TRANSFORMATION
Cardiologist finds fitness and focus in swimming.
Every morning, before heading to work at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Dr. Ken Fujise jumps into the pool at the Field House, the campus’ fitness center.
The cardiologist and director of cardiology research sticks to a strict routine — and serves as an example to his patients.
Fujise rises around 5 a.m. and makes himself a protein shake. He swims laps for 45 minutes, and then he goes home to lift weights at his condo’s gym. He finishes the morning with a breakfast that he perfected with his wife, Tamami, consisting of meat, vegetables and yogurt.
Swimming gives Fujise peace of mind.
“Exercise is key for stress relief,” he said. “The sense of water is super-important to me. I can isolate myself from my daily calls and emails. I meditate during my swim. I reflect on what happened yesterday and what I want to happen. I prepare myself for the day.”
When he steps out of the pool, his stress has already evaporated — and that’s important for his work healing hearts.
He also knows the importance of regular cardio exercise for maintaining the body’s life force, the ever-pumping muscular organ.
“There’s only one heart,” said Fujise, 58. “It beats 2 billion times in your lifetime. It keeps beating nonstop. It’s the most efficient pump. Nothing is even close.”
Born in Japan, Fujise earned his medical doctorate from Kyoto University School of Medicine and then moved to New York for his internal medicine training at Metropolitan Hospital Center and Beth Israel Medical Center.
Fujise came to Texas for a general cardiology and interventional cardiology fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
After 12 years in Houston, he moved to Galveston. “We call this the hidden gem,” he said. “Most people in Houston don’t even know about UTMB, but it’s the oldest (medical) school in Texas.”
The doctor is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, interventional cardiology and cardiac CT angiography.
Fujise is both a physician and scientist — splitting his time among the research laboratory, outpatient clinic and surgery suite.
“I started swimming out of necessity,” he said.
When he moved to Houston, he enjoyed an early morning jog — but then damaged his knees. The pool started as an alternative, while he was healing, but quickly became his main passion.
“Swimming turns out to be the best exercise for me,” he said. “I’ve never had any joint problems since I started to swim.”
Fujise goes to the pool at least five times a week; he’s often there every day. “I enjoy it,” he said. “When I swim, I’m able to do more in my day. The days I swim, my brain appears to function better. I get ideas when I swim.”
Fujise recommends that others interested in swimming purchase a Timex Triathlon or Ironman watch. He bought his at Walmart and uses it to count his laps and keep track of the time underwater.
“I don’t go more than 45 minutes because I don’t want to exhaust myself,” he said.
He also signed up for some tutoring sessions to improve his stroke — and uses a kickboard to maintain his lower body.
“Enjoying the water — that’s the key,” he said. “With jogging, there’s so much distraction. In the water, you’re by yourself. It’s like yoga. It’s quiet.”
Weight training and eating right are also important to staying healthy. The cardiologist doesn’t eat or drink anything out of the hospital vending machines. And he and his wife go to Whataburger only once a year.
“It makes my day when my patients say, ‘Dr. Fujise, you look so good,’ ” he said. “I talk to them about the impact of exercise.”
Even five minutes a day on the treadmill has been scientifically proven to help individuals live longer.
“I suggest that if they cannot jog, swim or weight-lift, that they incorporate walking in daily activities,” he said.
Park the car a little farther from work even to reap the benefits of 10 to 15 minutes of walking a day.
“Even if you only do 10 minutes, by the end of the week, that’s 50 minutes,” Fujise said. “By the end of the month, it’s 200 minutes. A small thing can be a big thing.”
As his clinic nurse, Oneida Reyes hears Fujise give advice to all of his patients. “It’s something he always brings up,” she said. “He has a passion. He’s caring and concerned. He explains everything in great detail.”
Reyes said patients are inspired to follow in the doctor’s footsteps. “They can see his own lifestyle,” she said. “He regularly exercises and watches what he eats. He’s always been an advocate for health.”
Mindset is equally important to health, Fujise said. He tells patients to stay positive — even after a heart attack.
“Your mind can affect your prognosis,” he said. “If you are stress free, if you’re positive and not depressed, your prognosis is better.”
He explains that patients cannot control their past — but they can take the right steps for a brighter future.
“Let’s think about what we can do moving forward,” he said. “How you look at the world makes a lot of difference.”