Know Your KidneysKnow Your CauseKnow Your Plan

Identify and reach your kidney health goals. Whether you're looking to prevent kidney issues or manage existing conditions, get empowered with knowledge and practical tips for a healthier life.

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Suni Lee's partnership with AKF

Know Your Kidneys. Know Your Cause.

"I know firsthand that kidney disease can happen at any age, and sometimes the cause of your disease isn’t clear-cut. But I want to encourage others to be informed about their kidney health and self-advocate for a treatment plan that can allow them to live their best life." - Suni Lee

Anatomy and function of the kidneys

Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs near the middle of your back, one on either side of your spine, just below your ribcage. Your kidneys filter all the blood in your body many times a day to remove extra fluid and waste. This extra fluid and waste make up your urine (pee). 

Your kidneys do many other important jobs too, such as help control your blood pressure and keep your bones healthy. You need at least one healthy kidney to keep your body working the way it should. 

Learn more about how your kidneys work

Risk factors

Anyone can get kidney disease, but some people have a higher chance of getting kidney disease because they have one or more risk factors. The two most common risk factors for kidney disease are diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure). Other risk factors are race, ethnicity, family history, heart disease, obesity, and smoking or using tobacco. Having one of these does not mean that you will get kidney disease. But if you do, and you find and treat kidney disease early, you may be able to prevent it from getting worse. 

Learn more about the risk factors of kidney disease

Kidney disease prevention

There are steps you can take to protect your kidneys and promote general health. Your doctor will work with you to create a plan to prevent or delay the progression of kidney disease, which may include:

  • Regular visits with your doctor to check your blood levels and overall health
  • A kidney-friendly eating plan
  • Taking all of your medicines as your doctor tells you
  • Being active at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week
  • Quitting smoking or using tobacco
Know your kidney numbers

Your kidney numbers help assess your chance of facing kidney problems. They will help you and your healthcare team determine next steps to prevent or slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).  

Use our Know Your Kidney Numbers interactive tool to learn about:  

  • Your kidney health now 
  • Your risk of developing kidney disease in the future 
  • How to slow down damage to your kidneys if you have kidney disease 
Launch our tool to take the quiz
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Take charge of your kidney health

Know Your Kidneys is made possible with leadership support by:

American Kidney Fund

Answer these 5 questions to build a custom list of action items to help you manage your kidney disease. Whether you've recently been diagnosed or have been living with kidney disease for a while, this tool is designed to empower you with knowledge and insights to support your health journey.

By submitting this quiz, you are agreeing to the American Kidney Fund (AKF) privacy policy. Your quiz results will be stored and processed by AKF. If you have any questions, please email info@kidneyfund.org.

1 of 5
Which best describes your kidney disease? *Required
2 of 5
Which option for managing your kidney disease are you interested in exploring? *Required

Choose one or more:

3 of 5
Which aspect of your health and lifestyle would you like to focus on? *Required

Choose one to focus on first:

4 of 5
How would you describe your overall eating habits? *Required

Choose one:

5 of 5
What factors are most important to you when considering treatment options? *Required

Choose one or more:

Restart the quiz

Download this infographic on ways to prevent kidney disease

Download Your CKD Toolkit

Download this FIRST30 checklist to learn what questions to ask during your first month of dialysis

Download our Transplant Toolkit

The statements and opinions contained here are strictly those of the American Kidney Fund and do not represent official positions of any governing medical body. This information is not intended to provide medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified professional. All information presented here should be used in consultation with a doctor of your choice.

American Kidney Fund

Knowing the cause can help you and your healthcare team create an informed plan to manage your health.

This tool will not tell you the cause of your kidney disease but will guide you through talking points and questions to ask during your next doctor's visit. By advocating for yourself, you can work together with your healthcare team to try to find the cause of your kidney disease.

 

By submitting this quiz, you are agreeing to the American Kidney Fund (AKF) privacy policy. Your quiz results will be stored and processed by AKF. If you have any questions, please email info@kidneyfund.org.

1 of 5
Has a doctor told you that you have any of these health conditions? *Required

Choose all that apply:

2 of 5
Have you had any of these tests for kidney health? *Required

Choose all that apply:

3 of 5
Have you had genetic testing to find genes that may be linked to kidney disease? *Required
4 of 5
Do any of your close family members have any of these health conditions? *Required

Close family members include your parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, and uncles. Choose all that apply:

5 of 5
Are you of Western or Central African ancestry? *Required

You may be of Western or Central African ancestry if you identify as Black, African American, African, Afro-Caribbean, Hispanic or Latino.

Your guide

Start a conversation

Based on your answers, here are some topics and questions you may want to talk about with your doctor at your next visit.

Restart the quiz

Download your conversation guide

Download this guide to share with your doctor during your next visit.

By submitting this form, you are signing up to receive email communications from the American Kidney Fund. You can change your preferences or unsubscribe at any time. Email Info@KidneyFund.org with any questions.

The statements and opinions contained here are strictly those of the American Kidney Fund and do not represent official positions of any governing medical body. This information is not intended to provide medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified professional. All information presented here should be used in consultation with a doctor of your choice.