BEAT THE

BLOAT
ACTION PLAN
by
DEAR BURSTER
Has feeling heavy and bloated become your everyday
reality? Are you tired of the cramps in your abdomen?
Do you no longer know what causes you to bloat and
most importantly how to get rid of it?

Then this action plan is for you.

Some of us here at OB dealt with on-going digestive

issues too, so we know your pain (literally). Having
implemented the actions that you’ll find below, our lives
(and guts) have improved incredibly.

We’ve put together this action plan comprising of the tips

you can start on today. They are all based on the latest
research and expert thinking in nutritional therapy,
Functional Medicine, yoga and naturopathy. Some might
be completely new to you, but that makes it even more
fun.

Hippocrates said: “All disease begins in the gut.” 2000 years

later, his wisdom still stands. Once you align your
digestion, your other health problems might go away,
your skin will improve, you’ll feel so much more energized
and you are likely to lose excess fat and have no issues
with weight management.

A lot of the activities outlined below have become second

nature to us. Unlike many crash diets, the tips below are
wholesome, helping your overall wellbeing. After you
notice how much better you feel many of them are likely
to become a part of your daily life too.
You’ll love how having a flat tummy feels…you’ll be able
to fit into that favorite pair of jeans (you previously could
not bare to close) and most importantly…you won’t need
to deal with pain, gas and that heavy feeling.

So let’s start fixing the gut right now!

Below are 24 action points to help you on this journey.

Don’t stress if you can’t do them all at once, just do as
much as you can and slowly try adding new ones into
your daily routine.

We can’t wait to hear how you get on!

you 've
go t this!
 CONTENTS

INCREASE GET REGULAR: YOU

STOMACH ACID MIGHT BE BLOATED
& ENZYME WHEN YOU’RE
PRODUCTION BACKED UP

BLOAT RELIEF NORMALIZE

TACTICS YOUR GUT FLORA

MANAGE
CHRONIC STRESS
INCREASE STOMACH ACID
& ENZYME PRODUCTION
Healthy stomach acid levels are an absolute prerequisite
for beating and preventing the bloat, as well as helping
your overall digestion.

Contrary to the common belief - the key reason for

indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux is insufficient
stomach acid (as opposed to too much of it).

So many of us today have impaired stomach acid

production through the usage of antacid drugs, on-going
stress, as well as its production decreasing with age.

Insufficient stomach acid means insufficient levels of

digestive enzyme pepsin, required to digest protein
foods (eggs, fish, meat, beans etc). Undigested protein
rots in the gut causing bloating, gas and other digestive
issues.

Imbalance in stomach acid may also lead to

carbohydrates not being broken down properly (as
pancreatic enzymes may not get released into the small
intestine). These undigested carbohydrates may lead to
SIBO - an overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine,
causing a feeling of heaviness, bloating and gas.

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1. AVOID ANTACIDS, PROTON PUMP
INHIBITORS, OTHER ACID SUPPRESSING
DRUGS AND COMMON CALCIUM TABLETS.
If you have acid reflux you need to normalize your
stomach acid, not suppress its production and merely
mask the symptoms. As mentioned above, the reason for
acid reflux and heartburn is not too much stomach acid
but not enough of it.

By taking these drugs that suppress your acid production

you are reducing your stomach acid even further,
potentially causing a myriad of new digestive and other
health issues.

2. TAKE BITTERS
Get a tincture of bitter drops and have them 15 minutes
before each meal. They taste slightly bitter at first, but
the more bitter foods you eat, the more you will get
to like them (and the less you will want to eat sweet and
sugary food – an amazing “side effect” to help beat the
bloat).

According to research, ‘bitters’ help increase both

stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Another trick is to
have a few olives before dinner.

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3. HAVE THIS DIGESTIVE ELIXIR BEFORE
YOUR MEALS:
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (we love Bragg)
1 tsp Organic Burst Baobab
1 glass spring or filtered water

Simply mix them together and have 20 minutes before

meals daily (just rinse your mouth with water after
drinking).

Apple cider vinegar is known to help improve acid

content in the stomach. Baobab contains digestive
enzymes and soluble fiber to help your digestion. And it
tastes tangy, sherbet-y and similar to apple cider - we
love it!

4. CHEW YOUR FOOD UNTIL IT’S LIQUID

Try spending twice the amount of time chewing than you
normally would.

Why? Because this process physically mashes the food,

making it easier on the stomach, and also triggers
enzymes to be released via your saliva and digestive
juices to break it down further into absorbable nutrients.

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5. AVOID EATING AFTER 7 PM OR 3 HOURS
BEFORE GOING TO BED.
Have you ever noticed that when you eat late you’re
more likely to wake up feeling heavy and bloated?

It takes 3 hours for your food to get broken down in your

stomach - so if you go to bed within this time you can
cause acid to spill out, causing heartburn.

Food digests much better when you’re standing up

rather than lying down.

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GET REGULAR – YOU MIGHT
BE BLOATED WHEN YOU’RE
BACKED UP!
Being bloated due to constipation is very common. So is
the feeling of “carrying a load of bricks” around. It is
healthy to have 1 or 2 bowel movements a day.

According to the American Gastroenterological

Association $750,000,000 are spent every year on
laxatives alone in the US. One of the side effects of
laxatives is that your body can become dependent on
them for bowel movement function.

Thankfully regularity can be promoted with simple

dietary and lifestyle changes.

6. THE MORNING ELIXIR

1 tsp Organic Burst Wheatgrass
1 glass spring or filtered water

Start every morning with 1 tsp Organic Burst Wheatgrass

in a glass of water. It’s powerfully alkalizing, revitalising
and tummy-friendly. Notice how it makes you feel.

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7. HAVE CHIA SEEDS DAILY
Try Chia Fresca by mixing 1-2 tbsp Organic Burst Chia in
your bottle of water. Sprinkle chia on your salad, throw it
into your smoothies, soups or make a chia pudding.

Chia is a perfect food for the gut: it is rich in soluble fiber

that helps feed the good bacteria and promote motility.

8. BRISK WALKING
According to the experts we need to take around 10,000
steps per day for optimal health (whereas most of us
only do 3,000-4,000).

Brisk walking during the day helps stimulate circulation

and intestinal function, causing regular bowel movement.

9. SQUATTING
This is still the way millions of people around the world
prefer to use the bathroom.

Squatting is considered the most effective natural

position for a bowel movement. You can get a
squatting seat to place on your toilet or simply squat on
your toilet (just make sure you’re stable).

Try resting and sit in a squatting position during the day,

which is very beneficial for overall gut health – it may be
uncomfortable to start with, but you’ll get used to it and
find it easy in no time.
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BLOAT RELIEF TACTICS
When bloating has hit you, these measures will come in
handy. You can do them throughout the day, combined
with the tips in the Manage Stress section.

10. 5 YOGA POSTURES TO REDUCE THE

BLOAT AND RESTORE YOUR DIGESTION
These asanas help stretch and massage your abdominal
organs, encouraging blood flow and recovery. They will
help you relax and de-stress too.

1. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
2. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
3. Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana)
4. Half Gas Release Pose (Ardha Pawamuktasana)
5. Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

11. DO ABDOMINAL BREATHING

Being backed-up and bloated may also be because your
intestines simply have no life in them to get things
moving along. Their energy is stale, lethargic and you
could even say lazy.

Abdominal breathing is an ancient technique taught in

Qigong and other Eastern practices.

It is a subtle and gentle way to wake things up – here’s

how to do it:
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 On the ‘in’ breath: consciously ensure your chest is not
expanding, but your belly is. Imagine the air moving
deep down into your bowel. Allow your lower
abdomen to gently balloon out.
On the ‘out’ breath: pull your belly in – as though you
were squeezing the air out of it.

Remember: do this slowly and gently, ensuring your

chest does not move. Feel things starting up again in
your tummy. You might even hear some interesting
noises.

How often should you do this? Whenever you

remember, try breathing through your abdomen. You
can be in the middle of shopping, driving home from
work or even in a business meeting – nobody will know
what’s going on under your top.

The idea is to do it so often that it starts to become your

normal way of breathing. Plus: there are many other
health benefits associated with such breathing – you may
be surprised.

12. DO NOT TUCK IN YOUR TUMMY

Being bloated does not look too flattering so you maybe
feel like pulling in your tummy when in public. This may
also be a habit if you're working out or doing Pilates.

Unlike the slow pulling in on the ‘out’ breath when doing

abdominal breathing, which is immediately released -
tucking in your tummy throughout the day and holding
will do exactly the opposite of helping things move along.
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This is going to cause more blockage and less circulation
through physical constraint.

Here’s an example: try tensing your bicep and holding

for only 1 little minute.

Was it painful? Was it not a stress on your whole arm,

shoulder and even your entire body? Could you hold a
presentation or speak to your kids while in that state? Of
course not.

We cannot function efficiently under tense conditions.

That’s exactly what’s happening in your tummy - just on a
less exaggerated scale. When you pull it in – you’re
blocking energy and stalling vital processes needed for
healthy digestion.

WHAT IS "LEAKY GUT"?

Leaky gut syndrome is also known as 'increased intestinal

permeability'. Millions of people have it today without knowing.
Some of the symptoms are: food intolerances, fatigue, headaches,
immune system disruptions, weight gain and skin issues like acne
and rosacea. Bloating is a common symptom although many
leaky gut sufferers may not have obvious digestive issues.

Numerous studies have now even linked leaky gut to the

development of autoimmune disease.

Sugar is one of the causes of leaky gut, as is chronic stress, a diet

rich in processed foods, gluten, alcohol, antibiotics, pesticides and
other toxins. Some experts also link chemicals in tap water such as
chlorine and fluoride.

The good news is that our gut cells regenerate every few days. So
by removing the causes of leaky gut you can allow the intercellular
tight junctions to restore, allowing you to get rid of leaky gut.
9
Find out below what actions you can take now.
NORMALIZE YOUR
GUT FLORA
There are many ways how your gut flora can be
compromised, causing bloating, gas and constipation. A
common reason is SIBO - an overgrowth of bacteria in
the small intestine. In many cases these bacteria should
belong in the large intestine.

A study published in The American Journal of

Gastroenterology found: 84% of people with IBS actually
have SIBO. The first symptom of SIBO is when you get
regularly bloated/distended around the belly button.

13. REMOVE ALL CEREAL GRAINS FROM

YOUR DIET. REPLACE WITH STARCHY
VEGGIES AND PSEUDO-GRAINS.
Reduce and eliminate all cereal grains: wheat, rye, oats
(yes!), corn, millet and rice. Instead, have quinoa,
amaranth, buckwheat, chia – these are not actually
grains, they are technically seeds, and they don’t have
the inflammatory proteins and anti-nutrients that are
present in wheat, oats, rye and other grains.

These inflammatory proteins contribute to bloating and

gas and in the long term, a condition called leaky gut.

To learn more about how giving up wheat and grains can

change your life read our interview with cardiologist,
expert and author Dr. William Davis here > 10
14. GIVE UP SUGAR
We know this is hard but it's doable one step at a time.
Increase your intake of healthy fats, green foods and
bitter foods and it will get much easier.

Every time you think of a sweet snack – have ½ avocado

with olive oil, Organic Burst Spirulina or Wheatgrass
in a glass of water with lemon (it really works!) or 1 tbsp
of coconut oil (yes, on its own, it’s like a soufflé).

15. CHOOSE LOW SUGAR FRUIT:

ORGANIC BLUEBERRIES, RASPBERRIES,
STRAWBERRIES, MELONS, DRAGON FRUIT
ETC.
Do you get bloated after a nana-ice cream or a sweet
smoothie? That’s because too much fructose feeds the
“bad” bacteria, yeast and mold in the gut (especially if
you have SIBO or fructose intolerance).

Berries are an amazing sources of antioxidants and

vitamins so you won’t be missing out.

16. IF YOU USE A SWEETENER CHOOSE

STEVIA OR RICE MALT SYRUP (AND
GO SLOW).
High fructose sweeteners such as high fructose corn
syrup, honey, maple syrup or agave are more likely to
cause you to bloat.
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17. GO EASY ON (RAW) VEGGIES
No, we are not mad! If your gut is bloated, especially
over time, it may be inflamed. Raw vegetables and
those vegetable that are high in insoluble fiber will
irritate the gut further.

You'll be better off with starchy veggies like pumpkin,

sweet potatoes and celeriac that are easier on the gut.

Don’t just take our word for it - try it out and see how
you feel.

18. TRY THE LOW FODMAP DIET FOR

2-6 WEEKS.
FODMAPs are a group of dietary sugars that ferment,
draw water into the gut and feed intestinal bacteria,
causing bloating and digestive disruption in some
people.

The research team at Monash University in Melbourne

developed the Low FODMAP Diet after discovering that
this group of carbohydrates contribute to IBS and
intestinal problems.

On a Low FODMAP diet you’d remove foods that are

“High FODMAP” for a certain period of time (normally
for 2-6 weeks), after which many see their symptoms
go away. You’d then slowly start to reintroduce these
foods.

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Here are some of the most common High
FODMAP foods that may be causing your bloat.

Fruit: apples, pears, mango, watermelon, nectarines,

peaches, plums.

Vegetables: asparagus, garlic, onion, leek, cauliflower and

sweet corn.

Legumes: peas, red kidney beans, mung beans, lima beans,

chickpeas.

Sweeteners: honey, agave, high fructose corn syrup.

Don’t worry, there are still plenty of foods you can eat
during this time. These are just some examples (the
Monash Univeristy website has the full updated list):

Protein: high quality meat, fish, seafood, non-GMO tofu,

tempeh.

Carbohydrates: buckwheat, quinoa, coconut, pumpkin,

squash, sweet potato, sweed, yams, carrots, celeriac,
parsnips.

Fruit: kiwi, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, melons, dragon

fruit, guava, lemons.

Vegetables: eggplants (aubergine), fennel, cucumbers,

zucchini, broccoli, seaweed.

Greens: kale, collard greens, chard (we’d steam or sauté

them though as they’re high fiber veggies).

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19. TAKE SOIL-BASED ORGANISM
SUPPLEMENTS (SBO).
Soil-based organisms have done wonders for us and
many other people. If the reason for your bloating is
the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine – you
should avoid taking common probiotics that contain
Lactobacillus Acidophilus as they might make your
bloating and gas worse.

Soil-based organisms are a new class of probiotics that

are very effective, especially for SIBO and other
disruptions in the gut flora (just start with ½ a daily
serving and work your way up if you’re new to them).

20. HAVE ORGANIC BURST CHLORELLA

EVERY DAY TO BENEFIT THE GOOD
BACTERIA EVEN FURTHER.
Chlorella is powerful for the digestive tract, as well as
detoxifying heavy metals that are known to contribute
to leaky gut.

Our chlorella comes from a pure organic source and is

2x more digestible thanks to the unique patented
process of cracking its cell wall that our farm uses.

Have it in a glass of water with lemon juice (our

choice!), make a green smoothie with it, add it to your
guacamole - check out more recipes on our website >

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MANAGE CHRONIC STRESS
On-going stress affects stomach acid production, enzyme
production and leads to digestive issues such as bloating,
gas and IBS.

Your body is designed to heal itself, but when you’re

under stress, your energy is diverted away from your
repair and recovery functions.

By settling your mind and body you allow the healing

process to take place. These are some activities that you
can do daily to allow yourself to de-stress. They don’t
take a long time but you will feel a massive difference in
how you feel and your digestion.

TIP: Avoid intense exercise at this time: go for gentle yoga,

walking, swimming or Qigong instead.

21. TAKE REGULAR BREAKS AT WORK OR

SCHOOL – IDEALLY EVERY 30 MINUTES.
(or every time you finish a task) get up, stretch, run a few
flights of stairs or go for a walk around the block.

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22. PALM YOUR EYES DAILY
This will only take 3 minutes a day and it’s great for
tired eyes, tension headaches and stress relief.

Here’s how: Close your eyes and place the palms of

your hands over them. Now let the muscles around
your eyes, cheeks and jaw totally relax. Relax your neck
and shoulders. Feel the heat from your palms
penetrating through your closed eyes.

Stay like this for 2 minutes and then gently open your
eyes again.

23. TAKE A DAILY EPSOM SALT BATH

Add 1 cup of Epsom salts or magnesium flakes into
your bath. This is a great tip to feel overall much more
settled and have higher quality sleep.

24. DIGITAL DETOX

Make sure your cell/mobile phone is out of reach
during mealtimes, when you're on your walk and upon
rising (until you’ve dressed and eaten breakfast).

You’ll love how clearheaded and more relaxed this will

make you feel (and you’ll be less likely to get hit by a
car or bump into someone on the street).

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 i n sp ira tio n
Be an
d th e w a y
Lea
H elp oth er s

@ORGANICBURST

#ORGANICBURST
#BURSTER #BURSTER4LIFE

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