How a daily tipple helps heart attack survivors live longer

By Jenny Hope

New findings: A couple of drinks each day helps heart attack survivors live longer, a study claims

A couple of drinks each day helps heart attack survivors live longer, a study claims.

It found that men who drank moderately after a first heart attack had a 42 per cent lower risk of dying from heart disease than non-drinkers.

Their risk of death from any cause was also reduced by 14 per cent.

However, those who drank more than two drinks a day were no better off, says a report in the online edition of the European Heart Journal.

The findings are the latest to suggest that moderate drinking protects the heart and arteries before and after a cardiac arrest.

U.S. researchers monitored  1,818 men for up to 20 years after they had survived a first heart attack between 1986 and 2006.

The men – who were taking part in the U.S. Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, a major health and lifestyle investigation – were questioned about their diet and alcohol intake every four years.

Those who consumed between ten and 29.9 grams of alcohol a day – the equivalent of two 125millilitre glasses of wine, two bottles or cans of beer, or a shot of spirits – were classified as ‘moderate’ drinkers.

 

fter 20 years, 468 men had died but those consuming two alcoholic drinks a day had a lower risk of death than non-drinkers from any cause. The type of drink did not affect the results.

Although it is unclear how alcohol protects the heart, one theory is it helps the body metabolise glucose more efficiently as well as reducing blood clotting.

Interesting: A study found that men who drank moderately after a first heart attack had a 42 per cent lower risk of dying from heart disease than non-drinkers

Wine also contains high levels of antioxidants called flavonols which are good for the circulation, while red wine increases levels of ‘good’ cholesterol.

Dr Jennifer Pai, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, said: ‘The adverse effects of heavy drinking include high blood pressure and reduced heart function. Our results emphasise the importance of alcohol in moderation.’

Desperate girl, 12, has mystery disease that means her stomach won't stop swelling

By Daily Mail Reporter
A 12-year-old girl with a rare disease has a stomach so swollen she looks like she is on the verge of giving birth.
Meng Caixiu from Guizhou Province in southwest China was diagnosed with a liver cyst - a fluid-filled sac that develops along the organ - when she was only one year old.
Although her parents have spent all their savings and even borrowed money to take her to many doctors, medics have not been able to stop her belly from swelling.

Scroll down for video

Plea: Meng Caixiu suffers from a terribly distended stomach linked to a liver cyst

Meng looks heavily pregnant as a result of her condition

She has clear scarring on her stomach suggesting one operation has already failed to cure her.
The girl's father Meng Guofan said: 'Her belly is getting bigger and bigger and her condition is getting worse. She looks so pitiable.
'Now the family is so impoverished that we can't afford the medical fees for her any longer. She is such a poor child.' 

 

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Her struggling family are now calling for a benefactor to help fund treatment as quickly as possible.
Although a Communist country, China does not have a cradle to grave free at the point of use healthcare system.

Meng has the tell-tale marks of an operation, which has failed to stop her stomach from swelling

Instead around half of the population buy basic medical insurance which covers for half the costs of their healthcare. The remainder is paid either by patients or their health insurer.

However, this leaves the poorest in China struggling to meet medical bills for serious conditions like Meng Caixiu's.
When liver cysts grow larger than around seven centimetres they can cause the stomach to swell and become distended.

Good news for curry fans - spicy dish is key to a healthy heart

By Daily Mail Reporter
Good new for curry fans - tucking into a spicy dish could be the key to a healthy heart.
Researchers found that the compounds that give cayennes, jalapenos and other chilli peppers their heat can lower high blood pressure and reduce blood cholesterol. 
They said the chillies have great potential in protecting against heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in the developed world.

Hot stuff: Chillis extract their revenge through their fiery seeds but could be doing us good by encouraging blood flow

The study, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, focused on a family of substances known as 'capsaicinoids' - the part of the chilli that gives them their 'kick.'
Study author Dr Zhen-Yu Chen said: 'Our research has reinforced and expanded knowledge about how these substances in chilies work in improving heart health.
'We now have a clearer and more detailed portrait of their innermost effects on genes and other mechanisms that influence cholesterol and the health of blood vessels. It is among the first research to provide that information.'

 

In the study they gave two groups of hamsters high-cholesterol diets, before giving one group food with varying amounts of capsaicinoids while giving the other control group food with no capsaicinoids. The scientists then analysed the effects.

WHY ARE CHILLIS SPICY?

Ever wondered why chilli peppers are so mind-blowingly hot? It's all down to their ultra-effective defense system developed in the ongoing war between plants and animals.

When humans bite down on chillis they crush the seeds the plants want to spread with their molar teeth. The peppers extract their revenge by releasing a mouth-burning mix of chemicals called capsinoids.

Birds swallow the seeds whole and eventually pass them out the other end away from the original plant. They are therefore rewarded with the flesh of the chilli and left unscathed by the encounter.

They found the spicy substances lowered levels of 'bad' cholesterol by reducing accumulation of cholesterol in the body and increasing its breakdown and excretion.
They also blocked the action of a gene that makes arteries contract, restricting the flow of blood to the heart and other organs. By blocking it, the muscles relaxed and widened allowing more blood to flow.
'We concluded that capsaicinoids were beneficial in improving a range of factors related to heart and blood vessel health,' said Dr Chen.
'But we certainly do not recommend that people start consuming chilies to an excess. A good diet is a matter of balance. And remember, chilies are no substitute for the prescription medications proven to be beneficial. They may be a nice supplement, however, for people who find the hot flavour pleasant.'

Rubbing toothpaste on your teeth 'quadruples protection against decay'

By Claire BatesA visit to the dentist always ends with the same advice - brush your teeth twice a day and make sure you floss in the evening.
Now scientists have suggested rubbing some toothpaste into your gums after lunch as well.
A team from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, found the technique vastly reduced the risk of developing tooth cavities.

The beneficial effect of brushing twice a day could be enhanced with a toothpaste massage

Study leader Dr Anna Nordstrom said: 'Rubbing toothpaste onto your teeth increases the flouride protection by 400 per cent.'
The researchers were testing the effect of a high-fluoride toothpaste available without prescription in Sweden. They asked 16 volunteers to brush various numbers of times a day and also tested out the 'finger rubbing' technique.

 

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Dr Nordstrom said: 'This 'massage' method proved to be at least as effective as a third brushing in increasing the amount of fluoride in the mouth.
'Rubbing the front of your teeth with toothpaste can be an easy way of giving your teeth a third 'shot' of fluoride during the day, after lunch for example.

Fluoride works by hardening tooth enamel

'But this should not replace brushing with a fluoride toothpaste morning  and evening - it's an extra.'
She added that people should also avoid rinsing out their toothpaste with water after brushing.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that prevents decay by strengthening the protective enamel coating on teeth.
However, just 10 per cent of England’s water is fluoridated compared to 60 per cent in the U.S. due to health concerns.
Opponents believe fluoride could be a risk to general health with potential side effects including an increased risk of bone cancer in boys. But the British Dental Association said fluoridation was a safe and effective way of reducing fillings and extractions.
The latest research comes just a day after scientists revealed failing to brush your teeth properly could lead to potentially fatal heart problems.
Bacteria that loiter in the mouth can cause life-threatening blood clots via bleeding gums, which could trigger the rare condition infective endocarditis, according to Bristol University.

Health and Social Care bill becomes law as report reveals ministers warned 18months ago that reforms could damage NHS

By Daily Mail Reporter
The Government’s controversial Health and Social Care Bill became law today, after a tortuous 14-month passage through Parliament.Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's announcement in the House of Commons that the Queen had granted Royal Assent to the bill was greeted by cries of 'shame' from opposition Labour MPs.
The proposals were first tabled in Parliament in January 2011, but were subjected to an unprecedented 'pause' last year as Health Secretary Andrew Lansley struggled to secure the support of healthcare workers.

Health workers demonstrating outside Parliament last week against the NHS reforms. The Health and Social Care Bill became law today

The reforms were then amended more than 1,000 times during a lengthy passage through the House of Lords.
The new rules mean the Government can create GP commissioning groups to buy healthcare for patients and scrap Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

 

Labour has bitterly opposed the passage of the new law, insisting it threatens the foundation of the NHS and paves the way for private services to get too heavily involved.

Testing times: Health Secretary Andrew Lansley faced a huge backlash from doctors' unions

A draft risk register leaked today showed that ministers were warned 18 months ago of the risk that the reforms could lead to a loss of financial control, reduced productivity and emergencies being less well managed.
The Department of Health, which refused to comment on today’s leak, has resisted a ruling from the Information Commissioner that it should release the final version of the risk register in response to a freedom of information request from Labour.
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said today’s document published in The Guardian showed that ministers were warned before they launched the Bill that it was 'likely to cause major damage to the NHS'.
The document was produced on September 28 2010, and it is not known what changes were made before the completion of the transition risk register on November 10.
The Bill, which will devolve 60 per cent of the NHS’s budget to new GP-led consortia, has changed fundamentally since that date, with more than 1,000 amendments during its passage through Parliament.
Identifying 43 separate areas of potential risk, the draft register rates each on a scale of one to five, where a rating of one means little likelihood and very low impact and five means almost certain to occur and very high impact.
The likelihood and impact figures are multiplied together to give an overall risk rating, with a maximum score of 25.
Among 13 areas given a risk rating of 16 - with likelihood and impact each assessed at four out of five - were:

• Parliamentary amendments creating 'unforeseen consequences for the system';
• Costs being driven up by GP consortia using private sector organisations and staff;
• Implementation beginning before adequate planning has been done;
• Loss of financial control;
• 'Unhelpful conflict' between the NHS commissioning board and regulator Monitor;
• GP consortia going bust or having to cut services for financial reasons;
• GP leaders being drawn into managerial processes which end up driving clinical behaviour.

Other dangers, considered to have a lower rating of 12, included the risk that 'NHS role in emergency preparedness/responsiveness is more difficult to manage through a more devolved organisation, and so emergencies are less well managed/mitigated'.

The risk report warned NHS emergency care could be more difficult to manage through a more devolved organisation

Staff concerns and union action over the reforms could lead to 'deterioration in relations, lower productivity in the Department of Health/NHS and delays in programme', the document said.
And there was a warning that strategic health authorities and primary care trusts might lose “good people” who then have to be re-employed to run the new system.
Mr Burnham said: 'Now we know why David Cameron refused to publish the risk register before the Bill was through Parliament - it’s because civil servants were telling him his reorganisation was likely to cause major damage to the NHS.
'David Cameron will never be forgiven for knowingly taking these risks with the country’s best-loved institution.'
A Department of Health spokesman said: 'We do not comment on leaks. We have always been open about risk and have published all relevant information in the impact assessments alongside the Bill.
'As the latest performance figures show, we are dealing with those risks, performance is improving - waiting times are down and mixed-sex wards are at an all-time low - and we are on course to make the efficiency savings that the NHS needs to safeguard it for the future.'

Could swine flu vaccine cause narcolepsy? Scientists probe link between drug and increase in cases

By Daily Mail Reporter
Swine flu vaccine may have been responsible for a sudden increase in cases of narcolepsy among schoolchildren in Finland, a study has found.
The sleep disorder is characterised by periods of extreme drowsiness, sudden naps, and paralysis attacks.
Scientists spotted a sudden increase in narcolepsy rates among Finnish children early in 2010.

Side effect: Scientists in Finland believe a sudden rise in narcolepsy rates among children may be due to the swine flu vaccine

Research showed it was associated with the Pandemrix vaccine, given to children to protect them against H1N1 swine flu.
One study found that the incidence rate of narcolepsy among children and teenagers under the age of 17 shot up 17-fold after the vaccinations.
In contrast, the incidence rate for adults over 20 was unchanged.
The study compared narcolepsy rates between 2002 and 2009, and 2010.
During the first period, the rate for children was 0.31 per 100,000 individuals. After swine flu vaccination, it rose to 5.3 per 100,000.
A further study involving the same researchers, led by Dr Markku Partinen from the Helsinki Sleep Clinic, collected narcolepsy and vaccination data for children born between January 1991 and December 2005.
It found that narcolepsy incidence for vaccinated individuals was 13 times higher than for those who were unvaccinated.

Research: The study found that narcolepsy incidence for individuals vaccinated with Pandemrix was 13 times higher than for those who were unvaccinated

Both studies appear in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE.
The researchers concluded: 'We consider it likely that Pandemrix vaccination contributed, perhaps together with other environmental factors, to this increase in genetically susceptible children.'
The scientists suspect the vaccine may have contributed to an auto-immune effect linked to narcolepsy.

A great bit of marketing! Rita Ora set for a popularity surge as Leona Lewis attends gig

Rita Ora may be the new kid on the block, but she partied with the chart elite last night.
The Hot Right Now starlet performed for singing sensation Leona Lewis at Camden's Jazz Cafe, before the girls joined N-Dubber Fazer for Wretch 32's birthday shenanigans in the West End.
Rita, 21, appears to have perfected her paparazzi uniform, making sure she was photographed looking suave in a feathered green shrug, towering platform heels and androgynous suit jacket.

New bezzies? Leona Lewis parties with chart newcomer Rita Ora at Wretch 32's birthday party HeyJo

And in keeping with her new celebrity status, the peroxide blonde stepped out without a top, giving onlookers a cheeky peek at her bra beneath the gaping buttons.

 

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Rita, complete with lashings of red lipstick, also carried an oversized mint green bag that looked like she had borrowed it from one of the Olsen twins.
Clearly excited by the evening's festivities, Rita tweeted her followers prior to the London show: 'JAZZ CAFE 11PM IM SO EXCITED! THANK YOU EVERYONE WHOS COMING!' 

Centre of attention: Leona went to the Camden Jazz Cafe to watch Rita perform, before heading to West End

Let's get the weekend started! Rita and Fazer both attend birthday celebrations for Wretch 32

She later added: 'Happy birthday to my boy @Wretch32 we had a 2 2 dance and a boogie. Thank u for havin me. Great party. Xx'

Bleeding Love singer Leona, 26, looked equally stylish in polka dot tights and a black beret.
She also wore a pair of geeky spectacles, with her friend opting for an identical pair.
Her leopard print shoes and red velvet bag added some va-va-voom to the black ensemble.
Wretch, real name Jermaine Scott, appeared to be relishing his time as the birthday boy downing drinks, simply tweeting: 'Wasted'.

How to emerge from a car like a lady! Leona covers he legs with a large bag to prevent any overexposure

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2113022/Rita-Ora-set-popularity-surge-Leona-Lewis-attends-gig.html#ixzz1pdQZjgjv

Life sucks when you're rich and famous: Lindsay Lohan has a lollipop sugar rush

By Jade Watkins a

Who has time for eating when there are so few hours to shop?
Lindsay Lohan was caught sucking on a lollipop while perusing the aisles in Beverly Hills.
Having switched back to her trademark red hair, LiLo looked like quite the rockstar with silver shades.

Sugar rush: Lindsay Lohan sucks on a lollipop while shopping in Beverly Hills

Sporting her natural colour also appears to have knocked years off her, reminiscent of her early career when she starred as a pre-teen in The Parent Trap and then later in iconic flick Mean Girls.

 

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Lindsay looked rather slick in a spring jacket, complete with bright pink purse ready to flash her cash.
She also seemed to be in a hurry at one point, darting along the floor to the other side of the shop.

Mish-mash of styles: LiLo stepped out in a chic spring coat, teaming it with ripped jeans

In a hurry? Lindsay seemed to sprint from one end of the shop to the other

The 25-year-old deserves a spot of retail therapy to celebrate her appearance on Saturday Night Live - which despite being panned by critics, gained the number one slot in ratings last weekend.
A message was soon posted on Twitter to acknowledge her victory, saying: 'Lindsay Lohan gets last laugh with high 'SNL' ratings. They insulted her looks. They made fun of her cue-card reading. But the haters can't say no one watched Lindsay Lohan on "Saturday Night Live."'
Additionally, Lindsay‘s episode is now counted as the second most watched SNL of the season, with NBA legend Charles Barkley taking the top spot for the show’s 37th season ratings win.

It's back! Lindsay stepped out in LA this week with her hair dyed back to it's signature ravishing red shade

The troubled actress, who has been sporting platinum blonde tresses for the last few months, stepped out earlier this week with her ravishing red hair.
LiLo's blunt fringe has also been blown out to the sides and lengthened with the aid of extensions.
To accentuate her signature hue, yesterday Lindsay wore a bright red leather jacket paired with  boot-leg cut jeans and an olive green top.
She boosted her height with brown leather platforms and carried her pink wallet and some cigarettes.

Out with the old: Lindsay changed her hue after sporting platinum blonde tresses for the last few months

The return of her natural colour comes as Lindsay continues on her mission to try and win back her flailing career after a string of arrests and legal woes.
Her professional life has taken a battering due to her constant run-ins with the law, which have spanned over several years.
She is currently close to settling her most recent scandal in a matter of weeks.

No fringe benefits: Lindsay's blunt fringe has been blow out to the sides and lengthened with extensions

She is set to finish her community service assignment, which she was handed after pleading guilty in May last year to stealing a necklace from jewelry store in Venice, California.
She also served five weeks of home confinement last summer for misdemeanor theft and violation of another probation.
Lindsay has predicted she will finish her community service at Los Angeles County morgue and her counseling requirements well ahead of her March 29 deadline.
During her career, Lindsay has often changed her hair colour, and has tried out a myriad of hues in the blonde, brunette and red colour spectrum.
For the last few months she has however been blonde, going even more platinum before her nude spread in Playboy magazine in December, for which she was paid nearly $1 million.

Red all around: To accentuate her signature hue, Lindsay wore a bright red leather jacket paired with jeans

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2113347/Lindsay-Lohan-lollipop-sugar-rush.html#ixzz1pdTB0pG3

Practice makes perfect! Paris Hilton exits Ferrari in a ladylike fashion with her legs together

By Dianne King and Nadia Mendoza

Exiting a car with legs akimbo is a sure way for rising female stars to get noticed - especially if they 'accidentally' forgot to put on their underwear.
But Paris Hilton appears to have learned her lesson, exiting her car in an elegant and ladylike fashion to attend her mother's birthday celebrations.
The blonde socialite headed to Boa Steakhouse in Beverly Hills, climbing out of her red Ferrari carefully, with her long pins firmly closed together.

Ladylike: Paris Hilton exits her car with her legs together

It's clear to see where Paris gets her show-off skills from, with mum Kathy just as enamoured with the camera lens as her daughter.

 

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The ladies hugged and kissed during their public display of affection, obviously aware of the commotion and striking a pose with their best side.
Paris showed off her tiny physique in a simple fitted sheath dress with an embellished neckline and paired it with her suspender tights - the tops of which just peeped out from the bottom of her dress.
The heiress tottered along in black patent Christian Louboutin heels and carried a matching clutch bag.

A show for the cameras: Paris celebrates her mother Kathy's birthday

Mother knows best: Kathy leads the way as the girls exit the restaurant

With her hair pinned back in a simple style and perfectly applied make-up, the 31-year-old looked like the quintessential girl about town.
Paris later tweeted about the great night out she had with her family.
'Just got home from dinner at Boa with @KathyHilton, my dad and friends. Such amazing food & ambiance at that restaurant.'
The saucy stocking style tights have been favourites with other celebrities like Rihanna and Selena Gomez.

Gossip: The duo were joined by Rick Hilton, Kyle Richards and Brandon Davis

Meanwhile, the socialite has been slammed by Mad Men star Jon Hamm who has hit out at the cult of celebrity that has made 'idiots' - and millionaires - out of people like Paris and Kim Kardashian.
'Whether it's Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian or whoever, stupidity is certainly celebrated,' he told April's Elle UK magazine. 
'Being a f***ing idiot is a valuable commodity in this culture because you're rewarded significantly.'
The Golden Globe-winning actor says the success of reality TV stars 'doesn't make any sense' to him.

He added that he also didn't understand why blonde, skinny women have become the epitome of beauty by modern society, saying curvy women like his Mad Men co-star Christina Hendricks are more beautiful.

Garter girl: Paris Hilton wore her favourite suspender tights for the outing

In the club: Later Paris was seen with Brandon Davis heading to the Greystone Manor

Earlier in the day, Paris headed out for a spot of retail therapy.
The reality star-turned-business mogul apparently told waiting photographers that she did not know anything about what Hamm had said.
For her outing she looked summery in a floral halter dress which she paired with her trademark white-rimmed oversized sunglasses.

Splashing the cash: Paris went to a Christian Louboutin boutique yesterday

Paris is trying to establish a career in the music industry and is working with high profile producers.
She revealed that her forthcoming album is produced by Afrojack (Pitbull, David Guetta) and will feature Flo Rida and dance duo LMFAO.
The release marks Hilton's second record following her eponymous 2006 debut, which charted at No6 in the US and No29 in the UK.
A leaked music video of the 31-year-old being featured on Manufactured Superstars track Drunk Text took the internet by storm last month.

Luxury: The millionaire mogul drove around in her red Ferrari

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2113372/Paris-Hilton-exits-car-ladylike-fashion-legs-together.html#ixzz1pdTQnERi

Rules were made for breaking! Mario Balotelli flouts no parking zone as he takes Raffaella Fico out for some Italian cuisine

By Nadia Mendoza

Mario Balotelli seems to think being a footballer makes him immune to the law.
The cocksure sportsman parked his red Ferrari in a no parking zone, while treating girlfriend Raffaella Fico to some fine Italian cuisine on an outing in Milan last month.
However, a parking valet did not seem so amused by the obnoxious behaviour and appeared to give the footballer a metaphorical slap on the wrists.

Nice wheels: Mario Balotelli flouts the no parking zone on a date with girlfriend Raffaella Fico in Milan

Fine dining: The couple are full of smiles at their table, decked out with breadsticks

Yet moments later, Mario's sullen face had transformed from serious negotiator to cheeky chappy.

 

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Raffaella took a back seat as she let her mohawked man do the talking, looking typically stylish in skyscraper heel boots, a face full of make-up and squeezing her frame into skinny jeans.

Ready for a cruise: The couple make their way to the car after dining

The Italian native, from Naples, teamed her outfit with a white fur trim jacket and a Louis Vuitton bag.
Mario, however, seemed to outdo his missus in the bling department, with the Manchester City striker, 21, weighed down by several chains, diamante studs and jewel encrusted sunglasses.
The temperamental footballer is no stranger to run-ins with the law, with the £120,000-a-week player picking up his umpteenth car fine last month.

Help is on the way: Hotel security approach a worried looking Mario...

... Mario manages a smile as the guard seems to be a fan

Mario was out for dinner with his girlfriend once again having dinner at Wings Restaurant in Lincoln Square, Manchester, before a council worker slapped him with a ticket on his illegally parked Bentley.
A source at the club told The Sun newspaper: 'Mario will drive from his luxury apartment to a restaurant a few streets away and leave the car on double yellows.
'The other week the Maserati misfired so he just abandoned it. Staff have had to bail it out 27 times... Mario doesn't seem to care. It's a drop in the ocean to him.'

Flashy: Mario was dripping with bling as he chewed on a cocktail stick

No wonder he's smiling: Mario earns around £120,000 a week

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2114785/Mario-Balotelli-flouts-parking-zone-takes-Raffaella-Fico-Italian-cuisine.html#ixzz1pdTelJ9a

She looks sequin-credible! Katherine Jenkins tweets a hot teaser pic from backstage at Dancing With The Stars

By Marcus Barnes

She's just as famous for her good looks as she is for her stunning voice, so Katherine Jenkins no doubt sent a few hearts a flutter when she posted this photo to her Twitter.
The opera star, 31, is gearing up to appear on U.S. dance show Dancing With The Stars and decided to share a picture of what appears to be her stunning debut outfit. 
Katherine partners Mark Ballas in this year's series, and he'll have trouble concentrating on his moves if she wears more outifts like this one.

Welsh rarebit: Katherine Jenkins tweeted this hot picture of herself ahead of tomorrow's debut on Dancing With The Stars

The singer beams at the camera wearing a gorgeous black dress with sequined tassels all over it.

 

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Her outfit not only accentuates her chest area but also shows off her slim toned legs.
Fans of the Welsh star will be bowled over by the new pic, which Katherine shared with the caption 'Sequins at the ready...'.

Girl power: Maria Menounos (L) and Martina Navratilova are also hard at work rehearsing for the first show

Brushing up on their skills: Jack Wagner (L) and William Levy are hoping to impress when the dance competition kicks off

Yesterday she signed autographs for fans before chatting to host Mario Lopez, a previous competitor on DWTS, at The Grove in Los Angeles.
She wore  a pale blue H&M dress with navy espadrilles and curled her blonde bob into soft waves for the show.

The Welsh beauty and her dancing partner were promoting season 14 of the ABC dance competition series, which premieres on March 19.

Beaming: Katherine with partner Mark Ballas (left) and host Mario Lopez

Good spirits: Clutching a bouquet of red roses, Katherine smiled at fans at Extra's taping at the Grove yesterday

Hands-on tuition: Mark Ballas and Katherine are seen leaving the Brompton Club earlier this month

They denied there was any romance between them, after pictures of the twosome cosying up to one another hit the net last week.
Speaking to the Associated Press, she said: 'We'd only known wach other 12 hours and in the press it was like we're already dating, which is kind of expected I guess.' 
The mezzo-soprano will be battling it out against Gavin DeGraw, Donald Driver, Roshon Fegan, Melissa Gilbert, Gladys Knight, William Levy, Maria Menounos, Martina Navratilova, Sherri Shepherd, Jack Wagner, and Jaleel White.

Working up a sweat: Katherine was seen leaving a Dancing with the Stars rehearsal in Los Angeles earlier this week

Raring to go: Katherine has been hard at work with partner Mark Ballas as they prepare for the upcoming show

Earlier, the songbird Tweeted a picture of the pair preparing for their appearance on the programme together to her 158,361 followers.
'Getting ready for Extra at The Grove... @MarkBallas #DancingABC #DWTS'
Katherine's partner Mark might have been born in Texas, but his mother, dancer Shirley Ballas, is British.
Katherine isn't entirely without dancing experience, as she joined Darcey Bussell on stage in the 2009 song-and-dance spectacular Viva La Diva.
She said about starti