Janese Laster, MD

Janese Laster, MD Gut Theory Total Digestive Care is a comprehensive nutrition, weight management, and minimally invasive bariatric endoscopy practice.

04/24/2026

GLP-1 medications are changing lives!

I’m excited because of all of the research that is going into this disease process. We are finally starting to get the message out that obesity is a chronic disease and not a moral failing.

But the conversation almost never includes your gut — which is where GLP-1 is actually produced. As a GI physician and obesity medicine specialist, I treat these as one system. Because they are.

Nausea on a GLP-1? That’s a gut motility conversation. Plateauing on the medication? Your microbiome might be part of the answer.
Constipation before starting a medication? We have to fix that first.
No appetite at all after we increased your dose? Well, we have gone too far!

Ready to work with a physician who sees the full picture?
🔗 Link in bio.
💬 Drop a ❓ with your biggest GLP-1 question and I’ll answer in the comments.

04/23/2026

Why start a solo practice? 🤔

It was clarity.

I realized that I — the physician — knew more about what my patients needed than the administrators with the MBA and the MHA degrees making the decisions about their care. But I was carrying all the clinical risk, holding all the liability, and taking home a fraction of what the hospital CEO and the owners were earning off my expertise.

And my patients were getting 15 minutes.

Fifteen minutes for someone with chronic obesity, gut disease, hormonal changes, and a lifetime of being dismissed by the medical system. Fifteen minutes to do the thing I trained for over a decade to do well. Of course we weren’t making a difference!

I knew even as interviewed for jobs, I couldn’t practice the way the system wanted me to! So, at that moment I stopped doing someone else’s math and started doing my own, calculating the risk. And decided to bet on myself.

I wanted to build a practice I would actually want to go to as a patient. One where I could take the time. Educate. Explain. Treat the whole person — not the billing code.

So I did.

Gut Theory Total Digestive Care is mine. My vision. My standards. My patients getting the care they actually deserve.

And today — we are officially launched OWN IT. to show others physicians how to do the same!

If you are a physician who has had this exact thought — that you know better, that you could do better, that the system is taking more than it gives — this post is for you.

OWN IT. is the course I am building for physicians ready to get out of the cog and start building something of their own.

💬 Comment OWNIT — you will be first in line when enrollment opens.
*Also comment if you’ve watched my journey and thought I was 🥜 🤣
💾 Share this with someone who needs the “sign”

🔗 We are live. guttheoryhealth.com/own-it/

Check the link in my bio.

04/22/2026

Your stomach has been talking.
Heartburn that won’t quit.
Pain after eating.
Trouble swallowing.

Your body is not being dramatic — those are symptoms that deserve a real answer.

An upper endoscopy (EGD) is a 10-15 minute procedure that lets me see exactly what’s happening inside.

We are now performing EGDs in-house at Gut Theory Total Digestive Care in Washington DC.

💬 Ask any questions below 👇🏾
🔗 Link in bio to book.
🔖 Save this for anyone who has been ignoring their gut symptoms.

04/21/2026

Everyone’s scared of a colonoscopy. Here’s what actually happens — from the GI physician who performs them.

The prep is the hard part…. Sorta (promise it has gotten better!) *and we provide a survival kit to get you through it!

The procedure is 20–30 minutes, you’re sedated, you feel nothing, and you go home the same day. We look at your colon lining, find polyps before they become cancer, and remove them on the spot.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable diseases we have — and a colonoscopy is how we prevent it.

Screening colonoscopies are now available at Gut Theory Total Digestive Care in Washington DC.

Link in bio to book. 💬 Comment SCOPE and I’ll send you what to expect at your first appointment.

GutTheoryTotalDigestiveCare

04/16/2026

The science on food, nutrition, and metabolic health doesn’t change based on who is in office. But policy does — and right now, the policies affecting what Americans eat, how it’s labeled, and what we fund in nutrition research are shifting in ways that matter for every patient I see.

I’m board-certified in Gastroenterology, Obesity Medicine, and Nutrition. This is not a political post. This is a public health post.

Here’s what’s changed and what it means for your body:
- Increasing meat, full fat dietary requirements— directly affects obesity risk, gut microbiome diversity, and metabolic health in children. We have decades of research on this. It doesn’t disappear because of a policy shift.
- Callint for reduced processed foods is great, but not appropriately increasing the federal budget for kitchen, renovations, staffing, and the higher cost of food, simply doesn’t work.
-Cuts to food and nutrition research funding slow the pipeline of science that informs how I treat my patients. Less data. Slower answers. Real consequences.
- without appropriate science, there are not delineated standards for what is and is not a processed food, this makes the guidelines blurry and up for interpretation

You cannot control Washington. You CAN control your plate, your pantry, and who you see for care.

Save this. Share it with a parent or a patient who needs to hear it.

And if you want a physician who will actually talk to you about the intersection of policy, food science, and YOUR body — that’s exactly what I do.
🔗 Link in bio to book. guttheoryhealth.com

Follow for more real talk on gut health, nutrition science, and obesity medicine
💬 Drop your biggest question about food policy and your health below — I’ll answer every one

NEW at Gut Theory Surgery Center ✨Your colon has been meaning to talk to you. And your stomach? It’s been leaving voicem...
04/14/2026

NEW at Gut Theory Surgery Center ✨

Your colon has been meaning to talk to you. And your stomach? It’s been leaving voicemails you’ve been ignoring.

We’re now accepting patients for open access screening colonoscopy and diagnostic EGD at our boutique surgery center in Washington, DC.

Here’s what makes us different (swipe to see it all):

🗓 Scheduled in less than a month — not 6+ months at a hospital system
🏥 Small, private center with a dedicated team that knows your name
🎁 Complimentary Prep Survival Kit shipped to your door (yes, we thought of everything — even the barrier cream)
💰 Transparent pricing — OON benefits verified upfront with a written estimate before your procedure 💳 Discounted cash pricing available | Financing through Cherry & CareCredit
📞 Personalized follow-up call the very next day

Whether you have PPO coverage, a high-deductible plan, or prefer to pay cash — we make it work. No surprise bills. No hospital runaround. No assembly lines.

The prep is the hardest part. We make even that easier.

Colorectal cancer is the #3 most common cancer in the US — but a colonoscopy can actually PREVENT it. If you’re 45+ and haven’t been screened, this is your sign. 💜

📱 Ready to schedule?
📞 (888) 755-4881
📧 info@guttheoryhealth.com
🌐 guttheoryhealth.com

Know someone who needs this? Tag them below or share this post. Your nudge could be the reason they finally schedule. 👇

Your gut called. Pick up. 📱

Happy Founders Day to my beloved Spelman College 🩵💙🩵Founded April 11, 1881.Spelman is more than a college—it’s where I g...
04/11/2026

Happy Founders Day to my beloved Spelman College 🩵💙🩵
Founded April 11, 1881.

Spelman is more than a college—it’s where I grew up.
It’s where I learned how to navigate the world, to persevere when things aren’t easy, and to have the courage to create my own path.

It’s where excellence is expected, resilience is built, and brilliance is nurtured—generation after generation.

As a proud Spelman woman, I carry those lessons with me every single day.

“Our whole school for Christ.”

And if you know, you know—Spelman doesn’t just educate women… it transforms them.

To the women who came before me, beside me, and after me—thank you for the legacy of strength, intellect, and grace. 💫

💬 Drop a 🩵 if you’re a Spelman woman or have one in your life
📌 Save this to celebrate the legacy
📣 Share this with a Spelman sister
➕ Follow for more reflections on medicine, leadership, and building your own path

04/10/2026

So apparently… evidence-based medicine is controversial now? 🤔

Recently, several of my posts discussing anti-obesity medications have been removed on Instagram for “selling” or “misrepresenting medications.”

Let me be clear:
I am not selling medications.
I am a LICENSED physician with prescribing capabilities
I am educating.

My content has focused on:
✔️ Misconceptions about GLP-1 medications
✔️ The pros and cons
✔️ Who these medications are actually indicated for
✔️ What to expect on these medications
✔️ How to avoid pitfalls when taking these medications

As a quadruple board-certified physician, this is literally what I am trained to do ‼️

And yet… my posts are being taken down, my account is being restricted, and the appeal process? There is no one to contact, no box to state your case! And prove to AI they’re wrong!

Meanwhile…
🚨 Influencers can promote unregulated supplements
🚨 Teas, powders, and “quick fixes” with zero medical evidence
🚨 Misleading health claims everywhere

…and that’s fine?

So let’s talk about it—
When did accurate, science-based information become the thing that gets flagged?

If you’re a physician, healthcare provider, or even a creator in the health space:
👉 Has this happened to you?
👉 How are you navigating it?
👉 Any tips for avoiding unnecessary takedowns?

Because right now it feels like:
If you have millions of followers, you’re rewarded.
If you’re a small business telling the truth, you’re restricted.

I’m going to keep educating regardless—but I’d love to hear your experience 👇

📌 Save this if you believe patients deserve accurate information
📣 Share this so we can bring awareness
➕ Follow for evidence-based, honest conversations about weight health and medicine

04/08/2026

Your Sunday just got a whole lot better. 🧘🏾‍♀️✨

We’re bringing together everything your body has been asking for — movement, intention, and real talk about your health — and we’re doing it in the most elevated way possible.

Join us this Sunday, April 12 at Fabletics Bethesda for a morning that’s equal parts sweat, style, and science.

Here’s what’s waiting for you:

🧘🏾‍♀️ Yoga flow to reset your body and your mind
🛍️ Personal shopping with the Fabletics team — because feeling good starts with what you put on
🩺 A gut health talk by Dr. Laster-Butler — because what’s happening inside matters just as much as what shows on the outside

This is the kind of Sunday morning that actually changes your week.

And your month.
And honestly — your relationship with your health.

⚠️ Only 4 spots remaining. This one WILL book up!

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally invest in yourself — this is it. A room full of women who are done playing small with their health, their bodies, and their time.

Come move with us. Come learn with us. Come shop a little too — we won’t judge. 😉

🔗 Click the link in our bio to grab your spot before they’re gone.
More details at guttheoryhealth.com

We cannot wait to see you there. 💜

Tag a friend who needs this Sunday morning reset 👇

04/06/2026

It was a productive day… but no pictures were taken 🤣 I guess you can’t win them all!

Made it to church, brunch, cleaned, meal prepped, went for a walk, read books, pulled weeds…in my book it was a win

Happy Easter y’all 💜💜

Everyone would treat diabetes without a thought, so why does obesity get such a tough wrap? Let’s talk about the elephan...
03/31/2026

Everyone would treat diabetes without a thought, so why does obesity get such a tough wrap?

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – or rather, the pen in everyone’s refrigerator.

GLP1 medications have dominated the wellness conversation for two years. And honestly? The hype is partially warranted. I’ve seen patients lose 20% of their body weight. Get off blood pressure and diabetes medications. Reverse metabolic syndrome.

But I’ve also seen the other side:
➡️Patients stop and start and have stalls in weight loss
➡️Side effects - nausea, abdominal pain, constipation/diarrhea, muscle loss, if protein is insufficient
➡️Patients who have plateaued and don’t know what comes next
➡️Insurance barriers that make these $1000 plus per month and inaccessible

This is why I practiced the way I do: medications are one tool.
ESG and the gastric balloon are another period
Nutrition, fiber, protein, sleep, movement – those are the foundation
No single tool works in isolation!

💬Are you on a GLP1 and have questions? Drop them below.
💾Save and share with a friend who’s a skeptic
📆Book your consult at Gut theory. Link in the bio.
www.guttheoryhealth.com
888–755–4881

03/26/2026

Chicago, May 5th. The stage is set. 🎤✨

I’ll be presenting at Digestive Disease Week 2026 — the largest GI conference in the WORLD — sharing my talk:

“Launch Your Endobariatric Practice: A Blueprint for Success”

From a girl in Birmingham, Alabama who declared at age 4 she’d be a doctor… to standing on that stage as a quadruple board-certified physician, practice founder, and surgery center owner.

I’m not just talking about endobariatrics. I’m talking about what it takes to bet on yourself, build something from nothing, and create a lane that didn’t exist before you.

If you’re a physician who’s been thinking about stepping out on your own — pull up. This one’s for you.

Oh, and one more thing… 👀

Let’s just say DDW isn’t the only thing I’ve been working on. Something is coming. Stay close.

📍 Chicago, IL | May 2–5, 2026
💬 Comment below what you think I should add to my talk!

Address

5225 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200B
Washington D.C., DC
20015

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+18887554881

Website

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