Local businesses shining bright amidst weekend excessive heat warning

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—Dessert lovers got a taste of Italy in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Downtown as Tondi Gelato’s James Haskins created fresh batches of gelato to keep up with increasing demand for the classic summer favorite. 
  
“People come in and they will try to speak in Italian and they will try to order,” said the Italian born owner of Tondi Gelato.
 
Excessive heat might frustrate some visitors, but it energizes the owners of Tondi Gelato.
 
“Our business is based on our weather. So people are out. People want to have the sunshine, especially after a few months of, just like you mentioned, cold and very weather. People want to be out and experiencing. So that's good for us,” said Deborah Haskins who owns the creamery with her husband.

Local vendors who might have had a shaky start to the year with the winter storms and gloomy weather are now seeing sales improve — especially with what they call their summer essentials. 
  
“Definitely these sunglasses here. When the weather is gloomy nobody's really here. But I can sell and sell and sell these sunglasses,” said Owner of “Oh Janie” Jane Lewty.

Though the heat may be good for business, it does come with some risks like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 
 
We spoke to an emergency medicine doctor who says these cases are rare in Santa Barbara, but could be fatal. 
 
“You want to hydrate. But the issue is when you're when you're outside, it's hot and you're sweating, you know, you're losing all these electrolytes, you're losing your sodium. And if you're just replacing that just with straight water, you basically are kind of diluting out the sodium in your blood,” said Dr. Tom Anderson from Sansum Clinic Urgent Care.
  
When sodium levels dip it could lead to mental confusion, weakness, fatigue, and even seizures. 
  
Dr. Anderson says it’s important to not just stay hydrated, but to also replace electrolytes lost through excessive sweating.