I first heard about this beauty and healing secret from a very skin-wise Parisian friend on the topic of Americans getting sick when they visit India. The secret to not getting sick? Eat green clay. Apparently argile verte (known as argital activated green clay in America) has both internal and external uses: internally as detox and disinfectant and externally for skin healing and deep cleansing.
In terms of a trip to India where one is exposed to unfamiliar and harmful bacteria in food and water, drinking an argil verte water solution every morning for one week will coat the lining of the intestines and protect the lining from being attacked by the kind of bacteria that leads you on a one-man tour of third world toilets.