Wellness Influencer Interview: Dr Harley Rushton

NAME: Harley Joshua Rushton

OCCUPATION: Chiropractor

What does ‘living naturally’ mean to you?

I was fortunate to have been raised in an amazing, loving family. My father Barry is a Chiropractor and my mother Karen is the practice secretary (and super-mum!) so I have always been surrounded by natural therapies and ways of living. Regularly being active outdoors, minimizing processed foods and medicines and trying to heal from the inside-out, instead of outside-in just seems ‘natural’ to me.

What does a typical day in the wellness world look like for you?

Starting the day with a positive attitude is very important. I generally have a glass of water and a short coffee to start the day and don’t eat until lunch time. I feel this length of fasting time works well with my body and helps me maintain a lean tone. I arrive to work quarter to 8 to prepare for the day. I see people from 8-12.30 then I would usually hit the gym for an hour followed by lunch. I am then seeing people again from 2-6pm. Then it’s home to walk the dogs followed by a nutritious dinner and some quality time with Rhi and the pups.

What are your top 3 tips for staying fit and healthy?

We are constantly giving our patients advice on healthy lifestyle choices but I think the top 3 tips I would give are to;

1. Eat predominantly fresh foods
2. Keep active and exercise regularly
3. Keep your nervous system free from interference, as this is what regulates and controls everything in the body!

In a nutshell, what’s your food philosophy?

Generally I try to avoid sugar and gluten when possibly. Always listen to your body, it will tell you what it likes and doesn’t like!

What do you do to ‘reset’ the balance button when life gets a bit hectic?

Take a holiday! If I can’t do that then I am a big fan of walks on the beach. It really helps me to centre myself and de-stress.

We’re all about balance around here…What’s your biggest indulgence?

That would have to be coffee, dark chocolate and pure cream for sure! I would find it hard to go through a day without one of them haha.

What healthy snacks might we find on your desk or in your handbag?

My favourite snacks would have to be raw nuts, carrots, avocado or a protein shake.

Can you share with us your top two pieces of advice for people wanting to start a career in the wellness industry?

Firstly, I would advise visiting different health and wellness people/centres to see what specific path within the industry really fits with you. People can have different ideas of what being a Chiropractor, physio, naturopath etc are like but it’s not until you see or experience it in practice for yourself that you know what day to day it would be like doing for a career. The last thing you want is to finish years of study and then realize actually working in that field is not what gels with you. Secondly, go for it! The wellness industry is amazing as it is shifting the focus away from dis-ease and disease and moving it toward health, vitality and optimal life expression. This is the only way forward for the world I believe.

Do you have a favourite affirmation or quote you remind yourself of when life throws you a few challenges?

Haha, well ‘When life gives you lemons – make lemonade’ comes to mind. I always try to look at the positives in any situation and from past experiences have noticed that another saying holds true – ‘when one door shuts another open

Thanks Harley, it's awesome to have inspiring guys out there so passionately promoting wellness! Renée x