A closer look
Getting back to nature by ditching your shoes is a fantastic way to invite microscopic vampires into your bloodstream. Hookworms thrive in warm, moist soil, particularly in areas contaminated by feces. Their larvae do not need to be ingested; they can burrow directly through the unbroken skin of your bare feet. Once inside, they travel through your bloodstream to your lungs, get coughed up, swallowed, and finally hook themselves into the lining of your small intestine to drink your blood. Shoes are a modern marvel.
