You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that festive overindulgence can lead to a holiday hangover of excess weight and feeling rather out of shape. This is the time of year when the man of the house can expect to sit in his favorite chair, eat, drink and make merry.

Having one of those rare good hair days and don't want to sweat up your lovely locks? Most of us probably tie up our tresses and worry about our hairdos after our workouts, but apparently some worried women are letting their hairstyles get in the way of their health.

The festive season is upon us and with it the end of the year sales too. While it's hard to avoid the consumerism that comes packaged with Christmas cheer, you can still buy your loved ones a gift that's going to give them a healthy start to 2013. What better present could you give somebody than the encouragement to get fit?

Everybody, regardless of their age loves gadgets and with the health and fitness industry booming more than ever, there are some exciting and interesting gifts out there.

With news of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy and subsequent chronic morning sickness, cures for this pregnancy symptom are in the spotlight. While the wife of Prince William has had a severe case of morning sickness which has meant hospital treatment, can exercise help to alleviate some of the pain and nausea?

The general medical consensus seems to be that light exercise can help reduce the symptoms of morning sickness.

Psychiatric disorders can be helped through exercise. This is the message that delegates at last month's Psych Congress 2012: US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress were told. There certainly is a body of studies, research and evidence to suggest that not only is exercise useful as part of a therapy program but for certain psychological conditions it can act as a valuable therapeutic treatment.

Tis the season to be merry but festive fun aside, the holidays can prove to be one of the most stressful times of year. Not only is the pressure on to have a good time, keep family happy with visits but there is also the added stress of finding money for gifts and having to step outside your usual routine.

The epidemic of childhood obesity in many countries across the globe, particularly the US, is hardly breaking news. However, with the link between one of the biggest killers, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, there is at least one serious health condition that needs to be tackled alongside the issue of kids getting fitter and not fatter.

Beginning January 7th, First Defense will be holding regular Monday night classes at the Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase, MD. Classes will be every Monday evening from 7:30-9:00pm.

Location:
Ohr Kodesh Congregation
8300 Meadowbrook Lane
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

For more information on the classes and to register, please contact Instructor Jonathan at jonathan@firstdefensemac.

First Defense, in collaboration with the Krav Maga Self-Defense Meetup Group and She Can Shoot, is offering a one-hour women-only self-defense class on December 19th at 7pm.

These beginner-level Krav Maga classes will cover some basic techniques and principles as they relate to common threats and attacks women may face.

The next session of our popular 8-week Krav Maga Foundations Course starts on January 9 & runs through February 27, 2013.

What we'll cover over the course of the 8 week:

Basic Striking Using Hands, Elbows, Knees & Legs
Defending Strikes
Releases from Chokes
Releases from Headlocks
Releases from Bearhugs
Releases from Wrist Grabs
Using Common Objects for self-defense
Situational Awarenss
Defending Yourself on the Ground
Dealing with Stress
Developing the Proper Mental Attitude

Participants are also welcome to attend the Monday night Krav Maga Basics class and the Monday & Wednesday Striking classes at no additional cost.