Billy Millican, 53, an avid cyclist and principal at Dade County High School, never gave much thought to cancer.

For the past 29 years, he’s had his annual physical to “stay up on the periphery of all the health things.”

And every week he’d ride his bike from his home in Trenton, Ga., to the top of Lookout Mountain and back. “Just to stay in shape,” he said.

When he turned 50, he made a list of everything he needed to have checked out.

“My eyes, and I did need reading glasses,” he said. “And my snoring. So I had a sleep test and did end up having sleep apnea.”

A colonoscopy was on the list too, but he didn’t get around to having it for a couple of years. When he finally did last summer, he woke up to the doctor informing him that he suspected Mr. Millican had colorectal cancer, a preliminary diagnosis that was confirmed a day later.

With a specialist degree in science education and bachelor’s degree in health and physical education, Mr. Millican was stunned. He’d always done everything to keep himself healthy. Except eating correctly, he said, looking back on years of fast food.

“I truly feel my diet had something to do with it,” he said.

Lea Reagan, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator for Memorial Diabetes and Nutrition Center, said that while there is no magic bullet to prevent cancer, the bottom line is that it goes back to the basics: getting enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, along with enough milk products.

“Certain fats, saturated and trans fats in particular, are more inflammatory to the system, and if there’s any possibility of cancer being diagnosed, these make the diagnosis that much stronger.”

Ms. Reagan said most people have some sort of genetic predisposition to cancer, even if they’re not aware of it. Consuming foods with bad fats, along with lifestyles that include smoking and lack of exercise, help bring the cancer forward.

A diet that includes a good deal of fast foods full of trans fats and saturated fats may have very well been what led Mr. Millican to be diagnosed with colon cancer, Ms. Reagan said, even though he was active and health-conscious.

“Inadequate fiber, especially soluble fiber and fast food, puts a lot of saturated fat in the diet,” she said. “Not getting the right vitamins and minerals can be conducive to causing inflammations that lead to cancer.”

She said the foods that work best are those with omega-3 fatty acids, which contain good fats that help reduce inflammation and guard against cancer. Omega-3s can be found in such foods as salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, walnuts, almonds, broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and flaxseeds. However, she said, the best of them all is fish.

“The food works best, but you can get them from supplements, if need be,” she added.

While not food-related, she said sleep is another big factor, and the fact that Mr. Millican was diagnosed with sleep apnea could be another cause for his cancer diagnosis.

“When you have sleep apnea, you’re not getting enough oxygen to your cells, and they’re not able to take care of themselves. There’s not one single cause for cancer,” she said. “It’s a combination of a lot of things. But they’re all connected.”

Ms. Reagan compared our bodies to a car engine.

“You can take care of the outside, but if you don’t take care of the inside, the engine will blow out,” she said.

After suffering through radiation, chemotherapy, an ileostomy while his colon healed, followed by another operation to reverse it, Mr. Millican is looking forward to eating more healthfully, with just a week of chemotherapy remaining.

“Right now I don’t have much of an appetite,” he said. But he’s started reading more about foods that can help prevent cancer.

“Like green tea and broccoli,” he said. “And I’ll eat more salads. And when we go out to eat, I’ll eat more healthfully and won’t drink any more carbonated beverages and drink more water. I’m becoming more aware of the foods I should be eating. And my wife’s cooking some of the things now. We’ve converted to using olive and canola oils. And she’s learning how to cook more healthfully.”

If you’re looking to eat more healthfully, here are some ways to get Dr. Nicholas Perricone’s Top 10 super foods into your diet.

Hazelnut-Encrusted Wild Salmon Fillets on Bed of Wilted Greens

Adapted from “The Whole Foods Bible.” Almonds or sunflower seeds may be used in place of hazelnuts.

1⁄2 cup almonds

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon grated organic lemon zest (use organic lemons to avoid nonorganic lemon rind which is treated with fungicide)

Dash of sea salt and fresh pepper

4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups mixed organic baby greens (such as arugula, mesclun and spinach)

Lemon wedges

Grind the almonds in a coffee grinder or food processor. Do not overgrind, or it will turn into a paste. Mix almonds, parsley, lemon peel, salt and pepper on plate. Dry the salmon; dredge salmon on both sides in the almond mixture. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook about 5 minutes on each side, making sure that the salmon is cooked through. Arrange one cup of greens per plate. Transfer the hot salmon fillets to plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

— www.oprah.com

Slow-Cooker Lentil Barley Soup

1 bag (16 ounces) lentils, sorted and rinsed

2 medium onions, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

1 can (141⁄2-ounces) diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, undrained

12 ounces smoked turkey kielbasa cut lengthwise into fourths, then sliced

1⁄3 cup uncooked barley

2 cans (141⁄2-ounces) ready-to-serve beef broth

31⁄2 cups water

Dijon mustard, if desired

Prepared horseradish, if desired

Mix lentils, onions, carrots, tomatoes, kielbasa and barley in 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in broth and water. Cover and cook on low heat setting 9 to 10 hours or until lentils and vegetables are tender. Top each serving with dollop of mustard and horseradish, if desired.

— crockpot.cdkitchen.com

Turkey Meatballs With Lemon Sauce

1 cup cooked kasha (any granulation)

1 beaten egg

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

11⁄2 pounds ground raw turkey

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 cup chicken or turkey broth

1⁄4 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 small carrot, finely shredded

1 green onion, diced

Prepare kasha according to package directions, using chicken broth. Combine first 5 ingredients in mixing bowl; blend well. Shape into 12 balls. In large skillet, heat oil and brown turkey on all sides. Add broth; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer turkey to serving dish. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cornstarch and lemon juice. Combine with pan juices in skillet and cook until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add carrot and onion. Pour sauce over turkey.

— www.thebirkettmills.com

Open-Faced English Muffin Melts

4 English muffins, split and toasted

1 avocado, peeled, with seed out, mashed

1 cup alfalfa sprouts

1 small tomato, chopped

1 small Bermuda red onion, chopped

4 tablespoons ranch dressing (your favorite)

4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese

Heat oven to broil. Place each muffin open-faced on a cookie sheet. Place each half with mashed avocado; place halves close together. Distributing ingredients evenly, cover each with sprouts, tomatoes, onion, salad dressing, sesame seeds and cheddar cheese. Serve with soup or salad.

— www.recipezaar.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Southeast Regional Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition will provide healthy snacks and information about colon cancer and nutrition for March, which is National Colon Cancer Awareness and National Nutrition Awareness Month.

Friday: Memorial Hospital, 2525 de Sales Ave., 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the radiation oncology section of cancer services.

Tuesday, March 24: Southside Community Health Center, 100 E. 37th St., 10-11:15 a.m.

Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27: Dodson Avenue Community Health Center, 1200 Dodson Ave., 10-11:15 a.m.

FAST FACTS

* Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in Tennessee each year, causing 12,300 deaths annually.

* The cancer mortality rate in Tennessee for the years 2000-2004 was 208.7, higher than the national rate of 185.7.

* The four leading cancers in Tennessee are lung, breast, prostate and colorectal.

Source: Tennessee Cancer Coalition

TOP 10 SUPER FOODS

The following list from www.oprah.com and Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a noted physician on anti-aging, looks at the 10 foods that can help prevent cell inflammation leading to cancer.

1. Açaí. Nature’s energy fruit thought to be one of the most nutritional and powerful foods in the world. Tastes like a blend of berries and chocolate. Highly concentrated amounts of antioxidants, healthy fats, dietary fiber and phystosterols to help promote cardiovascular health.

2. The allium family. Consumption of onions, garlic, chives, leeks, shallots and scallions helps eliminate toxins and carcinogens, putting them at the top of the list of foods that can help prevent cancer.

3. Barley. High in both soluble and insoluble fibers, which help the body metabolize fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates while crowding out disease-causing bacteria in the intestinal tract.

4. Beans and lentils. Low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and protein.

5. Buckwheat (kasha). Has more protein than rice, wheat and corn. Proteins in buckwheat help to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels, a key factor in preventing diabetes and obesity.

6. Green foods. Includes young cereal grasses such as barley grass and wheat grass. Their high concentration of chlorophyll has beneficial effects on cholesterol, blood pressure, immune response and cancer prevention.

7. Hot peppers. Contain capsaicinoids known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, heart-healthy effects.

8. Nuts and seeds. Packed with proteins and healthy fats. Consume unsalted nuts — primarily walnuts, almonds, cashews and peanuts.

9. Sprouts. Radish, onion, mung bean and alfalfa sprouts are high in protein and vitamin C. Add to salads or sandwiches or stir into stir-fries, soups and stews.

10. Kefir. Contains polysaccharides, which have anti-fungal and antibiotic properties. Mix one glass unsweetened whole-milk kefir with 2 tablespoons pure pomegranate extract for a sweet smoothie to begin your day.

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