Participants in the intervention group were provided dietary guidelines in the form of an educational booklet that was recommended for use for @-@ weeks during disease flare , that patients eat little and often ( four to six times a day ) , drink adequate fluids , decrease excess intake of fat , decrease simple carbohydrates and decrease high-fibre foods during flare.Validated and study-designed questionnaires were used to compare patients ' perceived quality of life , colitis activity scores and eating habits before and following the dietary advice provided .