Indica vs. Sativa: Medical Benefits

Some cannabis opponents still think that the concept of medical marijuana is only a marketing ploy, but this is a myth. The fact that medical marijuana truly helps is proven not only by clinical research but also numerous cases of applied medical practice. In order to properly select medical marijuana, you should understand what properties indica and sativa varieties have.

Medical Effects of Indica Strains

Medical indica cannabis has a relaxing, sleep-inducing effect. The body will be calmed to the degree of minimal movement. Indica is very effective in treating seizures, symptoms resulting from sclerosis, chronic severe pain, anxiety, insomnia, arthritis, atherosclerosis, and hormonal disorders. This is why indica strains are useful for medical purposes:
 Reducing stress; marijuana allows the mind to distance itself from reality. It improves the overall emotional state, making life more comfortable;
 Pain relief; cannabis compounds, like CBD and THC, are capable of blocking pain receptors in the human brain, thereby relieving pain. Weed has replaced a lot of medication because it has no serious contraindications and side effects, which cannot be said for codeine or opium;
 Combating insomnia; indicas completely relax the body, bringing a feeling of pleasant bliss. The non-REM sleep stage is prolonged, which is when your body recovers the most;
 Appetite-inducing properties; the famous munchies are what stimulates the appetite, enabling the body to gain strength more efficiently. It is often prescribed to patients who have undergone chemical therapy;
 Reducing seizures; CBD-based treatment is used to treat several forms of epilepsy. And indica cannabis usually contains more CBD.

Medical Effects of Sativa Strains

Sativa has an energetic effect, both on the brain and on the body. This strain is effective in treating nausea, low/no appetite, migraines, chronic pain, depression, erectile dysfunction, glaucoma/intro-ocular disorders, etc. To explore this further, here are some details:
 Fighting depression and relieving stress; as a great all-around daytime high, it helps you get stuff done that you would otherwise be too stressed to handle. All of a sudden doing laundry, cooking, cleaning and running errands doesn’t feel so overwhelming
 Pain relief; although you don’t get a full-body high as with indica, sativa weed is often the preferred strain when it comes to combating pain
 Fighting chronic fatigue; sativa is like the “espresso” of cannabis. It’s a stimulating high. It wakes you up, cuts through the blurry fog and leaves you clearheaded and bright. You’ll have the energy to go and seize the day.
 Increased attention; sativa or sativa-leaning strains have no trace of numbing or “stoning” so you’ll be very productive.
 Stimulation of nerve cells; some studies have shown that sativa weed encourages neurogenesis, or brain cell regrowth, which can be used to heal from injuries
 Glaucoma; it has been treated with sativa for hundreds of years. It reduces blood pressure and unlike other synthetic drugs, medical marijuana doesn’t affect the liver and kidneys. Recently, there even have been clinical trials of cannabis-based drops.

Hybrid Strains

When indica and sativa strains are crossed, you get marijuana strains which incorporate the best properties from both worlds. For many patients, this has clear advantages, especially if there are symptoms that can be treated with indica and other symptoms - with sativa. If the hemp is sativa-dominant, then it gives the patient clarity in the head and lowers the calming effect. The dominance of indica, respectively, suppresses the action of sativa. Today, most varieties include the genetics of both strains. So, whatever your requirements are, there should be a ‘cocktail’ of these two genes to accommodate them.