Well, I suspect that you also made a lot of other changes that may have contributed to reducing your colds. I don't know if water in itself destroys bacteria, however, some of the soaps do. I recently read Breakfast for Bacteria where the author discusses how such soaps do nothing but help increase bacteria resistance.

I practice a similar regimen to yours. I change clothes every other day. I also shower every other day and only use Castille soap. No, I don't use deodorant or cologne either. I hate the fake smell of cologne, though I do find some essential oils to be nice.

I bathe or shower every day. I only wash my hair with water, but I use soap on areas that tend to smell. I like the smell of good soaps scented naturally - lavendar, patchouli, rosemary, mint - or not at all. I rarely if ever get a cold (maybe once per year at most for one-two days) and I teach high school. Trust me, there are a lot of germs circulating in that place! I want to eat paleo, not smell paleo, but to each his/her own. I am not germaphobic, I just don't want to smell. Call me old-fashioned. I think building a good immunity depends more on how you eat and very little on whether you wash off a few of the trillions of bacteria hanging out on your body or not.

I believe in this. We live in an overly sanitized society and it is making us sick. I pretty much do all the same things you do.