“Growing Pains” star Tracey Gold has come a long way from her years as a sitcom star. The former child actress has turned her longtime struggle with anorexia into a new Lifetime series “Starving Secrets With Tracey Gold.”

In an interview with “Fox and Friends,” Gold said, “I wanted to shed a light on [anorexia] and talk about it and open up a conversation.”

Gold was diagnosed with the early stages of the disorder at just 11 years old and struggled to maintain a normal weight until adulthood.

“It’s not this glamorous red carpet disease,” she said. “It’s a really isolating lonely place to be.”

Gold said the disease was not unique to her being an actress and expressed more concern for average girls seeing the “unreal expectations” presented in Hollywood and the media.

The actress slammed those who recently criticized Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato’s weight, saying it was a “horrible message being sent out to young girls.”