Compositions of alkaline salts and metabolic acid inducers and methods of use thereof are provided. The disclosed compositions may be used for stimulating vagal nerve efferent pathways, treating or preventing an inflammatory response or an autoimmune disorder, inhibiting or reducing one or more inflammatory M1 macrophages and/or one or more inflammatory neutrophils in the blood, promoting polarization of macrophages from a pro-inflammatory M1 state to an anti-inflammatory M2 state, and treating or preventing cardiovascular disease or metabolic disorders.
