Excedrin for migraines; Pepto for stomachaches; Tylenol PM for when you’re lying awake, watching infomercials at 2 am. Each of us has a personal prescription for every ache, pain and annoyance, but before raiding your medicine cabinet, consider this: Eating certain foods may cure what ails you more effectively than a pill. That’s because foods don’t just mask symptoms, they provide nutrients your body needs to repair itself and feel better, says Elisa Zied, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokesperson and author of “Feed Your Family Right!” Unfortunately, though, Boston cream donuts don’t classify as cure-alls.

“When we’re tired, stressed or in pain, we usually put little thought into what we choose to eat. Since so many convenience foods are high in calories and fat, we can get ourselves into some health and weight trouble if we just grab whatever food is most convenient at the time,” says Zied. And the comfort foods you’re most inclined to reach for — fried chicken, potato chips and chocolate — may actually make you feel even worse. That’s why we’ve armed you with the best foods to eat for everything from killer cramps to the first signs of a cold.

What ails you: PMS

The cure: Four daily servings of calcium-rich foods like skim milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese, broccoli, spinach and calcium-fortified cereals and orange juice.

Why it works: A study in Archives of Internal Medicine finds that eating four daily servings of calcium-containing foods may reduce PMS symptoms (including headache, cramps, fatigue and irritability) by as much as 50 percent. In this study of more than 116,000 women, researchers found that women who drank more than four servings of low-fat or skim milk (about 1,200 milligrams of calcium) per day had a 46 percent lower risk of suffering from PMS than women consuming half that amount. Researchers don’t know how calcium prevents PMS, but hypothesize that it may lessen the effects of estrogen, the hormone partially responsible for symptoms, during the menstrual cycle.

What ails you: Headache

The cure: Any nonalcoholic, sugar-free, caffeine-free beverage such as water, herbal tea or juice.

Why it works: One of the leading causes of headaches is dehydration, says Zied. With 75 percent of Americans being chronically dehydrated, it’s no wonder, then, that so many of us suffer from headaches. Water is essential for transporting vitamins, minerals, sugars, hormones, enzymes and other substances throughout your body, so not getting enough fluids can throw off the balance of these substances and lead to headaches, as well as muscle aches and fatigue. At the start of a pounder, reach for a bottle of water. “When you’re adequately hydrated, oxygen and essential nutrients travel more easily throughout the body, allowing it to rid itself more easily of toxins and wastes that might be causing you pain,” says Zied.

What ails you: Sore throat, cough, congestion

The cure: Chicken soup

Why it works: Turns out Mom was right: Chicken soup can actually clear up a cold. When University of Nebraska researchers added chicken soup to cultures of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that responds to infection by stimulating the release of mucus and thereby causing congestion and coughing), they found that chicken soup reduced the neutrophils, which means that eating it may actually reduce the severity of your symptoms. What’s more, the steam from soup (and other hot foods and beverages) helps soothe inflamed airways and stuffiness.

What ails you: Stress

The cure: Carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, graham crackers, whole-wheat bread and popcorn

Why it works: It’s a dream come true: We’re actually advocating carbs for when stress hits, because small doses of carbs flood your brain with the feel-good chemical serotonin, says Zied. Still, whether your stress is due to unmeetable deadlines, unbearable meetings or a marathon of errands to run in under an hour, this doesn’t give you carte blanche to raid the bagel cart. Zied suggests eating no more than one sheet of graham crackers, one slice of whole-wheat bread with one tablespoon of jam, half a bagel, one cup of pasta or three cups of popcorn.

What ails you: Insomnia

The cure: Oatmeal with skim milk and cinnamon

Why it works: Tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many plant and animal proteins that makes you feel calm and sleepy. Researchers recommend combining tryptophan-containing foods (like milk) with carbs (oatmeal) to speed transportation of the amino acids to your brain so you can benefit from their sedative effect more quickly. Other sleep-inducing foods under 200 calories: whole-wheat toast with turkey, an apple with peanut butter, and a parfait of yogurt or ricotta cheese with honey and fruit.