Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Collect your macadamia nuts every 2 to 4 four weeks during wet weather. Lay a tarp beneath your tree to catch ripe nuts. Watch out for signs of disease during nut collection. Test your macadamia nuts for their ripeness by placing them in water.

Answer: During harvesting seasonlate fall (Autumn) to springfocus your efforts on periods when weather is wet. When the weather is dry, collect your nuts less oftenevery 1 to 2 months. Wet weather is more likely to cause mold, germination, and rat or pig damage. Always make it a top priority to get your nuts inside during this weather. Healthy macadamia trees begin bearing nuts after 6 to 7 years. They will produce around 30 to 50 pounds (14 to 23kg) of nuts by 10 years of age. This amount gradually increases as your tree ages from this time. Ripe nuts will fall to the ground naturally. Never shake your tree, as it can dislodge immature nuts. You can also hand-pick ripe nuts that are within reach. Touch the outside of the nuts to determine ripenessif they are sticky, they are not ripe. Use a long pole to dislodge mature nuts in hard-to-reach areas. To determine ripeness, look for shrunken husks that push out the nut. Look out for spots on leaves, twig dieback, and bronzed or yellow leaves. The most common diseases in macadamia trees are macadamia root rot (Kretzschmaria clavis), trunk canker (Phytophthora cinnamomi), and macadamia quick decline (MQD). The first two can be caused by prolonged drought and poor drainage, while the third is typically caused by stresses such as low pH and nutritional problems. Prune your trees in the spring and remove diseased and dying branches from their canopy. Remove remaining nuts on the trees after pruning. Apply mulch after harvesting your nuts, and avoid piling it against the tree's trunkthis can cause disease. While these diseases don't always affect macadamias, throw out any nuts that show signs of rot or damage and prune damaged regions of your trees. Ripe macadamia kernels float in fresh watercrack open a sample from your nuts and remove the kernel to test it. Another sign of ripeness is a chocolate brown color inside of the huskif it's white, the nut isn't ripe yet. Finally, ripe nuts are dry on the outside, while unripe nuts are sticky and don't pull away from the husk easily. Macadamia nut ripening varies greatly depending on the location, variety, and season. This goes for single trees, too: some of the nuts might take several months to ripen, while others ripen in much shorter periods of time.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Eat several meals or snacks. Drink high-calorie beverages. Choose higher calorie, nutrient-dense foods. Add healthy fats. Avoid empty calories.

Answer: Instead of eating two or three meals a day, try to eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day. This can help you increase your caloric intake and prevent you from overeating at a single meal. You should also snack on high-calorie foods in between the meals. Good snack options include: Nuts Nut butters on toast or crackers Spreads like hummus or guacamole on crackers or toast Cheese Avocado Fresh and dried fruit If you're too busy to snack or sit down to another small meal, consider drinking high-calorie drinks like protein shakes or smoothies. These should be healthy beverages that offer some nutritional benefit, not just caffeine and sugar. Try using coconut milk to make your drinks. Coconut milk has healthy fat with high calories. If you'd like fewer calories, you could use almond or hemp milk. For extra calories and protein, make super-strength milk. Mix 1 quart of milk and 1 cup of instant non-fat dry milk powder. Stir this for about five minutes and store it in your refrigerator. Use it just as you would regular milk. Look for high-calorie foods that are also considered nutrient-dense. Many of these foods are good sources of protein, fiber, and healthy fat. Include these high-calorie foods in your diet: Whole grains: whole wheat or pumpernickel bread, bran cereals, granola, bran muffins, bagels, wheat germ and flaxseed Fruit: Bananas, pineapple, raisins and other dried fruit, fruit juices, avocados Vegetables: Peas, corn, potatoes, winter squash (acorn, spaghetti, butternut) Dairy: Cheeses (especially hard cheeses like cheddar), ice cream, yogurt, and full-fat or "whole" milk and milk products, like cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese. Meat/Plant proteins: Beef, pork, chicken, nut butters like peanut butter, beans, and seeds Make small changes to your normal meals. Avoid using low-fat or low-calorie products. Add healthy fats, like olive oil, to veggies and other low-calorie meals. For example, steam broccoli and add a drizzle of olive oil at the end. While many processed foods are high in calories, they're not very high in nutrients which makes them empty calories. This is especially true if the processed food is high in added sugar. This means the calories you consume should be nutritious (nutrient-dense) to help your body stay healthy and strong, instead of empty calories, which provide no nutritional benefits. For instance an avocado is high in both calories and nutrients (such as fiber, B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and more), while a donut is high in calories but offers few nutrients other than refined carbohydrates and sugar. You should also pay attention to empty calories when it comes to beverages. Sodas, alcohol, and milkshakes are all high in calories, but offer little health benefit. Instead of drinking soda or even diet drinks, drink milk, juice, and sports drinks for added calories and nutrients.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Do not use essential oils directly on the skin. Avoid using peppermint oil in some circumstances. Be careful using essential oils to treat indigestion related to pregnancy.

Answer:
Under no circumstances should you apply an essential oil to the skin without diluting it first. Essential oils can cause skin irritation and rashes if used directly on bare skin, so always dilute your oils first. If you've never used essential oils before, you may want to use diluted oils on a small portion of your skin. Watch for a reaction before massaging them elsewhere on your body. If you have an allergic reaction, you will notice red, flaky skin, pain, and irritation. Cease using the essential oils. The rash should clear up in a few days. Peppermint oil may be effective for treating some symptoms of indigestion. However, for specific health problems, peppermint oil may worsen symptoms. Peppermint oil can worsen the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and may make gallstones worse. Peppermint oil should not be used on children as it can inhibit breathing. There is not a lot of information on essential oils and pregnancy, so most healthcare providers advise that pregnant women err on the side of caution. It's best to avoid essential oils altogether during pregnancy. However, if you want to use aromatherapy anyway, stick to something like a bath, and only use a couple of drops of essential oils. Ingesting essential oils, or applying them directly to the skin, should be avoided. Parsley seed and pennyroyal oils may be particularly dangerous during pregnancy. You should avoid these oils when you are pregnant.