Ali Maffucci (@inspiralized) is the woman behind the Inspiralized juggernaut, which includes three best-selling cookbooks (Inspiralized, Inspiralize Everything, and Inspiralized & Beyond), an amazing, recipe-filled blog, and the world’s best spiralizer, the Inspiralizer (no really—I’ve tried so many and this is the one I personally use). Ali is an incredibly successful businesswoman, mom, and partner—and she makes it all look effortless and even fun. I spend a lot of this podcast trying to figure out how she’s so calm, confident, and collected—which leads us to one of the craziest stories I’ve ever heard in real life or on the podcast. A few years back, Ali’s mother was kidnapped from her home in New Jersey. She tells the whole story on this episode, but the way that it changed her outlook on life is fascinating, and hopefully, hearing it will change the way you look at the world too. We also talk about the Bell’s Palsy that paralyzed half of her face, self-confidence, weight-loss (Ali lost 30 pounds early in her wellness journey), building a business, her relationship with her husband Lu, becoming a mom, and so much more. If you love Ali (who doesn’t?), want inspiration for starting your own company, are a new mom, or are simply interested in living your healthiest, happiest life, this episode is a must-listen. For every episode of the Healthier Together podcast, there will be a corresponding giveaway—this week, it’s Ali’s favorite yoga pants and a copy of her newest cookbook. Check out @lizmoody to enter! Enjoy! This episode is brought to you by CW Hemp. I’m extremely picky about the supplements that I choose to use and CW Hemp’s full-spectrum hemp extract is one of just a handful that I take daily. By interacting with our cannabinoid receptors (which are all over our body—it’s crazy, and definitely worth a Google!), I find it super helpful in relieving stress and helping me sleep better and longer at night. I typically go for the middle strength mint chocolate, but the unflavored is also great for recipes, like this Lavender Hot Chocolate (which would also be great iced in the summer time!). If you’d lke to try CW Hemp for yourself, you can get 10% off your order using the code “healthiertogether.” Visit cwhemp.com/healthiertogether for more details, and if you have any questions (I LOVE talking about this stuff), don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Instagram! Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.