Miranda Mullings, a writer and editor, has lived with life-threatening nut allergies since birth. Despite the constant risk, she’s never allowed her allergies to stop her from exploring the world. Here’s how she navigates international travel while managing her severe nut allergy, even living part-time in Rome.
Living with Severe Nut Allergies
Miranda Mullings was diagnosed with a severe nut allergy early in life. According to her family, the allergy became apparent when she was a baby. While crawling at her grandmother’s house, she touched a nut that had fallen on the floor. Almost immediately, Miranda broke out in hives, prompting her family to seek medical advice. Doctors confirmed that she was allergic to both peanuts and tree nuts, which includes almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.
Nut allergies, especially severe ones, can lead to anaphylactic reactions, which cause the throat to swell, blocking airways. For Miranda, even the smallest trace of nuts can be deadly, a constant challenge as she travels.
The Challenge of Traveling with a Severe Allergy
As a child, Miranda didn’t travel much. When her family did travel within the U.S., it was easier to manage the allergy since she spoke the language and understood the culture. However, her dream was to travel internationally, so when she turned 18, Miranda embarked on a 24-hour road trip from Missouri to Quebec City, Canada. It was here that she encountered her first major challenge with her nut allergy while abroad.
Despite knowing some French, Miranda faced difficulty communicating her allergy to restaurant staff, many of whom didn’t speak English. This language barrier led her to realize the importance of carrying a translation card. Her Airbnb hosts helped her craft a note in French that read, “I am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts,” which she carried and showed to restaurant staff. This simple solution gave her more confidence in navigating future travels.
Living in Rome with a Nut Allergy
Miranda’s college years provided a new opportunity for travel. She studied abroad in Italy, specifically Rome, where she was assigned for her senior year. At first, she relied heavily on protein bars as a food source, unsure of how to manage her allergy in a foreign country. But she quickly discovered that Italy, with its pizza and pasta, made it relatively easy to find nut-free meals.
Though Italy offers many safe options for nut-allergic travelers, Miranda always made sure to communicate her allergy by using the translation card she’d created in Canada. The people she encountered in Italy were receptive to her needs, and she found that it became a part of her travel routine.
Traveling Solo and Facing New Challenges
Miranda’s adventures continued as she took time off from her job at the United Nations in Rome. During a solo trip to the Amalfi Coast, she had a panic attack when she couldn’t find a restaurant that could accommodate her allergy. Despite the challenge, she learned to accept that traveling alone might not always be possible due to the stress and risk of her allergy. She found that some restaurants, especially in areas with many nut-based dishes, weren’t worth the risk.
In contrast, Miranda noticed that countries in Northern Europe and North America were generally more understanding of nut allergies. On a recent trip to Denmark and Poland, she found that restaurants were more aware and responsive to her needs. However, the severity of her allergy is often misunderstood, especially in places where allergies aren’t as common.
A Close Call at a Luxury Resort
One of the most shocking experiences for Miranda occurred at a luxury resort near her hometown in Missouri. She had specifically mentioned her nut allergy when making the reservation and had reminded the staff upon arrival. Yet, when her food arrived, she noticed that the dish had a pistachio garnish, triggering an anaphylactic reaction.
The hotel staff was quick to assist, but it took 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive due to the resort’s remote location. Despite the close call, Miranda remained calm, and her quick-thinking use of an EpiPen helped manage the reaction until emergency services arrived. This incident served as a reminder that no place is completely risk-free when living with severe allergies.
The Importance of Preparation and Communication
Miranda now travels with multiple EpiPens to manage any potential reactions. These epinephrine injectors provide temporary relief but only last for about 15 minutes. She knows that the only way to fully resolve an anaphylactic reaction is through an IV of adrenaline at the hospital.
Her advice to fellow travelers with food allergies is simple: always communicate your allergies clearly, even if it means disappointing a restaurant. If the staff seems unsure or unwilling to accommodate her allergy, she chooses not to dine there. It’s a matter of balancing risk tolerance and making sure she stays safe.
Adjusting Expectations and Embracing the World
For Miranda, traveling with severe allergies requires compromise. While she has visited 39 countries, she acknowledges that some places, like Thailand, are off-limits due to the high presence of nuts in the cuisine. However, she emphasizes that these limitations shouldn’t prevent anyone from traveling. Instead, it’s about being realistic and making smart choices.
“I still feel lucky,” Miranda says. “There are people who can’t even breathe the air around certain foods.” For her, the key is to test boundaries, prepare for the unexpected, and accept that not every destination is safe for someone with life-threatening food allergies.
Traveling with a severe nut allergy may present challenges, but with preparation and communication, it’s possible to enjoy the world safely. As Miranda’s journey shows, food allergies should never stop anyone from exploring the world—but they do require caution and planning.
