Kidney failure tends to be hereditary but it also can be acquired. In order to prevent it, here are some helpful suggestions from ehow.com:

1. Control your blood pressure as high blood pressure is one of the most common causes for kidney failure.
2. Before taking garlic supplements, be sure to consult your doctor first.
3. Quit smoking or avoid cigarette smoke. It will weaken your immune system and once it happens, you are susceptible to diseases including kidney failure.
4. Talk to your doctor before having any kind of X-ray as it can damage your kidney.
5. Stop drinking alcohol as it will make your kidney work very hard.
6. Drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday in order to flush those toxins out of the body.
7. Have regular blood and urine tests. This will help you keep track of your kidney's health. Control your blood sugar because diabetes is the major cause for kidney failure.

And according to my doctor, UTI should not be taken for granted. If it becomes serious, it will cause a kidney disease so it should be properly treated. Avoid too much sodium and fatty foods and do not hold your urine in too long. I had done it many times before and I was almost hospitalized because I couldn't walk. Thanks God the antibiotics given to me worked.

Hi @sharantv! I am very careful myself and I see to it that I am taking good care of my kidney. A friend of mine lost her husband too because of kidney failure. She told me that it was acquired.
There are many causes of kidney disease. Kidneys are very important to help your body process fluids.
These are the ways to prevent kidney disease, I hope this helps!

1. Have a regular blood pressure check up. If your blood pressure is within normal range, this can also help prevent kidney disease.

2. Control blood pressure by restricting the amount of salt and sodium processed foods that you consume. You can consult a dietitian so she can recommend a diet that is best for you.

3. Inform your doctor if your family has a history of high blood pressure or kidney disease. These conditions can be hereditary.

4. Regularly check changes in your urine. If you observe that your urine is cloudy, smelly or foamy and if it hurts when you urinate, see a doctor. These are signs of urinary tract problems which if left untreated can lead to kidney disease later in life.

5. Observe for any symptoms of anemia like constant tiredness, you bruise easily or experience dizziness often, you might be anemic. This condition can contribute to kidney disease if not treated properly or becomes a chronic problem.

6. Have an annual urine blood test along with physical exam. These can help detect the earliest signs of developing kidney problems.

7. Have a regular exercise like scheduling 30 minutes of exercise a day, five times a week will help your body get rid of toxins through sweat and aid in normal body functioning.

8. Drink plenty of water since your kidneys have to process every liquid that goes into your body. Water will also help your kidneys clean out any impurities within your system.

I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother and uncle. It is good that you are looking ahead and finding out what you can do to avoid kidney problems. Researchers have documented that there are two main sources that cause kidney problems: food high in salt and drinking artificially sweetened pop. So two things you can do to prevent kidney problems is to stay away from high sodium foods like fast foods and junk snacks and don’t drink pop that has been artificially sweetened.

Family history does play a big role in whether you might come down with kidney disease or not, but you can also try to avoid it by changing your lifestyle. Try to eat right to avoid high blood pressure, diabetes, urinary infections and blockages. If you smoke, quit and do regular exercise. Chronic kidney disease can then lead to kidney failure, but early treatment of the disease can slow or even prevent it. Be healthy! :-)