Database connections

Hi, I have a custom template which pulls data from a seperate source, not the wordpress database.

What is the best way to encapsulate / do the database connection so that there are no conflicts with wordpress?

<?php
/*
  Template Name: High Run
 */
?>

<?php get_header(); ?>

<div id="container">

    <div id="content" role="main">

        <?php if (have_posts()) while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>

                <div id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>" <?php post_class(); ?>>

                    <h1 class="entry-title"><?php the_title(); ?></h1>

                    <div class="entry-content">
                        <?php the_content(); ?>

			<?php
				// database connect
				mysql_connect($dbhost, $user, $password);
				mysql_select_db($database);

				$sql = "select * from $database.$table";
				$results = mysql_query($sql);

				if ( mysql_num_rows($results) > 0 ) {

					print "<table><thead>";
					print "<tr>
					<th>Name</th>
					<th>Province</th>
					<th>High Run</th>
					</tr>
					</thead>
					<tbody>";

					while( $record = mysql_fetch_array($results)) {
						print "<tr>";
						print "<td>" . $record['name'] . "</td>";
						print "<td>" . $record['location'] . "</td>";
						print "<td>" . $record['value'] . "</td>";
						print "</tr>";
					}

					print "</tbody></table>";

				} // if mysql_num_rows

			    } // end else
                        ?>

                    </div><!-- .entry-content -->
                </div><!-- #post-## -->

            <?php endwhile; ?>

    </div><!-- #content -->
</div><!-- #container -->

<?php get_footer(); ?>