NEW YORK — Go ahead, indulge Mom all you want this Sunday, but tell her to take a hike on Monday. Or a walk or a swim or whatever healthy activity she enjoys.

Many women don't know they're at risk, but according to the National Institutes for Health, 1 in 4 American women die from heart disease.

More women now die from cardiovascular disease than from all types of cancer combined, and more younger women are developing heart disease, earlier than ever. The odds are worse when it comes to some other chronic diseases: an estimated 2 in 5 American women will develop diabetes.

The risk is particularly alarming for Hispanic women, who have a 1 in 2 chance of developing diabetes.

So the best way to show your love this Mother's Day is to encourage the mothers in your life to eat less, eat leaner and move more.

It's easier than you think to make healthy lifestyle changes, however overwhelming it may seem. "Just try to get her to do it one Monday at a time," suggests Sid Lerner, Chairman of the Healthy Monday Campaign. "If she misses this week, she can try again next week. There are 52 chances a year to get on the Healthy Mommy track."

Healthy Monday introduces the idea of Monday as the weekly day of health. It's a concept being applied to a variety of public health initiatives by a growing network of businesses, consumer groups, advocacy organizations, and schools all dedicated to improving the health of Americans.