• Under / imbalanced consumption of alkalizing minerals.    Western diets tend to contain too much calcium (from consuming too many dairy products or Calcium supplements) and sodium (in prepared foods loaded with salt), and insufficient magnesium and potassium (that would come from eating fruits and vegetables). A diet based on fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes, with a small amount of dairy, would give the body all four of the alkaline minerals in better balance.
• Over-consumption of protein (often the MAIN cause of acidosis).   After proteins are broken down in the body, they leave an “acid ash”, such as the negatively charged ions SO₄^2-(sulfate), PO₄^3-(phosphate), NO₃^–(nitrate), all part of strong acids (sulfuric, phosphoric and nitric acids). Alkaline bicarbonates of sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium are used to buffer these acids (The kidneys try to increase the pH by the exchange of hydrogen ions for sodium ions. When acid and alkaline molecules combine they form neutral, bicarbonate salts, which are able to pass through the blood stream to be eliminated through the kidneys, without affecting blood plasma pH.)

We need 1½- 3 oz. of daily protein (Examples of protein content in foods: 3oz. cooked cod = ¾oz. ; 3oz. cooked beef sirloin/no fat = ~ 1oz; 1 lg. fried egg = ¼oz), yet the average American diet contains up to 7 oz. of protein. >Today’s average protein-rich, Western diet overloads the body with a daily acid excess of 50-100 mmol.

• High sugar consumption.   Provides the “favorite”meal for bacteria and yeast, promoting their uncontrollable growth and multiplication. The immune system uses its precious oxygen supplies in an attempt to eliminate these “invaders”and their toxic waste products, again creating an even more acidic environment -a vicious circle made worse by too much dietary sugar;
• Drinking too many sodas.   So called “soft” drinks, which often contain phosphoric acid and a lot of sugar;