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Days before the cast of Bravo’s Family Karma will become household names, one cast member is already making a pretty personal reveal.

Vishal Parvani recently hit the media circuit and shared that he’s dealt with Crohn’s disease for the past two decades. He told Bravo’s The Daily Dish he wanted to share that he has the autoimmune disease.

He hoped to show  “people out there that even if you have an autoimmune disease you can still have a great quality of life.”   

Pete Davidson attends the premiere of "Big Time Adolescence"
Pete Davidson attends the premiere of “Big Time Adolescence” |Dia Dipasupil/WireImage

Like Parvani, Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson went public with his Crohn’s diagnosis a few years ago.

Like Davidson, Parvani was reluctant to discuss Crohn’s

Parvani told The Daily Dish he wasn’t comfortable sharing his diagnosis but went public because he wanted to help others. “At first, I was always very reluctant about disclosing what I had,” he said.

“But since meeting [fiancée] Richa, she’s been making me more open about it, more comfortable, and getting me to work out,” he said. “And I feel less stressed if I’m able to share some experiences. And if that helps people out, I’m actually very excited for that aspect of the show, to be able to help people in that regard.”

Davidson went public about Crohn’s to share what seemed to work for him. He revealed that medical marijuana was one of the only ways he could still perform on SNL.

Like Parvani, Davidson was also diagnosed at a young age. “I got Crohn’s disease when I was 17 or 18,” he told the High Times, People recounts. “And I found that the medicines that the doctors were prescribing me and seeing all these doctors and trying new things … weed would be the only thing that would help me eat.”

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease impacts nearly 780,000 Americans, according to Healthline. Like Davidson and Parvani, most people are diagnosed at a young age, between ages 15 and 35. Crohn’s has a genetic link and people living in a developed, urban setting are at a higher risk.

Symptoms include stomach pain, weight loss, and diarrhea. However, some people with Crohn’s may experience other symptoms such as joint pain and even skin issues. Stress and diet may make Crohn’s symptoms worse, but diet and stress do not cause the autoimmune disorder.

A healthy diet is one way to combat symptoms. But medication to suppress the immune system’s abnormal inflammatory response can help too. Some patients turn to a combination therapy treatment. “For example, combination therapy could include the addition of a biologic to an immunomodulator,” according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Parvani seems to be ready to open his life up to the world, sharing that he’s actually a longtime reality television fan. “Seeing other people having issues, and there’s always someone that, you’re like, ‘Oh, s**t, yeah, I would act the same way.’ Or, ‘I wish I could have the balls to act the way you do,'” he told The Daily Dish.

Family Karma premieres on Sunday, March 8 at 9 p.m. / 8 p.m. central on Bravo.

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