According to PEOPLE Tamron Hall is opening up about overcoming a recent health scare.
On Friday’s episode of the Tamron Hall show, the 53-year-old host revealed that she contracted a parasite last year that was impacting her gut health.
“In November we flew to Atlanta to see Da Brat and [Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart]. They introduced us to their beautiful baby,” she said, sharing a photo of her with the couple at the time. “I was very happy in the picture but I wasn’t doing well.”
“When I got back to New York, I went to my doctor, gastroenterologist Albert Knapp, and he revealed that I had something inside me that was creating gut issues for me,” Hall continued. “He found it thankfully, because I was sick for about two weeks, and it’s called blastocystis hominis.”
Blastocystis hominis is a microscopic parasite that can live in the digestive tract, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can be transmitted through food or water or by contact with human or animal feces.
Although the parasite typically lives there without causing harm, some people may experience symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite.
“I had a parasite inside of me and apparently I’m not alone cause it’s not that uncommon…so don’t judge me. Don’t be like, ‘What dirty kitchen did Tamron Hall eat in?’” Hall quipped. “Apparently a lot of people have it and most folks don’t have symptoms. I had severe symptoms.”
Hall also noted that she did two weeks of a “rigorous regimen” of antibiotics and now, “I am okay.”