High Blood Pressure and Stress: A Wake-Up Call with Dr. Alisha Reed

You take care of everyone else. You push through stress, exhaustion, and warning signs until your body forces you to stop.

In this episode, Dr. Bayo is joined by board-certified pharmacist and self-care strategist Dr. Alisha Reed, whose life changed when her blood pressure reached 180/110. After years of counseling patients, she became one, navigating grief, chronic stress, and high blood pressure as a single mother.

This conversation reframes self-care as survival, not indulgence.

Whether you are burned out, managing high blood pressure, or constantly putting yourself last, this episode breaks down what chronic stress is doing to your body and how to protect your health in realistic, achievable ways.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The warning signs that stress is harming your body

How chronic stress affects blood pressure and heart health

Why self-care myths keep people stuck in survival mode

A practical six-step framework you can start using immediately, the REFILL Strategy

What to ask your doctor and pharmacist about blood pressure medications

How to advocate for yourself when something does not feel right

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, and stress plays a major role. February is Heart Month, making this an important reminder that managing stress and blood pressure is essential to protecting your heart year-round.