The `American Idol` host - who suffered mild kidney failure earlier this year, and was hospitalised with blood clots on his lungs last month - has changed his lifestyle because he is "scared" of dying and leaving behind his wife Mariah Carey and their 10-month-old twins Moroccan and Monroe.

Nick - who has been married to the singer since 2008 - said: "I want to be there for my children. You want to make sure you?re alive more than anything. I`m having a good time, though.

"It`s scary when you think about your health - where it can go - but when you`re doing it for the right reasons, and I`ve overcome so much in the past few months, it?s good."

But the 31-year-old star initially thought doctors were "joking" when they warned him he might die if he did not slow down.

He added to America`s OK! magazine: "I thought it was them over-exaggerating. [I was,] like, `Yeah, right.` And then, when I had a couple more scares and things got serious, I was, like, `Okay, this isn`t a joke. I`ve got to change the way I`m living my life.? "

Since being warned about his health, Nick quit his drive-time radio show on 92.3 NOW FM "under doctor`s orders" last month, and he is now being "nursed" back to health by Mariah.

He explained: "She`s always taking care of me. She`s my nurse. She makes sure I take all my medications, makes sure I eat. It`s great!`

Despite his health concerns, Nick plans to continue presenting `America`s Got Talent` - which is set to start filming again this summer in New York City - because he believes it`s "going to be the biggest show in the world".
sections: Celebrities