Plant-Based Protocols and Therapeutic Fasting: Dmytro Stepanenko on Their Impact on the Brain, the Microbiome, and Metabolism

According to the 2025 Global Wellness Report, interest in therapeutic fasting and plant-based nutrition in the US and Europe has reached record levels: over 38% of adults have tried intermittent fasting, while the functional plant-based food market has grown by 21% in just one year. An increasing number of people are searching not just for "healthy" products, but for solutions that combine science, ethics, and a personalized approach. That is precisely the trajectory of certified nutritionist, wellness methodology expert, and functional product developer—Dmytro Stepanenko.

We sat down with him to discuss his proprietary systems, the growth of his brands in both Ukraine and the United States, the scientific validation of new wellness systems, and the philosophy of "clean" plant-based nutrition.

About Dmytro Stepanenko

Dmytro Stepanenko is a certified nutritionist and dietitian, a wellness methodology expert, and a product developer. He founded MAMA VEGAN in Ukraine and PLNTBSD LLC in the USA. He is the creator of six functional systems that integrate the principles of therapeutic fasting, circadian nutrition, microbiome support, alkaline balance, and nootropic enhancement. Each system represents a standalone model of working with the body, targeting specific physiological goals:

• Reset 36 is based on structured water fasting, lasting 36 hours per week, designed for deep detoxification, autophagy activation, and enhanced mental clarity.
• RhythmPlant focuses on circadian-aligned plant-based nutrition, helping regulate sleep, appetite, and hormonal balance.
• InflammOFF is an anti-inflammatory nutritional system aimed at reducing chronic inflammation—especially relevant in the context of metabolic disorders.
• PlantMind offers nootropic support to improve focus, mental clarity, and eliminate cognitive fog.
• FiberReset helps reset and revive the gut microbiome using a fiber-based protocol, enhancing digestion and restoring microbial balance.
• AlkaPlant is an alkaline plant-based approach that supports pH balance and metabolic resilience.

From 2018 to 2022, he led MAMA VEGAN in Ukraine—one of the pioneers in ethical plant-based food, personally developing recipes and technologies. The brand started as fast-casual but quickly expanded into production, a raw line, frozen meals, and retail distribution. During the war, his team delivered up to 2,000 meals per day to frontline volunteers, doctors, and refugees.

Since 2024, Dmytro has been operating in the United States, where he launched PLNTBSD LLC, preparing a clean-label product line—from mushroom coffee to functional supplements and metabolic complexes—primarily targeting the US market, with eyes on Canada and the EU.

You are the recipient of the "Golden Cross of Honor and Valor" Order and a laureate of the "Leaders of the 21st Century" award for your contribution to plant-based nutrition. What do these awards mean to you personally, and how have they influenced your professional trajectory—especially regarding systems like Reset 36 and RhythmPlant?

Thank you—it's always unexpected to speak about awards. These recognitions are significant motivators. They remind me that my work isn't just a personal journey, but one that helps others. For example, Reset 36—36-hour water fasting—triggers autophagy and enhances mental clarity. RhythmPlant demonstrates how syncing plant-based nutrition with our circadian rhythm improves sleep and hormonal balance. These awards energize me to continue developing these practices.

I see these accolades not as an endpoint, but as milestones along the way. They are external confirmations that my work matters to others. Especially in areas like therapeutic fasting or plant-based diets—topics not always easily accepted—the methodologies like Reset 36 require time, discipline, and practice. They're not quick fixes. But when you see improvements in people's quality of life, focus, digestion, and sleep—then you know your system really works.

RhythmPlant emerged from observing how the circadian rhythm impacts hormonal regulation. It may seem esoteric until you witness changes in someone's sleep cycle, cortisol levels, or sugar cravings. We base everything on research, but it must be practically applicable. The awards simply bolster my resolve to continue with even greater determination.

During the war, you didn't just continue working with MAMA VEGAN—you also organized nourishment for thousands in extremely difficult conditions. How did that experience impact your approach? Did it become a catalyst for launching PLNTBSD LLC in the US?

That experience changed my view of entrepreneurship forever. When logistics fail, supplies are disrupted, staff are evacuated—but you still find a way to feed thousands—that changes your sense of responsibility and the simplicity with which you approach products. Everything must be highly functional, fast, and honest. People either eat or they don't. It works or it doesn't.

It was at that moment I realized: if we could do it under wartime conditions, imagine what we could do in peace. PLNTBSD was born as an answer to the question: how to make plant-based nutrition accessible, simple, and functional for people under stress, overload, and chaos? Essentially, how to rebuild resilience through food and supplements.

You are the author of six methodologies. How do you develop them, what sources do you rely on, and how do you verify that they truly work—especially for complex areas like autophagy or microbiome work?

Each methodology starts with personal experience. I first practice everything on myself—from fasting to gut microbiome protocols. Only then do I turn to literature: meta-analyses, Ayurveda, functional medicine, Western biohacking approaches. But I always return to the body. Put simply, if a method doesn't deliver sustainable results within 30 days, it doesn't move forward.

Currently, I'm focused on scientific validation through structured testing and systematic evaluations to legitimize programs like InflammOFF. We track key markers such as inflammation levels, C-reactive protein, and immune reactions to specific foods. This approach moves beyond subjective impressions like "I feel better"—we rely on tangible, measurable outcomes. At the same time, it's essential that the system remains not just precise, but also human-centered. We aren't machines. That's why adaptability, gentle pacing, and consistency are core principles embedded into every methodology.

Many of your products combine several angles: clean nutrition, nootropic support, and microbiome health. Aren't you concerned that such a multi-layered approach could repel mainstream consumers?

I believe the "mainstream consumer" is not what we used to think. People read labels; they know what lactobacilli are, or what lion's mane does. When we offer them something simple, tasty—and at the same time functional—they are grateful. That's why we create clean-label formulations without unnecessary additives, and always explain why each ingredient is there.

For example, our mushroom coffee isn't just an alternative—it provides a unique source of energy. While it does contain a minimal amount of caffeine, the sustained vitality and focus come primarily from the powerful extracts of medicinal mushrooms. It's also important to note that our formula is crafted using only the mushroom fruit body, not the mycelium, to ensure potency and purity. PlantMind works as a holistic system—combining these premium adaptogens with phosphatidylserine and a vegetarian B-complex. It's not a trend—it's awareness. People are tired of chaos in their minds and bodies. We're simply offering tools that work.

You work actively at the crossroads of science and ethics, practice and philosophy. How do you see the wellness industry evolving over the next five years—and what role will the plant-based approach play?

I believe wellness will shift from being a "service" industry to an "industry of responsibility"—responsibility toward the body, the future, the planet. Here, the plant-based model is not just a trend—it's foundational to a new consumption ethic. We're already seeing big corporations transition to alternative proteins; even packaging language is shifting—from promises to transparency.

In my view, the next five years will be about consolidation. Those who combine scientific foundation, technological efficiency, and human warmth will prevail. In this sense, wellness will become less of an industry and more of a culture. And my role is to contribute to that culture—adding meaning, products, and solutions that truly work.

The advancement of wellness approaches grounded in actual physiological processes, ethical principles, and functional effectiveness is becoming increasingly intentional and holistic. Dmytro Stepanenko's journey demonstrates how it's possible to combine scientific rigor with personal practice, and product with philosophy. Perhaps this symbiosis is one of the most promising directions for the future of the plant-based movement.