Sandra recommends you forgo foods like ice cream, ice-cold drinks and raw vegetables; swimming in cold water; and exposure of the belly (like wearing crop tops or hip-huggers in cool weather.

She also recommends the application of heat (through warming herbs and acupuncture) to restore the balance of hot and cold in the body.

Melissa, crampologist
My personal method for dealing with menstrual cramps is simple: On the first day of my period, when my cramps tend to be the most vicious, I take a couple of ibuprofen (it’s recommended that you do this before the cramps set in) and climb into bed with a heating pad applied to my pelvis. In the past, I’d given in to the cramps, deep-breathing them away for as long as I needed. Now I’ve found that after an hour of heat, I feel better if I get dressed (they make heat packs you can stick to the outside of your underwear – genius!) and go about my day.

While there’s no universal way to deal with menstrual cramps (don’t we wish?), one of these simple methods is sure to alleviate the pain, at least for just a little bit. If you listen to your body, relax and try to remedy it naturally, “that time of the month” will be gone before you know it.

Excerpted with permission from The Girls Guide to Absolutely Everything by Melissa Kirsch © 2006, Workman Publishing Company, Inc.