The holiday season brings lights, celebrations and, for many people, a noticeable rise in food cravings. From shortbread cookies to turkey stuffing and once-a-year gingerbread, December has a way of pulling us toward foods we rarely think about at other times of year. Many interpret these cravings as a lack of discipline or a need for more willpower. In reality, cravings are not a flaw; they are signals from your body, emotions and even your memories.

Cravings often appear when an underlying need is going unmet. Sometimes that need is biological, a skipped lunch while rushing through errands, a day spent travelling between gatherings or simply not eating enough to keep up with a busy schedule. Other cravings surface in response to emotional needs like stress, fatigue, grief or loneliness.

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