hɪstˈɔːɹɪkli, ðə mˈɛdɪkəl ˌæplɪkˈeɪʃən ʌv ˈælkəlˌaɪn dˈaɪəts lˈɑːɹdʒli fˈoʊkəst ˌɔn pɹɪvˈɛntɪŋ ɹᵻkˈɜːɹəns ʌv kˈɪdni stˈoʊnz æz wˈɛl æz ðə pɹɪvˈɛnʃən ʌv ɹᵻkˈɜːɹənt jˈʊɹɹɪnˌɛɹi tɹˈækt ɪnfˈɛkʃənz, baɪ ɹᵻlˈaɪɪŋ ɔnðə ɹˈɛkəɡnˌaɪzd ɐbˈɪləɾi ʌv sˈʌtʃ dˈaɪəts tʊ ɐfˈɛkt jˈʊɹɹɪnˌɛɹi pˈiː ˈeɪtʃ.  jˈɪɹz ɐɡˈoʊ, sˈʌtʃ ɐ dˈaɪət wʌz jˈuːzd tʊ ɐdʒˈʌst ðɪ æsˈɪdᵻɾi ʌvðə jˈʊɹɹɪnˌɛɹi ɛnvˈaɪɹənmənt ðætðə stˈoʊnz fˈɔːɹmd ˈɪn, ænd kʊd hˌaɪpəθˈɛɾɪkli hˈɛlp pɹɪvˈɛnt stˈoʊnz fɹʌm fˈɔːɹmɪŋ ɔːɹ ðə dɪvˈɛləpmənt ʌv jˌuːtˌiːˈaɪz.
Historically, the medical application of alkaline diets largely focused on preventing recurrence of kidney stones as well as the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections, by relying on the recognized ability of such diets to affect urinary pH.  Years ago, such a diet was used to adjust the acidity of the urinary environment that the stones formed in, and could hypothetically help prevent stones from forming or the development of UTIs.