Les Paul String Tension without difficult bending

I've been working with my Gibson Les Paul Standard (raw power) guitar and I can't seem to get the right feel. the action is pretty good and low and I lifted the tunomatic enough to were I have good String tension. If I let the tunomatic down(especially on the high "e" side) the tension is'nt good and I can't pick fast and fluent enough. I get caught up on the loose strings. But if I keep the good picking and strumming tension by leaving my tunomatic where it is...Bending the high e on the last fret is very hard. I know its not supposed to be easy to bend. But its like REALLY hard. would loosening the truss rod just a hair keep the tension AND make it easier to bed? I can't afford less tension where I strum though. Any help with this would be great! thanks.

-Mike