Episode 3: Supercharge Your Breakfast and Increase Your Energy Levels with May Tom, RD

Ali Segersten Feb 03, 2025 2 comments
Podcast episode 3 May Tom RD

In Episode 3 of the Restorative Nourishment Podcast I am speaking with May Tom, RD. May is a registered dietitian with an extensive training in functional medicine and is a certified Functional Medicine practitioner. May received her undergraduate degree in physiology and neuroscience from the University of California San Diego. She received her master's in public health from Loma Linda University along with her dietetics license. May is passionate about optimizing patient outcomes through discovery, education, and behavior modification. In this episode, we're talking about how to upgrade your metabolism and increase your energy with a supercharged breakfast so you can function your best and live your life's purpose.

Are we starting off the day fueling properly? If you didn't sleep well and if you're under a lot of stress, it's easier to make poor dietary choices. Most people gravitate toward a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast after a night of not sleeping or during periods of high stress because carbohydrates reduce cortisol and also raise serotonin. It's a little bit of a self-medicating thing that we just gravitate towards when we're stressed or under slept.

How can we balance cortisol, blood sugar, and our circadian rhythms? We do this by consuming a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast with a good amount of healthy fats. A breakfast like this consumed at the appropriate time can be considered a zeitgeber, or "time-giver" to help entrain your body's circadian rhythm and balance cortisol levels. 

In this podcast episode, learn the best timeframe to consume breakfast after waking, what the best ratio of macros is for sustained energy throughout the day, and different nutrient-dense breakfast options to include in your weekly meal planning. 

Watch or listen to Episode 3: 

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Watch on YouTube

Remote video URL

Consuming a high-protein breakfast with at least 25 to 30 grams of protein, at least 10 grams of fiber, and around 30 grams of fat will help stabilize blood sugar throughout the day, keeping you focused, energized, and greatly reduce food cravings for sugar and refined carbs.

Breakfast Ideas from our Meal Planner Mentioned in the Podcast:

Cottage Cheese, Egg, and Avocado Breakfast Bowls (note: 1 cup of cottage cheese contains 28 grams of protein)

Black Rice, Turkey, and Cabbage Breakfast Hash

Turkey Zucchini Hash

Raw Chia Breakfast Porridge

Overnight Chia-Oat Pudding

More Links:

May's Breakfast Video on YouTube

May's YouTube Channel

May's High-Protein Recipe List from Nourishing Meals®

Learn more about becoming a Nourishing Meals® member to get access to all of our nutrient-dense breakfast recipes and meal planning tools!

ALI-2023-PHOTO-VERTICAL-2

About the Author

Alissa Segersten, MS, CN

Alissa Segersten, MS, CN, is the founder of Nourishing Meals®, an online meal-planning membership with over 1,800 nourishing recipes and tools to support dietary change and better health. As a functional nutritionist, professional recipe developer, and author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Nourishing Meals, and co-author of The Elimination Diet, she helps people overcome health challenges through food. A mother of five, Alissa understands the importance of creating nutrient-dense meals for the whole family. Rooted in science and deep nourishment, her work makes healthy eating accessible, empowering thousands to transform their well-being through food.

See More

Nourishing Meals Newsletter

Email updates.

Add Comment

Comments

Excellent content and
takeaways in abundance!

Thank you ladies.

Heather
(Supercharge your breakfast)

Thank you, Heather! Glad you enjoyed it! :)

Related Posts

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES-1
Jun 07, 2025

Crucifers and Sulforaphane: Nature’s Most Powerful Detox Activators

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cabbage, and arugula are more than just nutritious—they’re biochemical powerhouses that support your body’s natural detoxification, reduce inflammation, and promote hormone balance. But their healing potential isn’t just in what they contain—it’s in how you prepare and eat them. This post explores why eating raw (or lightly cooked) crucifers matters, how to boost sulforaphane production, and the science behind using everyday foods to gently activate your body’s detox pathways. Let these humble vegetables become catalysts for profound cellular renewal and daily allies in your transformation.

Read More
HEALING HYDRATION GLASS WATER-1
Jun 03, 2025

Replenish What You've Been Missing: The Healing Power of Hydration

When we think about detoxification, we often jump to supplements, superfoods, or strict protocols. But one of the most profound—and often overlooked—ways to support your body’s natural detox pathways is also the most elemental: water. Water is not just a vehicle for hydration. It’s a solvent, a transporter, and a cleansing force that touches every cell, every organ, every process of renewal within you. Without adequate hydration, your liver, lymph, kidneys, colon, and skin cannot do their sacred work of releasing what no longer belongs. Yet many of us walk through our days dehydrated—reaching for caffeine instead of mineral-rich water, sipping chlorinated tap water that adds to our toxic burden instead of lightening it, and ignoring the body’s gentle thirst signals until they become fatigue, headaches, or cravings.

Read More
BLUE SPIRULINA ELECTROLYTE DRINK RECIPE SUGAR-FREE-2
Jun 02, 2025

Blue Spirulina Electrolyte Drink Recipe

If you’ve been drinking more water but still feeling depleted, this vibrant electrolyte drink may be exactly what your body has been missing. True hydration isn’t just about water—it’s about how well your cells can absorb and retain it. That’s where electrolytes, phytonutrients, and trace minerals come in. This refreshing blue spirulina drink blends coconut water, sea salt, lemon juice, and purified water to restore balance and support detoxification. The result is a beautifully balanced beverage that helps your body absorb water at the cellular level, reducing fatigue, brain fog, and that dried-out feeling so many of us experience—even when we're drinking enough.

Read More
Natural Herbs In Glass Jars-1
May 28, 2025

Clear the Clutter Within: Detoxing Your Home, Body, and Daily Rituals

What if your lingering fatigue, hormonal imbalance, or brain fog isn’t just about what you eat—but what you absorb, inhale, and apply to your skin each day? From body care products and household cleaners to non-stick pans and plastic containers, everyday toxins can quietly disrupt your hormones, burden your detox pathways, and block your body’s natural vitality. This article reveals the most common sources of hidden toxicants in your home—and offers empowering, practical swaps to help you reduce your toxic load and reclaim your energy, clarity, and path to wholeness.

Read More
DEWDROPS ON GRASS
May 15, 2025

Remove What Dulls Your Light: A Detox of Toxins, Alcohol, and Plastics

What if the exhaustion isn’t you—but what you’re carrying? You’re eating better. Drinking more water. Trying your best to care for your body. And still…your energy is low. The inflammation lingers. The spark feels just out of reach. Sometimes, what drains us isn’t a lack of effort—but an unseen burden. Alcohol. Pesticides. Plastics. We’ve all heard these aren’t great for us—but what do they actually do once inside the body? These hidden stressors quietly disrupt hormones, damage the gut, block detox pathways, and drain the nutrients your body needs to function and heal. Understanding the science behind their impact brings conscious awareness—and with it, the power to change. This post reveals what these everyday toxins are really doing—and how their release can begin clearing the way back to wholeness.

Read More
ARUGULA CITRUS DETOX SALAD-1
May 07, 2025

How To Do a Detoxification Diet and Why

Every single day, your body is working quietly and powerfully to protect you. With every breath you take, every bite of food, every sip of water, your cells are assessing, sorting, and transforming what’s needed—and what must be let go. This is detoxification: your body’s innate ability to process, neutralize, and eliminate harmful substances. But in today’s world, that natural process can become overwhelmed. The air we breathe, the foods we eat, the products we put on our skin—all contribute to a growing toxic burden. A Detoxification Diet offers a way to reduce that load while nourishing your body with the nutrients it needs to restore balance and resilience.

Read More