The Insider.com

Nick Cannon looked healthy and happy on GMA this morning as he spoke candidly about the disease that sent him to the hospital -- twice! -- and threatened to take away everything he's worked so hard for.

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Speaking with Robin Roberts, Nick looked back on January -- when he was rushed to the E.R. -- and said, "I scared a lot of people. I scared myself."

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The on-set of this then-mysterious illness came as even more of a shock to Nick because he always considered himself to be a healthy person. "I thought I was doing the right things but [in reality], I was overloading my body," he said.

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And while he's instituted a new diet (no fast food or bacon!) and a new sleep schedule to help deal with his Lupus-like Autoimmune Disease, Nick says, "[Mariah is] the best medicine. She's awesome, she's so nurturing, I call her Dr. Carey. She made me an egg white sandwich before I left the house this morning. [No one imagines that] she's at home making egg whites and toast."

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The most important thing about Nick's new approach to life and his health is that it ensures he'll be around for twins Monroe and Moroccan. "[Family is] everything," he says. "You want to be there for your children. Lying in the hospital bed that was the first thing that came to mind – I have to be around for my children."