Setup/Strings question after returning from long hiatus

[kittyboy]

I've been playing about 40 years. Took two years off after my sister died, and upon resuming my left hand strength seemed slow coming back, so I ordered lighter strings. I'd been playing Plectrum 12s and ordered Plectrum 11s. Guitar is an Eastman J-45 copy, short scale. My playing is almost exclusively chordal accompaniment for singing.

By the time the strings arrived, I realized my strength was back--the original 12s were easy to play. I strung the low "E" from the 11 set and noticed it was buzzing slightly starting around the 7th fret. Then I noticed that the strings from the 12 set were also buzzing slightly in that area and likely always had been. I also realized that the low action was inhibiting good travel of the strings--that is, they're so close to the board that I can't dig in w/my right hand as much as I might like on more aggressive songs.

So I'm at a crossroads for string gauge and setup. I liked the idea of lighter strings for ease of playing (and having less wound strings on the lighter set), but I'll definitely need to make adjustments if I go lighter.

Regarding setup, does this sound like an issue of needing to raise the saddle, or adjusting the truss rod, or both? I don't have much guitar setup experience, but Covid and new financial realities have me motivated to do more of my own setup work. I'm living in an RV w/no setup tools currently, but can afford to order some inexpensive ones.

I'd appreciate advice on where to start. I figured I could also potentially leave the setup as it is and switch to 13s, and get a little more tension on the neck that way. But I already have $25 sunk into the 11s and like I said, I like the idea of lighter tension and less wound strings.

I could also play lighter--I won't be busking anytime soon in today's world and don't need a ton of acoustic volume. Mostly I'll be recording videos trying to build a youtube presence and Patreon subscribers.

So I'd like advice on what string gauge you recommend for my goals, and then what setup adjustments I should make.

Thanks!