One thing that I've found really works is ginger tea, made from real ginger. I think it goes back to the whole 'heat' thing.
To make real ginger tea:
Take fresh ginger root and thinly slice off some of it, perhaps a section the size of your thumb or a bit smaller.
Fill a small pot with water and stick the slices in, bring to a boil
Boil for 15 minutes or so, until the water turns a warm golden colour
Add sugar to taste. I usually add quite a bit. In my small pot, I could add as much as a 1/4 cup
Ginger tea warms you very well, so it shouldn't be drunk on a hot day. It's an amazing drink for a cold day, or if you have a chill. It's also extremely good for you, except maybe for all the sugar XD
On a completely different note, I find that masturbating also helps a lot. I find it doesn't make a difference unless I orgasm, though. I've never tried having sex with cramps, but then, I don't have a man in my life to do it with XD