The Klarenbach Report, Jan 30

It was a Saturday morning in January; I was in a Tim Hortons drive-thru on my way to Waldheim for a Sask Ag Grads Association hockey tournament. Tim Hortons coffee is not my preference for my before-I-leave-town ritual. It used to be until the drive-thru line-up got too long for my liking, and I discovered the absence of vehicles at McDonald’s. To my surprise, I preferred McCafe over Tim’s and combined with my intolerance for line-ups, McDonald’s became my first choice.

However, the seemingly simple task of drive-thru coffee purchases became complicated with a heightened awareness of my mortality as I approached 50. This was associated with a reassessment of my physical and mental health, taking me on a life-changing journey. Today is not the day for the details of this mind-blowing journey, perhaps at a later date over some non-alcoholic beer, after a yoga class, or both. Speaking of yoga, my yogi instructs her class to allow their breath to guide their movement through the poses. This is more difficult than it sounds and a challenge for one who has struggled with restricted nostrils their entire life.

One can learn a lot from younger friends. Dylan, for example, introduced me to James Nestor and his book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. A fascinating book, which during its consumption, alerted me to the fact that I was a mouth breather.

Yup. A mouth breather. You know the stigma and the jokes, right? This little tidbit of information was not good for my self-esteem, let me tell you.

60% of the population are mouth-breathers. Fine. But who wants to be like everyone else, plus the health benefits of breathing through your nose are worthy of consideration. So began the journey from a mouth-breather to learning how to breathe through my nose.

I was 48 then, and teaching myself how to breathe through restricted nostrils was challenging. What would cause the restriction? Perhaps the test results stating an allergy to dairy when I was 11 years of age may provide some clues. Do you think?

An immediate lifestyle change began. No more dairy. No more milk - chocolate or white. No more cheese. No more paralyzers. Did I mention chocolate milk? Nothing. I stopped cold turkey.

An amazing thing happened: my nose’s tenderness subsided, the restriction disappeared and I could now breathe now through my nose.

A remarkable achievement. More energy, more endurance. Amazing.

So why am I sharing this story? It’s simple. This nose-breathing journey is why I was at Tim Hortons ordering coffee, which I don’t particularly enjoy but was available with oat milk unavailable at McDonald’s, on my way to Waldheim for a hockey tournament on a Saturday morning.

I was giddy that morning and on my way to celebrate our 30-year reunion playing hockey with old buddies and acquaintances from university. This was going to be a great time.

Our first game was against a 10-year reunion team. We were short-handed, so one teammate solicited his nephew and a few buddies to fill our lineup. After losing the first game, we won the next two, capturing the ‘B’ Side trophy. Despite a pulled hamstring, a cut lip and a disturbingly large amount of time discussing prostate examinations, we never stopped smiling and laughing. Good times.

Interestingly, I played against the offspring of two friends from high school. That is always cool.

The College of Agriculture is unique in the lifelong special bonding that occurs during the formative years of university. Perhaps, this is due to the collection of rural students moving to the city, bringing with them, the sense of small-town closeness evident in small agricultural communities. For example, upon graduation, I was convinced I could go anywhere in the province of Saskatchewan and know someone within 50 miles. It was a truly remarkable experience.

Each year brings a greater appreciation for the opportunity and encouragement to attend university and the College of Agriculture. Each year also brings a greater appreciation of one’s health with the knowledge that activity and improvements allow for rewarding experiences.

Life’s good.

Trent Klarenbach, BSA AgEc, publishes the Klarenbach Grain Report and the Klarenbach Special Crops Report, which can be read at https://www.klarenbach.ca/

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