Read a selfhelp book only if you wish to help yourself

Amar ChandelAmar Chandel was working as an associate editor with The Tribune, Chandigarh, where he was also responsible for the page on Health. “It was then that I realised that lot of medical problems can be resolved without the use of medicines but people are unaware of it. I started writing a column, which was much appreciated and this later formed the basis of my first book,” he shared. His popular first self-help book, Perfect Health in 20 Weeks became a bestseller. “This book took three-four years to complete,” he said.

After resigning from his job at The Tribune, he has been practicing and teaching a comprehensive lifestyle modification programme called Holistic Healing in India and abroad, with the help of which thousands of people have cured themselves of acute and chronic diseases without the use of any medicines. “This course is foundation for learning meditation as your body needs to be fit before meditation.

There is no self-realisation when the person is under stress and 90% of stress is not because of lack of meditation but certain mistakes one makes day to day, which include breathing, food, thinking process, jealously, etc. And that’s what formed the basis of my second book Stress to Serenity,” he said.

Stress to Serenity has already received rave reviews and is on the path of being a bestseller. “My book is for all those who wish to lead a stress-free life. 90% of stress is for no reasons and if one changes one’s attitude, lot of problems can be solved,” he said. Being a journalist, was it easy for him to get published? “KPR Nair of Konark Publishers joined my holistic healing course and motivated me to write a book. So, it was a kind of easy to get published,” he said.

Amar is currently working on his next book Raw Miracle, Raw Diet which shows that many diseases can be cured without the use of medicines. “The book will be released next year,” he told.

So how important are books in the self-help category? “My personal opinion is that books fill the missing gaps. But, books are not really helpful until they are implemented. Only those should read self-help books who want to help themselves. Every author presents his work in a book and it should not be read like a novel. Read it slowly and put it to practical use. Read chapter by chapter and what may appear non-sensible might actually be the essence of the book,” he said.

On a lighter note, Amar says that journalists lead a miserable life with bad food and equally bad working hours and unhealthy competition. “It all falls upon them on a later age. So, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to be healthy,” he concluded.