Sunburn... Cures?

If you live in a hot country (like me) or you just have a good summer in England then you need to be careful. You may think that the sun is not too strong that day because its not boiling hot or the sky is overcast. In actual fact, the sun can be even more dangerous when the sky is overcast or when its rather cool. Its more dangerous because you can't tell you are being burnt until its already happened.
I recently got very bad sunburn after I spent a day at the beach with nothing to act as shade. I didn't apply sun cream regularly enough and there was only a limited amount of liquid that had to be shared between 5 people. I didn't realise until I got home just how bad the sunburn was.
When I woke up the next morning, I was in absolute agony. I couldn't walk, I could barely sleep because I had burnt my back. It was awful and hopefully it will never happen again.

Tips for going out in the sun...
My first tip to those going out in the sun is put sun cream on! This sounds like a really stupid thing to say but you would be surprised how often people forget to do this one little thing. When you are in the sun, make sure you can to some shade if you feel you've had enough. Wear a hat, sunglasses and bring light clothes that will cover you up but not make you hotter than you already are. The other thing is keep hydrated in the sun. The more dehydrated you are, the easier it is for your skin to burn! The last one is for the girls. Girls, if you're wearing makeup when you go to the beach - or just out in the sun in general - make sure you are wearing a foundation / moisturiser / primer with SPF in. Most foundations and BB creams have an SPF of 15. Its also a good idea to use a lip balm with SPF because the sun can burn your lips too!

Tips for if you've already been caught by the sun...
If you went out in the sun and are now bright pink and in a LOT of pain; here are my tips for you.

Number 1:
get straight into a bath of lukewarm water for 20 minutes. I know a lot of people say take a shower but I find that is too harsh on the skin. Some people also find it hard to stand if they've burnt their legs. Taking a bath means that you can sit and immerse your body fully in the water. The cold water cools the skin down and helps with the inflammation. This is especially useful just after you have been burnt. I doing the same thing in the shower after about a few days. This way, your skin has had some time to heal and it won't hurt. Another method is simply to use a wet cloth if you are in too much pain to use either of the first two techniques. This technique is also helpful throughout the day if the pain increases. Do Not use ice packs from the freezer to cool your skin as this just increases pain.

Number 2:
Number 2 is when you get out of the shower, either air dry your skin or pat it dry with a towel. If you rub yourself, you will cause irritation with the skin which just increases pain and inflammation. This also means that it will take longer for the skin to heal.

Number 3:
Number 3 is to keep moisturised. This is something that people neglect doing when they get sunburn. Moisturiser locks moisture into the skin - which you need as your skin has been dehydrated - and helps to heal it faster.



(Please Note: I have not been paid to feature these products, nor am I recommending them to you.)

Another product that helps heal the skin is after sun. After sun helps reduce inflammation and soothe burnt skin. If you cannot find after sun, Aloe Vera gel works just as well to soothe the skin and reduce inflammation.
Number 4:
Number 4 is a technique that not many people know about. OTC [over the counter] pain killers. This is a technique I didn't hear about until recently and when I had sun burn, helped tremendously. OTC pain killers include ibuprofen, and paracetamol. This technique helps reduce inflammation but also helps with immediate pain relief.   Although this is probably the most useful technique for pain relief, it should not be abused. Taking 2 tablets every 5-6 hours should be sufficient.

Number 5:
My last tip is probably the one that will help the most and be the most effective. Do you see that glass of fresh, cool water pictured below? Well that is my last tip. Drink lots of water. On average you should drink up to 6 glasses of water a day to keep hydrated. However, if you have sunburn, you are already extremely dehydrated so it is more important than usual to drink water. If you have sun burn it is recommended that you drink 8 - 10 glasses every day until you have healed. So make a conscious effort to stay hydrated! Water is the best thing to drink when you have sunburn. Juices, milk, milkshakes, fizzy drinks etc. do not keep you hydrated!

I hope this post helps you and is helpful for next time you are out in the sun. I use all these tips so I am recommending them based on personal experience.
Thanks and I'll see you next week.
Lara x

(Please Note: All pictures featured are my own, not from the internet. Copying these pictures to use for your own blog etc. is a breach of copy write.)

Book Review - Books 1-2 Chronicles of Narnia Series | Lara Pass

Hi guys I know its been a while since I posted anything but here we are! This is a review of the first two books in The Chronicles of Narnia Series by C.S Lewis.
The Magician's Nephew follows the story of Polly and Diggory, who - thanks to Diggory's Uncle Andrew - end up in the wood between the world. While there they meet Queen Jadis who threatens to take over our world. Diggory and Polly manage to take Queen Jadis to the land of Narnia. Here they encounter all kinds of strange new creatures such as talking beasts, fawns, giants and many other magical things...
This book is possibly my favourite book in the series. It starts of the magical story perfectly and the writing is suburb. This is the perfect story for younger kids who are just getting into reading.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in the series and follow the story of the four Pevensie children - Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy - who end up in the magical land of Narnia by going through a magic wardrobe. This book is probably the most famous and most popular story in the series. It is - again - a beautiful story and follows on perfectly from the first book. I would completely recommend this book series to anyone who loves the films or just loves an adventure story. It sends out lovely messages about growing up and you learn without even realising it. Fantastic and beautifully written first two books.
I hope you enjoyed this book review. View it on my YouTube Channel. Love you all and speak next week.
Lara x

Let's Talk - Bullying and Disabilities

Thumbnail for my Video
 

Hey everyone, this is my first blog post on some actual issues. As some people might know if they check out my YouTube Channel, I do suffer with disabilities myself so it is really easy for me to relate to you if you suffer with disabilities.
The first piece of advice I would give you about disabilities and 'how to cope' is to just accept the fact that you are disabled. I know that it really sucks and can sometimes make you really unhappy but there is nothing you can do to change how you are, you just are how you are. You may also be wondering why accepting the fact that you are disabled matters so much. Well, if you can accept that you are disabled and stop focusing on that and letting it define you, you will be so much happier and it'll help you get the best out of life.
Now, when it comes to bulling and disabilities, there is not much to say that hasn't already been said. My last piece of advice still applies to this and can be helpful. People will bully you about your disabilities to make you feel even worse about your insecurities but if you have accepted that that's how you are and there is nothing you can do to change it and choose not to let it define you, the less this bullying is going to affect you and the easier it will be to ignore it. Remember, being disabled isn't your fault and although its still going to hurt your feelings that people are trying to bring you down and just don't accept you for who you are, there is nothing you can do apart from show them they're not hurting you and if it persists, report them for bullying.
The last piece of advice I will give you is to appreciate the good things in life. appreciate the people that love and accept you for who you are because they're the people that matter. Appreciate all the love and support you receive from your family. Your siblings, your parents, grandparents.
I often get asked that if I could have been born without disabilities would I go back in time and change it. My answer was no.  You may think I'm lying about that but I promise you, it's the truth. When I was younger, I would've said yes without even thinking about it. However, now that I'm older, I'm beginning to see why being disabled is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. I grew up with and went to school with a lot of superficial and materialistic people and more often than not, they were horrible people. Being disabled has made me different, yes - but it has also made me a more grounded and more compassionate person and I hate to think what I would've been like without it. It has also made me more driven to prove that I can do anything I want to if I believe in myself and I stared to prove that last year when I taught myself to play the guitar and the ukulele. My dream is to become a writer and I am currently in the middle of writing a book with my brother's help. He and I both believe that if I try hard enough, I can probably get published. The other reason I wouldn't give up being disabled is because it means I can hopefully help and inspire a load of people who think that just because they're disabled, they can't achieve their goals in life and can't lead a fairly normal life. Remember, my catchphrase is that anyone can do anything they want and get anything they want out of live if they believe in their dreams - and themselves - enough. I hope this helps you all.
Lara x

Don't You Just Hate It When...

Don't you just hate it when you fall out with a friend and you don't actually know what - or why - it happened? Don't worry, it happens all the time and there is nothing we can do about it. When you're a teenager, emotions run high and it would be a miracle if you never fell out with any of your friends.
You are still growing. Not just physically but emotionally too. You are still learning to be empathetic, to get along with people, to create a filter. Sometimes when emotions are running high - especially for girls - things get scary and out of control and you say and do things you never meant to do but that doesn't mean you are a bad person. It doesn't mean you aren't a good friend and it doesn't mean that you are never going to sort things out and it's the end of the world.
People fall out all the time for many different reasons and over many different things but as long as you can say, 'hey I screwed up, I'm sorry' you should be okay. When you fall out with someone you need to be willing to accept their apologies or apologise yourself if you're in the wrong.
The best thing in life is to have friends and to feel like you have someone to talk to. A lonely life of talking to no-one will not do you any good and is not healthy.
Thanks for reading this week, guys.
Love you all.
Lara

Book Review: The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins | Lara Pass

Hi to you lovely lot. How are you this fine week? I have done a new video. This is a book review of the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins so please watch! :)
P.S. Sorry about the thumbnail for this video (will be sorted out shortly.)
Love you all and speak to you soon.
Lara x

Book Review:- My Adventures with Disney's...

These books are so cute. I got this eleven years ago for Christmas and it's stayed with me and come all the way to the other side of the world with me! I love these books and I think they are a great idea. These are Disney stories that have been edited so they can include a certain person. So, for example, in mine; I help save Snow White from the Wicked Queen. If you can still buy these, they will make GREAT birthday/Christmas presents for kids!

Boys - why are you so complicated?

Okay, so if you read my post the other day you'll know about this guy I liked. Well, I got a message the very next day from that guy saying that 2 1/2 years ago, he realised that he 'liked' me. This was like the biggest shock ever. Considering we've known each other for 5 years and he's never said anything before now; it was a real shock. The thing that sucks is that we're now on opposite sides of the planet amd he dated the girl that bullied me so its a moot point now.
Guys; WHY are you so confusing and frustrating? Honestly, it drives me crazy to think what could've been and what would've been if he had just told me.
So, here is a lesson to all you lovely - and very frustrating - guys. Tell a girl that you like her because the chances are, she really likes you too. So go for it and stop driving us out of our minds with confusion and mixed signals!
Lara x

Boys... makes you wanna scream, right?

Do any of you girls have a friend who's a boy and you like him? You've liked him for years and never told him, even though he probably knows. I'm in that situation right now! Boys can be so confusing and it just makes you wanna scream because you don't know what to do. The worst thing is when they give you all these mixed signals. Like, they tell you they love you. Then they tell you they have a girlfriend. They tell you, you're amazing, or sweet, or kind. Then they don't talk to you for 2 weeks. Its enough to make anyone bury their face in a pillow and scream.
However, boys will be boys and I suppose the only way to know for sure is to ask them, right? Easier said than done, I know. Ask them though! You may think there is no way he could like you because you're not pretty or funny enough but if he's spending all that time talking to you and telling you likes you, you might as well try. The worst thing that can happen is that he says he doesn't like you in that way. So ask the guy! You never know what might happen. (And guys, please make things more obvious, because; honest to god, you are soooo confusing)
Never forget that you are beautiful and unique in your own way and a guy doesn't define you or make you better and you don't NEED a boyfriend to be happy. But just because you don't see yourself very clearly, doesn't mean other people don't. So take a big leap of faith and do it for yourself, you deserve it. Thanks soo much to those who read my blog. Guys, you're amazing and I love you all.
Lara x

Friends, Fights and Sleepless Nights...

Do you ever have that friend that you fight with all the time and you don't even know why? One minute you're getting on fine and the next minute they're upset with you and you don't know what you've done wrong so then you don't know what to apologise for and it all goes out of control and you wonder how and why you got there. It's annoying isn't it? I have to admit, sometimes I can be like one of those people if I'm going through a rough time but most of the time it seems to be what happens to me. It leaves you feeling isolated and alone because those few people you speak to more than anyone else just refuse to acknowledge you are there and you don't know what to do about it. It affects your sleeping pattern because you are stressed about your friendship that seems to be falling apart around you.
So, what do you do? Do you hang on in there through all the fighting, angst and stress? or do you simply let go and move on?...