I've had UC for 25+ years, for much of that time I was only just about coping with life, just about able to drag myself into work, continuously tired, losing weight and anaemic. Most drug treatments either didn't work, or the side effects were so severe I ended up in hospital (twice). Over the last few years I've got to a point where the UC is in remission, I'm off most of the drugs and I'm able to lead a basically normal life. For me the answer seems to be a combination of diet, exercise (including cycling) and avoiding too much alcohol (although I still enjoy a drink, just less often). I'm convinced that a significant part of my improvement is due to the gut bacteria thing, I'll bore you with some details if you are interested.
One problem with UC is that everybody's experience seems to vary, so what works for one person might be a disaster for someone else.