Must Do Naples Visitor Guide Winter/Spring 2017

Florida
Sunshine Survival Tips
Florida is a
Birdwatcher’s Paradise
There’s a reason why Florida is known as the “Sunshine
State”. This subtropical state has year-round sunshine making
it gorgeous for a vacation, but it can catch visitors unawares
if they are not taking some precautions. Dehydration, heat
exhaustion, sunburn, and sunstroke can spoil your vacation,
yet they are very easy to avoid by following our Florida
Sunshine Survival Tips.
Wear Cool Loose Clothing The best
way to stay cool is by wearing clothing that is loose fitting
and preferably made of cotton or natural fabrics. Loose
dresses, shirts, tops, and shorts are preferable to jeans and
tight-fitting clothing if you are to stay looking and feeling
cool and comfortable. Swap shoes and sneakers for open
sandals. If you still feel hot and sweaty, use a handheld
fan. When the body sweats it loses fluid, salt, and minerals.
Water depletion can cause a dry mouth, headaches, and fainting while symptoms of salt depletion include muscle
spasms, cramps, and vomiting.
Don’t Overdo the Sunshine Heat stroke technically occurs when the body’s core temperature
reaches 105°F or above. It can cause nausea, confusion, disorientation, seizures, fainting, cramps, and shallow breathing
as the body struggles to cool itself. Anyone showing these symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency. Remove
any unnecessary clothing, cool the body by bathing with a cool wash cloth or put them in a cool air-conditioned room and
seek medical advice. Give the sufferer plenty of cool drinks of water and monitor their symptoms carefully.
Lather up with SPF Sunscreen Frequently Most Florida visitors diligently apply
sunscreen first thing in the morning when they hit the beach. However, sunscreen does not last all day. The Sun Protection
Factor (SPF) indicates how much longer you can stay in the sun so SPF 15 means that a person who burns in 5 minutes is
theoretically protected for 75 minutes. However, it is recommended that you reapply sun lotion every two hours and after
you have been in the pool or sea. Sunscreen does not just prevent your skin from burning; it also screens out harmful ultra
violet rays that can cause skin cancer. UVA rays cause wrinkles and premature aging, while UVB rays burn the skin, so choose
a good quality sunscreen that keeps them both at bay.
Drink Plenty of Water Keeping your fluid intake high to counter the heat is important, however, drinking
beer or alcoholic drinks can actually leave you more dehydrated than ever. If you drink a glass of beer your body will actually
expel three times that amount leaving you dangerously dehydrated. The more alcohol you drink, the more dehydrated you
will become as alcohol affects the body’s fluid levels. Eating salty snacks is another way to cause the body to lose fluid from
its cells, and sugar-high sodas and sports drinks create a similar problem. You need to drink pure water throughout the day
to counter dehydration, and avoid sweet or alcoholic drinks until the cooler evening. A tip for measuring whether you are
drinking enough is to check you are visiting the bathroom as frequently as usual.
We want you to enjoy every minute of your vacation in southwest Florida, so make sure you pay attention to these sunshine
survival tips and stay cool and healthy!
18 Winter | Spring 2017 MustDo.com
Shutterstock
By: Gillian Birch
Whether you enjoy birdwatching to spot new species, or to
capture them on photographs, Florida has plenty of great
spots for finding flocks of birds. Many bird species spend
the winter in Florida. Others stop to rest on Florida’s lakes
and marshes en route to warmer destinations along the Gulf
migration flyway. Southwest Florida has some of America’s
top refuges for spotting rare and unusual birds, from waders
and ducks to impressive birds of prey.
The best time to spot perching birds in their natural habitat
is during the early hours after sunrise or just before sunset.
If you want to get up close, wear light colored clothing that
blends in with nature and does not rustle as you walk. Move
slowly and stay quiet to get the best results, whether you
are hiding or watching from a natural lookout point.
Stay away from nests, especially if they contain eggs or
young birds. Never touch a nest or remove an egg as the parent
may desert the nest, leaving the young birds to starve.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Jennifer Brinkman