To many, summertime means cookouts, lemonade, and ice-cold beer. But if you’re part of the 18-28 percent of North Americans that suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, summertime can bring challenges to your social events. That’s because popular summertime foods can irritate GERD and make symptoms worse. Most people experience acid reflux every once in a while. But when acid reflux occurs twice or more a week, this could indicate GERD.