‘Supernanny’ Star Reveals ‘Life-Threatening Medical Condition’

Supernanny‘s Jo Frost is urging others to show compassion to the people around them as she reveals she was diagnosed with a “life-threatening medical condition.”

The TV personality, 55, discussed her life with anaphylaxis in an Instagram video Friday as she called on others to “get curious” about the condition.

“I’ve survived more anaphylactic shocks than I’m prepared to go into detail about right now,” said Frost, who starred in the ABC reality show Supernanny from 2004 to 2008. “I have anaphylaxis, a life-threatening medical condition to certain foods that will compromise my body so horrifically to the point of hospitalization.”

She continued, “Absolute millions of my community around the world, children and adults, live cautiously and anxiously navigating this journey with not nearly enough compassion, education and empathy from those who do not.”

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“Today, everyone will know someone or someone who knows of one with anaphylaxis. If you ignore the severity of this medical condition, it’s as bad as shoving a loaded gun in my face,” Frost pointed out, adding that while her medical condition “does not define who I am and the impact that I make in the world daily,” it “does impact” her daily life in the “precautions I take, the energy I have to use to discern with hypervigilance.”

Frost then criticized various aspects of life that are dangerous for people who have her condition, including restaurants that don’t pay enough attention to dietary restrictions and imprecise allergen labels on food.

“By the way, I speak on behalf of those who also have celiac disease, too, because we are all not faddy eaters,” Frost explained. “I’m not looking to be treated special, I’m looking to be treated with the same dignity and attentiveness as you just showed others.”

Frost shut down “passive-aggressive” comments right off the bat from people who don’t understand the gravity of her condition, asking people to “get curious and learn more” about anaphylaxis, because really, as mentioned before, we all know someone.”

Frost’s advocacy drew appreciative comments from people who have had to navigate anaphylaxis in their own lives and in the lives of their loved ones. “My son was recently diagnosed with anaphylactic allergies and it has rocked our world. Parties, eating out, school, friends houses all become anxiety inducing places for me,” one person wrote. “Thank you for being so open and courageous in sharing your story. I used to not think twice about my kids eating a peanut butter sandwich in public. I feel so sorry I was never educated in how severe it truly can be.”