Dr. Hicks Wellness

Dr. Hicks Wellness Dr. Hicks is a leading Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner who helps sick people get well!

Dr. James Hicks, ND, is a recognized authority in detoxification and toxicity, holding certifications as a Functional Medicine Practitioner, Blood Work Specialist, Integrative Health Practitioner, and Restorative Wellness Solutions Practitioner. As the founder of Functional Wellness LLC, Dr. Hicks is dedicated to guiding individuals toward optimal health by addressing underlying causes of illness

through evidence-based approaches involving diet, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications. He is the #1 bestselling co-author of “Healing Beyond the Diagnosis” and author of “The Ultimate Way to a Healthy Quality of Life.” Dr. Hicks's commitment to promoting detoxification as an essential component of longevity is evident in his innovative Functional Wellness Protocol, which systematically addresses sensitivities, deficiencies, and toxicity—a methodology successfully implemented with thousands of clients. He incorporates a range of natural supplements to enhance daily detoxification and supports a variety of health concerns including weight loss resistance, gut health, food sensitivities, skin conditions, and hormonal imbalances. Through his virtual practice, Dr. Hicks serves patients nationwide and remains deeply committed to helping individuals achieve and maintain lasting wellness.

🧪 WHAT MY RESEARCH SHOWS ABOUT MICROPLASTICS AND YOUR HEALTHYou eat roughly 260 grams of microplastic particles every ye...
06/03/2026

🧪 WHAT MY RESEARCH SHOWS ABOUT MICROPLASTICS AND YOUR HEALTH

You eat roughly 260 grams of microplastic particles every year. Nearly the weight of a credit card. Most of it comes from your kitchen.

THE 4 BIGGEST OFFENDERS

1. PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES. Columbia University found 240,000 plastic fragments per liter in common bottled water. Switch to glass or stainless steel.

2. SHELLFISH. Oysters, clams, and mussels are the ocean's filter feeders. They concentrate contamination into every bite.

3. MICROWAVED FOOD IN PLASTIC. Heat breaks plastic bonds and releases thousands of toxic particles into your food. Use ceramic or glass. No exceptions.

4. TABLE SALT. National Geographic reports 90% of commercial salt worldwide contains microplastics. It's in your soups, sauces, meats, and baked goods. Every meal.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Harvard Medical School linked microplastics in artery plaque to a 5x increased risk of heart attack and stroke. University of Michigan research tied phthalate exposure to 63% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. University of New Mexico found microplastics accumulate in the brain at 7 to 30 times the concentration found in liver or kidneys.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Filter your water. Store in glass or stainless steel. Never microwave in plastic. Research mineral salt alternatives.

Add infrared sauna. Research confirms IR sauna removes lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic through sweat. BPA and phthalates — plasticizers that embed in your tissues — clear through sweat at twice the concentration of urine. Three to four sessions per week, 20 to 30 minutes each.

For binder support to es**rt toxins out, I use Systemic Formulas with my patients: systemicformulas.com/ref/VAHI10/?campaign=TCD

We test. We don't guess. Book a consult to see where your toxic burden actually stands.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.*

The Day I Almost Sold Out on Myself Years ago, I made a bold decision that my medical establishment didn't applaud.I was...
06/02/2026

The Day I Almost Sold Out on Myself Years ago, I made a bold decision that my medical establishment didn't applaud.

I was a chiropractor who believed the spine was only part of the story. So I changed everything. I started incorporating functional medicine when it wasn't even called that at the time, needle acupuncture, detoxification, and nutritional muscle reflex testing — finding out which nutrients were energetically compatible with what each patient's body actually needed. The pushback was real. Some of my own colleagues were against what I was doing and complained to my state board.

The traditional medical world wasn't interested. But I believed something they didn't: Remove the stress — structural, emotional, nutritional, toxicity, and electromagnetic interference — and the body rebalances itself back to optimal health. Not everyone agreed. But I wasn't willing to sell out on what I knew to be true.

Then Holli walked into my practice. She was a cancer survivor determined to get healthy. What happened next changed both of us. In her own words: "If I could have known I would feel this good, I would have done this cleanse and new way of living many years ago. Total weight loss so far is 35 lbs in 3 months, my husband has lost 53 lbs. I set out to get healthy after surviving cancer and found a new way to live a longer and healthy life. Dr. Hicks has really saved my family many years of being sluggish, overweight, and all around unhappy." — Holli, Ohio, USA.

That's why I never backed down. And that's why I continue to do this work even though I could have retired years ago. There are so many women who have unanswered questions about their health issue.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Please consult with your healthcare provider. Testimonials reflect individual experiences and results. Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.

Your Feet May Hold the Key…Chronic Kidney Disease affects over 37 million Americans. Conventional medicine manages it. F...
06/01/2026

Your Feet May Hold the Key…

Chronic Kidney Disease affects over 37 million Americans. Conventional medicine manages it. Functional medicine asks: what else can support kidney function from the outside in? Foot reflexology is one answer worth taking seriously.

Reflexology is the application of targeted pressure to specific zones on the feet. Each zone maps to an organ or system. The kidney reflex points sit on the soles of both feet, roughly in the middle arch area.

Here is what the research shows: A 2014 study published in the Journal of Renal Care found that reflexology sessions significantly reduced fatigue and improved quality of life in CKD patients on hemodialysis. A 2019 Iranian clinical trial showed measurable reductions in blood pressure and anxiety scores in dialysis patients who received foot reflexology twice weekly for four weeks.

Why does it work? The leading mechanisms include Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. CKD patients carry a high sympathetic load. Reflexology shifts the nervous system toward rest-and-repair mode, which reduces systemic inflammation and lowers blood pressure.

Improved peripheral circulation. Stimulating reflex zones increases local blood flow and may enhance perfusion to kidney tissue. For patients with compromised vascular function, this matters. Reduction of uremic fatigue and pain. Multiple studies show consistent improvements in fatigue scores, sleep quality, and pain tolerance with regular reflexology protocols.

This is not a replacement for nephrology care. It is a complementary tool that works WITH your treatment plan, not against it. Root cause analysis includes evaluating kidney-stressing toxins: heavy metals, mycotoxins, glyphosate. Reflexology fits inside a broader detox and repair strategy.

Know your toxin burden. Know your inflammatory markers. Then build from there.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your medical health protocol.

When the World Is Shaking, What Are You Standing On?"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer...
05/31/2026

When the World Is Shaking, What Are You Standing On?

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -- Philippians 4:6-7

Let that land for a moment.

Because right now, a lot of people are anxious about everything.

Prices are up. Savings are shrinking. Retirement accounts are swinging. Small businesses are grinding. People who did everything right are watching the math stop working.

The economic pressure in this country is real. I am not going to pretend otherwise.

But here is what I know after 30 years of clinical practice: prolonged financial stress does not stay in your bank account. It moves into your body.

Elevated cortisol. Disrupted sleep. Immune suppression. Hormonal dysfunction. Abdominal weight gain that will not budge no matter how clean you eat.

Proverbs 17:22 says: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

That is not a metaphor. That is biology.

Chronic anxiety triggers your HPA axis. Your adrenal glands flood your system with cortisol. Over time, that cortisol crushes testosterone, disrupts thyroid function, destroys gut integrity, and accelerates aging.

The world cannot give you peace. The markets cannot give you peace. Washington cannot give you peace.

But God can. And your biology responds to that peace in measurable ways.

Try this, this week:

Get outside and move. A 20-minute walk in sunlight is not a luxury. It drops cortisol, boosts serotonin, and grounds your nervous system in something real. God made the creation to restore you. Use it.

Call someone who needs encouragement. Proverbs 11:25 says the one who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Shifting your focus outward breaks the anxiety loop. It is hard to spiral when you are serving.

Faith without action is incomplete. So is health without data.

You cannot control the economy. You can control how you respond. In your spirit and in your body.

-- Dr. Hicks | CFMP

Your gut is not just your digestive system. It is your command center.Research is clear: the state of your gut directly ...
05/30/2026

Your gut is not just your digestive system. It is your command center.

Research is clear: the state of your gut directly influences your brain, thyroid, joints, skin, immune system, and hormonal balance. When the gut breaks down, the rest of the body follows.

Here is what the science shows us:

Leaky gut syndrome allows undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to cross the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. Your immune system treats them as invaders. The result: chronic, low-grade inflammation throughout the body.

Dysbiosis (an imbalance of gut bacteria) has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, autoimmune conditions, and accelerated aging. Your gut produces 90% of your body's serotonin. When your gut bacteria are out of balance, your mood pays the price.

Thyroid dysfunction is frequently driven by gut permeability. Molecular mimicry causes the immune system to attack thyroid tissue. This is why so many thyroid patients feel unheard by conventional medicine.
Chronic illness rarely starts in the organ where it shows up. It starts in the gut.

At Functional Wellness LLC, we test before we treat. A comprehensive gut panel reveals dysbiosis, parasites, enzyme deficiencies, and intestinal permeability markers. No guessing. No "try this and see how you feel."

I have 5 open complimentary consult slots for anyone dealing with brain fog, unexplained weight gain, fatigue, or mood imbalances that may be rooted in gut dysfunction.

If that sounds like you, type GUT in the comments and I will reach out directly or schedule a call-

https://functionalwellnessllc.com/discovery-call-page

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Test, Don't Guess.™

Not All Cooking Oils Are Equal. Your Body Knows the Difference.Red palm oil has been demonized for decades. But science ...
05/29/2026

Not All Cooking Oils Are Equal. Your Body Knows the Difference.

Red palm oil has been demonized for decades. But science tells a different story. And the oils most Americans cook with every day? Those are the real problems.

Red palm oil is one of the richest natural sources of tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E most Americans never consume. It also contains 15 times more beta-carotene than carrots, supports fat-soluble vitamin absorption, and has been shown in clinical research to reduce arterial plaque.

Tocotrienols cross the blood-brain barrier. For anyone concerned about cognitive decline or cardiovascular risk, that matters. Buy unrefined, sustainably sourced red palm oil. Deep red-orange color means the nutrients are intact.

Now compare that to what most kitchens stock.
Avoid or Limit:
Soybean oil: Highly processed, linked to inflammation and blood pressure spikes.
Canola oil: Often refined and may contain oxidized fats that damage cells.
Sunflower oil: High in omega-6 fatty acids. Excess omega-6 disrupts the inflammatory balance your body depends on.

Use Sparingly:
Olive oil: Excellent for cold uses and low-heat cooking. Less stable at high temperatures. Best used on salads or added after cooking.

The oils sitting in your pantry may be doing more damage than the food you are trying to cook. Inflammation, hormonal disruption, and oxidative stress often trace back to processed fats consumed daily over years.

Most practitioners never test for oxidative stress markers or inflammation.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Your doctor probably never prescribed this.Most people think exercise means a treadmill, a weight room, or a spin class....
05/28/2026

Your doctor probably never prescribed this.

Most people think exercise means a treadmill, a weight room, or a spin class. Necessary? Yes. The only option? Not even close.

Ballroom dancing produces the most consistently positive health results across ALL measured domains. Cardiovascular function, cognitive performance, mood, balance, and quality of life. All improved.

The research shows:
Brain, cardiovascular, and metabolic benefit.. A 2025 Bayesian meta-analysis found ballroom dancing significantly improves cognitive function in older adults compared to every other dance style tested. It challenges executive function, spatial memory, and rapid processing simultaneously. No pill does that. Ballroom hits aerobic thresholds that matter. Heart rate variability, circulation, blood sugar regulation — all respond.

Mood and mental performance. A controlled 10-week study published in December 2024 showed that just one 60-minute ballroom session per week improved mood and key health markers in previously sedentary middle-aged adults. One hour. Ten weeks. Measurable results.

Dementia prevention. Research published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience identified ballroom dancing as one of the most protective lifestyle activities against dementia onset. It trains the brain to learn, adapt, and coordinate in real time.

Social and hormonal benefit. Physical touch, rhythmic movement, and partner coordination trigger oxytocin and dopamine. Not theoretical. Documented.

This is why I talk about lifestyle medicine inside every program I run. Labs tell us your biochemistry. But what you DO daily determines whether the numbers improve. It is a strategic combination of movement, nutrition, and targeted biochemical support. Ballroom dancing is one piece. A very good one. If you can’t ballroom, just move everyday!

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise program.

You've been to every doctor. I saw 18 doctors and practitioners running across the country before I found out what was ...
05/28/2026

You've been to every doctor. I saw 18 doctors and practitioners running across the country before I found out what was happening inside my own body.

You've had the blood work done. You've heard "everything looks normal." You've been told it's stress. Or age. Or just something you have to live with. But you're still exhausted. Still in pain. Still frustrated. And honestly. still wondering if someone is ever going to take your health seriously.

I hear that. More than you know. After 30 years of working with patients who came to me after the system failed them, I can tell you this: "normal" lab results do not mean optimal. And optimal is what you deserve.

You don't need another referral to another specialist who gives you 8 minutes and a prescription. You need someone who will actually listen, look at your full picture, and tell you the truth about what is driving your symptoms.

That is what I do. I have opened up complimentary 20-minute Strategy Calls from now until June 15, 2026 for anyone who has a health issue that has gone unresolved. No pitch. No pressure. Just a real conversation with a practitioner who has been connecting root causes to real solutions for three decades.

If something in your body is off and nobody has given you a straight answer. this call is for you.

Scan the QR code in the visual graphic, or go directly to:
👉 functionalwellnessllc.com/discovery-call-page

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your physician before beginning any new health protocol.

Your Kidneys Are Under Attack Every Single Day.Toxins. Blood sugar spikes. Medications. Metabolic waste. Your nephrons a...
05/27/2026

Your Kidneys Are Under Attack Every Single Day.

Toxins. Blood sugar spikes. Medications. Metabolic waste. Your nephrons absorb that punishment continuously.

Most people ignore their kidneys until something goes wrong. By then, damage is done.

Research shows astaxanthin activates the Nrf2/HO-1 cellular defense pathway.

That does three things your nephrons need:
🔬 Quenches oxidative stress in renal tubular cells
🔥 Suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines driving structural damage
🛡️ Inhibits cell death in glomerular and tubular tissue

This is not a "kidney cleanse." It is cellular protection at the nephron level, where damage actually begins.

Before any targeted support, I start with a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel. Key kidney biomarkers I assess:
🧪 eGFR: nephron filtration capacity
🧪 BUN: kidney clearance of protein waste
🧪 Creatinine: flags reduced nephron function
🧪 BUN/Creatinine Ratio: dehydration, filtration problems
🧪 Total Protein/Albumin: protein retention status
🧪 Calcium: tubular dysfunction indicator
🧪 CO2/Bicarbonate: acid-base regulation
🧪 Glucose: drives glomerular oxidative stress

If your markers are trending wrong, we talk about what the labs are telling you and what makes sense next.

Test, Don't Guess.™

DM me the word KIDNEY for a brief info session.
https://functionalwellnessllc.com/discovery-call-page

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

I LEARNED THE HARD WAY… SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO!I learned how to lose stubborn weight, restore energy, and feel vibrant aga...
05/27/2026

I LEARNED THE HARD WAY… SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO!

I learned how to lose stubborn weight, restore energy, and feel vibrant again. Because 10 years ago, I couldn't figure out why my own body was working against me.

But I invested 32 years and helped over 3,000 patients get real answers — so that you don't have to spend years guessing like I did. The most valuable thing I learned? It's not your willpower. It's not your diet. It's not how hard you're working out. It's what's happening inside — your gut, your hormones, your microbiome — that's been running the show all along.

Once I stopped chasing symptoms and started uncovering root causes through functional medicine testing, everything changed. I lost 18 lbs in 6 weeks — without extreme diets or exercise. And now, this is what I LOVE helping my clients do.

If you have been struggling with your weight that doesn't budge, let's find out and discover why. Get your complimentary strategy session here:

https://functionalwellnessllc.com/discovery-call-page

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is educational and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

Address

Myrtle Beach, SC

Website

http://functionalwellnessllc.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dr. Hicks Wellness posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Dr. Hicks Wellness:

Shortcuts

Share

Category