Moderate hookworm infections have been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on their hosts. Research at the University of Nottingham conducted in Ethiopia has demonstrated that people with hookworm infections are half as likely to experience asthma or hay fever.

The theory is that our immune systems evolved under constant assault from a variety of parasites, most of which have to modulate our immune response to succeed. That is, they have to down regulate the response that would otherwise attack them. Evolving with a down-regulated immune system means that in the absence of those down-regulating parasites our immune systems often attack our own tissues, leading to asthma, hay fever, IBD, colitis, Crohn's and perhaps other autoimmune diseases. Hence the increase in autoimmune diseases in the relatively clean and sterile industrialized world.

Theophylline is a methylxanthine drug used in therapy for respiratory diseases such as COPD or asthma under a variety of brand names. As a member of the xanthine family, it bears structural and pharmacological similarity to caffeine. It is naturally found in black tea and green tea.

i need to be infected with hookworms and regularly drink green tea. I think an increase in iron and meat consumption would offset the risks of developing anemia from the hookworms. maybe not though.

the forensic pathologist from Yolo county came to my class today. it was pretty cool, they changed up their lecture / presentation. my asthma has been bothering me a lot recently. its usually not this bad.

last night me and Candice went to this "show" at the Club Tropical in vacaville. it was alright i guess. i've never seen Suffocate the Creep before, the singer is Alex from EB games, Karen knows him. then we went to Mels. it was alright i guess. i nearly died on the way home, i felt so terrible.

i'm gonna go to safeway and get a dohnut, or is it doughnut? i'm not sure. i'll probably write more about my expereince at Mels and the stuff me and Candice talked about, because they were so cool (the regulated population controls in China, reintroduction of sterilization in prisions, origins of communism, Michael Moors role in Canadian Bacon, comics turned movies).

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