#82: Not Bounced Back After Pregnancy? The Gut-Fatigue Link That No One Talks About (Even Years Later)
You’re not a new mum anymore.
Your little one is walking, talking — maybe even at school.
People assume you’ve recovered.
But inside your body, it’s a different story.
You’re still exhausted. Your belly still feels bloated. Your skin acts up at the worst times. Your back and core feel like they’ve never quite come back online. And the cravings — for sugar, bread, coffee, or wine — still hold more power than you’d like to admit.
You try to eat well. You’re doing your best.
But something still feels off. You’re not bouncing back — and it’s been years.
If this sounds familiar, I want you to know: you are not alone. And this is not your fault.
There’s a hidden link that very few mums are told about, even long after pregnancy ends — and it lives in your gut.
Could Gut Imbalance Be the Missing Link in Your Recovery?
Your gut is home to a whole world of bacteria, fungi, and even microscopic parasites. And when things are in balance, this ecosystem (known as your microbiome) helps you feel energised, clear-headed, and well.
But when it’s out of balance — especially when Candida albicans (a yeast-like fungus) or parasites take over — it can lead to a cascade of symptoms that affect not just your digestion, but your energy, mood, skin, and even how well your core heals after birth.
This is what holistic health experts like Paul Chek and Doug A. Kaufmann have been teaching for years:
Fungal and parasitic infections don’t just live in the gut — they influence your whole body and mind.
And for mums already dealing with sleep deprivation, hormone shifts, and depleted nutrient stores after pregnancy, these infections can tip the balance from “managing” to “barely coping.”
Real Symptoms. Real Struggles. And Still So Often Overlooked.
If you’ve ever said:
“I wake up just as tired as I went to bed.”
“I bloat even after healthy meals.”
“I crave sugar constantly, especially in the afternoon.”
“I’m so foggy I can’t focus or remember words.”
“My skin keeps flaring — I’ve no idea why.”
“No matter how much I work on my core, my back still hurts.”
Then I want you to know: this could be your body trying to get your attention.
How Gut Infections Disrupt Your Energy and Recovery
These infections are not dangerous in the traditional sense — but they are persistent, and they can throw everything off balance. Here’s how:
1. Fungi and parasites feed on sugar and processed carbs.
Every time you reach for bread, biscuits, or that glass of wine, you’re not just fuelling yourself — you might be feeding an overgrowth of microbes in your gut. Research shows Candida albicans thrives in high-glucose environments and releases toxins like acetaldehyde, which impact your brain, liver, and immune system (Pande et al., 2013).
2. These microbes hijack your cravings and mood.
Fungal infections can alter neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine — impacting how you feel, how you sleep, and what you crave. That “just one biscuit won’t hurt” feeling? It may not be coming from you — it might be driven by your gut.
3. They damage your gut lining and drive inflammation.
This is called leaky gut. It allows undigested food particles and toxins to enter your bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation. Studies show leaky gut is linked to fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and autoimmune conditions (Fasano, 2012).
4. They suppress immune function and slow healing.
If you’ve had a C-section, your body already has scar tissue, disrupted fascia, and weakened abdominal muscles. Gut infections only make this worse. Inflammation blocks the normal activation of your deep core (TVA) — which is vital for healing diastasis recti, back pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction.
Could This Be You? Try This Symptom Checklist (from Paul Chek)
Check any that apply:
Cravings for sugar, carbs, cheese, wine or coffee
Bloating or gas after meals
White coating on the tongue
Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
Mood swings or unexplained anxiety
Skin issues (eczema, acne, rashes)
Vaginal yeast infections or UTIs
Feeling worse after eating carbs
Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
History of antibiotics, birth control pills, or high stress
If you checked 4 or more, a fungal or parasite imbalance may be contributing to your symptoms.
So what can you do?
If you’re nodding along, recognising yourself in the symptoms above — please know that healing is absolutely possible. This isn’t about restriction for the sake of it, or adding another set of rules to an already exhausting list. It’s about giving your body a break from what’s inflaming it, and gently nourishing the systems that are trying to protect you.
This process doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be intentional. And it starts with food.
1. Remove what feeds the infection
Fungi and parasites thrive on sugars, yeasts, and processed foods. The more you feed them, the more they grow, and the more they hijack your energy, your mood, and your cravings. Cutting off their food supply is one of the most effective things you can do — and you may start noticing a difference within just a few days.
That means temporarily removing:
All forms of sugar (white sugar, honey, syrups, fruit juices, dried fruit)
Refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, pastries, and crackers
Alcohol, vinegar (except for raw apple cider vinegar in small amounts), mushrooms, and aged cheese
Ultra-processed foods that contain additives, preservatives, or hidden sugars
For many mums, this step alone brings more clarity, fewer cravings, and a noticeable drop in bloating.
2. Rebuild with nourishing, anti-inflammatory meals
Once the irritating foods are out, your gut has a chance to reset. This is the time to focus on high-quality, deeply nourishing meals that are both anti-fungal and tailored to your body’s needs.
For Polar Metabolic Types — which many mums fall into after birth or stress — that means meals that are higher in protein and fat, and lower in carbs. These foods ground you, stabilise blood sugar, and support calm, steady energy.
Build your meals around:
Organic meats, eggs, and organ meats (like liver or heart, if you enjoy them)
Low-starch vegetables like courgette, broccoli, spinach, rocket, and cabbage
Healthy fats like butter, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, and avocado
Herbs with natural antifungal properties, such as garlic, oregano, thyme, and parsley
You’ll likely notice that your hunger becomes more balanced and your cravings begin to quiet down — especially in the afternoon and evening, when many mums feel the weakest.
3. Gently support gut healing and detoxification
Fungal and parasite overgrowth can damage the gut lining, leading to a condition often called “leaky gut.” This contributes to inflammation throughout the body, including your brain, skin, joints, and connective tissue. Repairing that lining and supporting your detox pathways — gently — is key.
You don’t need extreme protocols. Start with:
Bone broth or slow-cooked meats for gut-repairing nutrients like glycine and collagen
Glutamine-rich vegetables like spinach and cabbage
Herbal teas like Pau d’Arco (a natural antifungal), fennel, or chamomile
Plenty of filtered water with a pinch of sea salt or lemon
Optional: a high-quality probiotic, introduced slowly if tolerated
At this stage, it’s not just about what you eat, but how you support your body to process and eliminate what no longer serves it. This also includes getting regular rest, allowing for bowel movements, and avoiding overexertion.
4. Choose movement that helps your body recover — not fight harder
If you’ve had a C-section, intense exercise may feel like the “right” way to get your strength back. But if your gut is inflamed and your body is still holding onto trauma, that kind of intensity can be more draining than helpful.
Instead, focus on restorative movement — things that calm your nervous system and gently reawaken your deep core.
This might include:
Breath-led exercises that help you reconnect to your pelvic floor and transverse abdominis
Gentle walks in nature (especially first thing in the morning or after meals)
Slow stretching or core rehab sessions (even 10 minutes counts)
Relearning posture and activation — so you build strength from a place of safety, not strain
As inflammation calms and your gut begins to repair, you’ll start noticing that your back pain eases, your hips soften, and your core feels available again.
Healing Is Possible — And It’s Rooted in Physiology, Not Perfection
As your gut begins to stabilise and the fungal or parasitic load reduces, many symptoms that once felt disconnected will gradually start to ease. You may find that your energy lasts longer into the day, your thinking feels clearer, and your digestion begins to settle — with less bloating, discomfort, or unpredictable reactions to food.
The inflammation that was silently disrupting your body’s natural recovery processes — including core activation and hormonal balance — starts to calm. And as it does, you might notice your skin clearing, your mood stabilising, and your cravings less frequent or intense.
These changes aren’t dramatic overnight transformations. But they’re meaningful. They remind you that your body is capable of healing — not because you’ve done everything perfectly, but because you’ve finally removed the obstacles that were keeping it stuck.
This process is not about pushing harder. It’s about working with your body’s design, and allowing it the environment it needs to repair.
It’s not a quick fix, and it may not always feel linear. But it is powerful. And more importantly, it’s yours to access — one calm, intentional step at a time.
Where You Go From Here
If you’ve been living with fatigue, bloating, stubborn cravings or slow recovery since birth, this isn’t just something you have to learn to live with. There is a way forward — and it starts with understanding what your body truly needs to heal.
You don’t have to do everything at once.
You don’t have to be perfect.
But you do need to begin.
To help you take that first step, I’ve created a simple, realistic 7-day food plan designed specifically for mums recovering from fatigue, inflammation, and gut imbalance — especially those following a Polar-type nutrition profile. It includes nourishing recipes, a shopping list, and easy structure to support your energy, digestion, and abdominal healing.
Because when your gut begins to heal, everything else becomes possible.
[Download your free Gut Healing Plan here]
You are not alone in this, and you are not broken. Your body is asking for support, not punishment — and you are already taking the first step by learning what’s really going on beneath the surface.
These bugs may be calling the shots right now, but we’re about to show them who’s boss.
And I’ll be right here, cheering you on every step of the way — because I believe in your strength, your resilience, and your power to heal.
You’ve got this. And I’ve got you.
With Love,
Karo