This is a little bit of an asian remedy that I used to follow religiously when I was younger and had bad cramps during my periods. It has now been 11 years since I do that, however, I still just automatically stay away from watermelon and too much soda during my periods.
The Chinese always advise against 'cold' foods for girls with period cramps.
Normally the 'cold' foods are not really anything cold in temperature, it is basically the kind of food that lower the metabolic temperature of the body. It makes sense when you think of heating pads that are used to help with cramps, same thing with foods, not ingesting warm food, but creating a warming effect from certain food that generates an internal heat.
So a week before I get my period and the week of, I would stay away from soda, icecream, watermelon (this is a killer), tofu, iced tea. Those were the main things I would stay away from. I do not know what is consisted in your diet, but I think we can google up 'chinese cold foods' and find out what to avoid. Since being good about staying away from anything that's 'cold', I stopped getting cramps. I just maintain the consciousness of not taking too much cold food before my period and I have had no problem since. Occasionally, when I do get cramps, I just pop an Advil and 20 minutes later, I'm back to my hyper and dandy self.
On the other hand, warming up your system is good for you. My mom used to make me ginger chicken soup. Ginger is one of the 'warm' foods, used to cure colds/flus/back pain. That always helps when I used to get really bad cramps.
PM me if you need a recipe. I'd be happy to share.
Hope that helps. A lot of my girlfriends here say I'm superstitious and naive, believing all the old chinese remedy, but I am normally the chipper one when 'the woman' arrives, and they are there at their desks doubled up or cluthing their backs, groaning in pain.
Silly girls.