Because the downy hull has already split open, all you need to do is peel it off of the shell. It’s best to do this right after shaking the almonds from the tree to keep the almonds as fresh as possible. Consider composting the hulls to dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way. Place your hulled shells on a tray or screen and leave in the sun. Stir or shake the shells several times a day, and make sure to keep the shells dry! If there is going to be rain, move your trays inside immediately.  Cover your trays with netting to protect the almonds from birds and pests. If your nuts are still not dry after 2 days, that is okay! Depending on humidity and moisture levels, it can sometimes take up to 1 week for almonds to fully dry. Break the almond open, and if it is rubbery to the touch, that means it is not dry yet. It should be crisp and brittle when you break it. Leave your trays in the sun until they all are fully dried. When the nuts are completely dry, you can shake the shell and feel the nut moving around on the inside.

Summary: Remove the hull of the almond with your hands. Dry the nuts in the sun for 2 days to reduce risk of mold. Crack the shell of 1 or 2 nuts with a nutcracker to determine if they are dry.


Substantially reducing your caloric intake can provide the weight loss necessary to reduce the amount of fat in your pancreas. However, such a radical diet should only be attempted under medical supervision. Talk to your doctor about whether or not a very low-calorie diet is a good fit for you. In a recent study, 9 out of 10 people who lost 15 kilograms (33 lb) put their type 2 diabetes into remission. Working with your doctor, determine how much weight you need to lose. Working together with your doctor, develop a diet plan that uses meal-replacement shakes or bars as well as some small balanced meals in order to maintain this low-calorie goal.  Depending on how much weight you need to lose, you will need to follow this regimen for 3 to 5 months. Diets this low in calories should not be followed by children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding mothers. A diet this extreme is going to be difficult at times. You will need to work hard to stay motivated and stick to your regimen. Some ideas for staying motivated include:  Finding a support network (online or in person). Giving yourself non-food rewards when you reach small goals (such as a new clothing item). Tracking your progress each week. When you reach your goal, it is important not to return to normal eating patterns too quickly. Work with your doctor to formulate a sensible meal plan to gradually reintroduce typical food portions. Eating too much food too quickly can cause stomach pain, constipation, and other digestive distress. This diet is based on reducing calories without increasing physical activity. After you reach your goal, however, it will be important to begin including some movement into your daily routine. You might try:  Going for walks  Doing yoga Water aerobics

Summary: Consult your doctor. Set a goal to lose 10–15 kilograms (22–33 lb). Eat 825–850 calories per day. Stay motivated. Reintroduce food gradually over 2-8 weeks. Begin including daily activity after you reach your weight goal.


Avoid dressing in tight, restrictive clothing since you'll be sitting for a long time. Choose light, loose fabrics that allow you to move easily. Layer your clothes so you can stay warm or cool during your drive. If you start driving in the morning when it's cool, you might want a fleece jacket. You can remove it later when you warm up or drive to a hotter destination. Load an MP3 player with a variety of your favorite music or pack plenty of CDs. Enjoying music is a great way to pass the time during a long drive. If you don't like listening to music in the car, find an audiobook or podcast to enjoy. Keep easy-to-eat snacks in the passenger seat so you can eat something when you feel hungry. Snacking on something healthy is also a good way to stay awake since it will help you focus on something. Avoid snacking on salty foods, which can dehydrate you. Good snack options include:  Granola bars Unsalted nuts Rice cakes Fresh fruit and vegetables Crackers Water is one of the best drinks for a long car ride, but you could also bring coffee, tea, caffeinated drinks, or juice. Avoid drinks with a lot of added sugar, such as energy drinks, which could make you jittery. If you'd like the drinks to stay cool, put them into a small cooler and place it near the bottom of the passenger seat so it's easy to get to. If you're in a hurry to get to your destination, glancing at the clock every few minutes will only make you more stressed. Make a point of not looking at the clock. Instead, relax and try to enjoy the drive. Instead of focusing on how much longer you have in the car, think about how many miles you've put behind you.

Summary: Wear comfortable clothes so you feel relaxed. Listen to your favorite music. Pack healthy snacks to munch on. Bring refreshing beverages to drink so you stay hydrated. Don't look at the clock to track how far you've driven.


As in English and other languages, the numbers 1 through 9 in French are unique words that you can only learn by memorizing. Luckily, they aren't too difficult, and there are some tricks you can use to help.   Un (uh) is 1. The same word is used for the French masculine article meaning "a," as in "un café" (which would mean either "a coffee" or "one coffee").  Deux (duhr) is 2. You can remember this by thinking of the word "double."  Trois (twah) is 3. Remember this by thinking how similar this word is to "triple."  Quatre (katr) is 4. Remember this by thinking about the word "quarter," which is one-fourth of something.  Cinq (sank) is 5.  Six (sees) is 6. It looks just like the English word "six," but is pronounced differently.  Sept (seht) is 7.  Huit (weet) is 8.  Neuf (nurf) is 9. To help you remember 11 through 16, think of taking the numbers 1 through 9 and adding a z sound to the end of them. For 17 through 19, you form the number word just as you do for the rest of the numbers – by saying the first digit (in the tens spot) and then the second digit (in the ones spot).   Dix (dees) is 10.  Onze (ohnz) is 11. You can remember this by thinking of the English word "ones." The number 11 is made up of two digits, both of them "ones."  Douze (dooz) is 12.  Treize (trehz) is 13.  Quatorze (kah-torz) is 14.  Quinze (kanz) is 15.  Seize (sehz) is 16.  Dix-sept (dee-seht) is 17.  Dix-huit (dees-weet) is 18.  Dix-neuf (dees-nurf) is 19. Once you get to 20, number words in French follow the same pattern that is also used in English. The only exception is 21, for which you'll add an et (and) between the words for the digits.   Vingt et un (vehnt ay uh) is 21. The literal translation would be "twenty and one." Note that you pronounce the t when it comes before a vowel sound. It is silent if it comes before a consonant.  Vingt-deux (vehn duhr) is 22.  Vingt-trois (vehn twah) is 23.  Vingt-quatre (vehn katr) is 24.  Vingt-cinq (vehn sank) is 25.  Vingt-six (vehn sees) is 26.  Vingt-sept (vehn seht) is 27.  Vingt-huit (vehn weet) is 28.  Vingt-neuf (vehn nurf) is 29.
Summary: Memorize the numbers 1 to 9. Move on to the numbers 10 through 19. Add the numbers 1 through 9 to vingt (vehn) for numbers 21 through 29.