretical and with a lot of common sense.

Science and philosophy in search of happiness

B. A.: Who is this book addressed to?

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. Anyone who doesn't want to make life miserable and 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 private and professional life. In all my projects as a consultant I have always seen that much more can be achieved with happy people than with people who are stressed and full of anxiety. With happy people you can literally "move mountains". For more than 30 years I have researched the secrets of people around the world who are especially happy and in excellent health. I wrote this book so that all my readers, 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 in everyday life and constantly discovering new sensations and activities, and on the other hand, accepting life's challenges, difficulties and crises and taking them as an invitation for personal growth. Happiness also depends on what we do for our personal well-being and how we solve 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 when it comes to our health, we are not at the mercy of our genes. Only about 30% of our future is genetically determined. The rest is in our own hands.

B. A.: And you describe in this book how to achieve it?

M. H.: Yes, the book is divided into three 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 topics such as obesity, sleep disorders, headache and back pain, stomach and intestinal problems, depression, Cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. Many of these diseases can be prevented with simple measures, significantly alleviated or even cured. The third part deals with well-being, optimism, and its enemies: stress and anxiety; how to stay active and grow older while remaining 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 brief and clear summary to find the information quickly whenever you need it, so that the book becomes a good friend that accompanies us in the different stages of our life.

B. A.: And you, as the author of the book, did you find 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 as well. Each and every one of us is responsible for our own happiness and we can decide whether we give our well-being a chance or not. I am a happy person and also (or maybe precisely because of that) I am healthy. But I know how quickly that can change. If that were to happen, I would pick up my own book and I would surely find the right recipe for happiness.