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Allowing your children to lend a hand in the kitchen requires extra time and patience, but the benets make it worth the eort. While 49,000 Americans will die from colorectal cancer this year, the disease can beprevented. The Kitchen Aids — COOKING CAN GIVE your children a sense of independence and boost their self-esteem. When you involve them in the kitchen, you give them a way to accomplish and take ownership of family tasks. This can also be a good opportunity to model healthy eating behaviors. Preschoolers going through a picky eating phase may be more likely to eat foods they help create, and older children can explore healthy foods they like that aren't "boring" or "gross." No matter what age your child is, though, working together on a project is always a great way to enjoy a little additional family time. HELPING HANDS What a 5-year-old can handle in the kitchen varies greatly from what an 11-year-old can do. Here are some suggested tasks for your younger and older assistant chefs. Colorectal Cancer HOW CAN a preventable disease cause so many deaths? According to the Colon Cancer Alliance, the answer can be found in one word: embarrassment. If men and women would muster their courage, consult their doctors and get screened, tens of thousands of lives could be saved. SHOULD YOU BE CHECKED? Simple screening methods can be used to detect and remove polyps — growths on the lining of the colon and rectum that can gradually develop into cancer — before they become cancerous. In addition, if polyps are detected soon enough after they have become cancerous, you have a 90 percent chance ofbeing cured. HOW CAN YOU AVOID GETTING IT? Although experts don't know exactly what causes colorectal cancer,studies suggest that taking the following steps can minimize your risk: Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole-grain foods, and high-ber foods. Avoid high-fat foods. Take a daily multivitamin containing folic acid or folate. Get more calcium. Get plenty of exercise. Maintain a healthy weight. Stop smoking. Speak with your healthcare provider about how often you should be screened for colorectal cancer. Need a provider? Visit www.mercycenterville.org and use the "Find a Provider" tool to nd a local physician or practitioner whots your needs. AGES 812 Picking out recipes or creating their own Using zesters, graters or peelers under supervision Working with heat sources while supervised Washing dishes AGES 57 Counting/doing basic measurements Cutting with a plastic or butter knife Reading simple recipes Setting the table Best Your Kids You Can Prevent It? MERCY MEDICAL CENTERCENTERVILLE /// www.mercycenterville.org 3